Brightonian
Full Member
There is now a critical mass of title-winning quality in this squad. If we manage to keep Pogba and Cavani, we will be looking at:
Bruno Fernandes: one of the best and most productive #10s in the world
Paul Pogba: one of the best midfielders in the world
Luke Shaw: currently the best LB in the world
Rashford, Cavani, Maguire, Wan Bissaka: all players whose quality would not look at all out of place in a CL final
Greenwood: one of the most promising young players in world football
Like any team, we have clear areas for improvement, and if we want to have a good chance at the title or the CL next season we need to make serious purchases in two out of these three areas, at least. Players like McTominay, Fred and Lindelof would look more impressive as options off the bench replaced with top drawer/more suitable starters. But the bulk of the side is here already. We are no longer 'in transition'. The progress has already been made. We need to win the Europa League and then we need to go into next season with the unequivocal target of winning the league and competing for the Champions League.
Football teams are subject to entropy like any other system. This side will not hold together forever without success. Pogba and Cavani will only be with us for one more season if we don't win something big, and Bruno is rightly ambitious too. Others will lose form, get serious injuries, decline with age.
So yes, we absolutely have to make some quality signings, but this right here is already the team.
Bruno Fernandes: one of the best and most productive #10s in the world
Paul Pogba: one of the best midfielders in the world
Luke Shaw: currently the best LB in the world
Rashford, Cavani, Maguire, Wan Bissaka: all players whose quality would not look at all out of place in a CL final
Greenwood: one of the most promising young players in world football
Like any team, we have clear areas for improvement, and if we want to have a good chance at the title or the CL next season we need to make serious purchases in two out of these three areas, at least. Players like McTominay, Fred and Lindelof would look more impressive as options off the bench replaced with top drawer/more suitable starters. But the bulk of the side is here already. We are no longer 'in transition'. The progress has already been made. We need to win the Europa League and then we need to go into next season with the unequivocal target of winning the league and competing for the Champions League.
Football teams are subject to entropy like any other system. This side will not hold together forever without success. Pogba and Cavani will only be with us for one more season if we don't win something big, and Bruno is rightly ambitious too. Others will lose form, get serious injuries, decline with age.
So yes, we absolutely have to make some quality signings, but this right here is already the team.