---------------DDG------------------
AWB---Smalling---Lindelof ---Shaw
--Tielemans--McTominay---Pogba---
----------------Lingard----------------
----------Rashford---Martial----------
If we start with the above, I think that's improvement and enough to seal top 4. Ideally would like a defensive midfielder in place of McTominay and a right winger (would prefer to wait for Sancho though rather than buying a quick fix this season).
Cant believe people still think we are still going to sign DeLigt, Rabiot, Ndombele, Dybala etc.
Part of the issue is that some fans have unrealistic expectations on attainable targets, focus and target this season is to finish in Champions League places and nothing above that. Then we can hope to add more elite players (Sancho etc.) next summer.
This is a rebuild that will take time, patience is a must.
Here's my differing opinion: I think part of the issue is fans overreacting and forgetting that despite all the misery, we were second one season ago, were 5 pts away from a champs spot in our worst year in decades (we predictably blew it in the last 4 games).
Yes, the quality of the team has fallen due to lack of any sort of investment from Woodward, but look at our rivals. Chelsea lost their best player and their coach, and have a transfer ban. Tottenham have half their stars linked to moves away, but haven't made a single signing in how long? Arsenal are... Arsenal. Liverpool and City we clearly can't compete with, but there's 4 spots + europa champion.
Even if Woodward won't spend money, he can trade Pogba for a few quality players to shore up multiple areas of the squad, then all he has to do is buy one or two cheap, young, 'potential' players. Results in a much more well-rounded squad than last year. One star + a bunch of reserves = unbalanced team.
Why is Dybala so unreasonable? He doesn't start for Juventus, doesn't start for Argentina, had very few goals last year, and is on the team that is linked with a trade for our star player. If Pogba leaves, one of the players we are most likely to get in return is Dybala.
There is time left in the window: the sky has not fallen yet. What has so many people scared is that the mere possibility of utter transfer strategy/team collapse is indeed growing by the day. But in my opinion this is still Man Utd, we have the name to get at least some good players, and if not, and we fall down the rabbit hole, maybe finally Woodward would Finally get fired.