AgreedThere’s a difference between what we need to win the league and what we need to have a pretty good chance of top 4, which has to be the aim for this year.
If we sign a starting 6 (FDJ) and a left footed attacker that’s good enough to push for a starting place, we’ll have a very good chance of top 4. If Ronaldo goes we will absolutely have to bring in a striker as well.
To have a chance of winning the league we probably need a new GK, another left footed CB, RB, another midfielder, another left footed attacker, plus a striker if Ronaldo doesn’t go this year. Our drop off in quality from the first 11 is just too big compared to City/Liverpool without these.
We need to fix the big hole in the midfield and the huge drop off in quality in attack immediately, the rest I think the club can get away with delaying to the next few windows (either with signings or by developing our own youth products) to slowly getting us back to challenging for the title.
De Jong deal has really hit the buffers, how on earth do Utd retain any confidence with itThink we could get away without signing a RB if Dalot's form continues. We desperately need to get De Jong and a new attacker in ASAP though.
How long can Dalot's form last though, also Ronaldo's situation is holding up a new attackerThink we could get away without signing a RB if Dalot's form continues. We desperately need to get De Jong and a new attacker in ASAP though.
I really don't know what the club's thinking is on this, but I don't have much confidence in them.De Jong deal has really hit the buffers, how on earth do Utd retain any confidence with it
The minute Erik said we will find someone if we can't get who we want I feared the worstI really don't know what the club's thinking is on this, but I don't have much confidence in them.
Absolutely nailed it with our attacker situationIf we go into this season with Rashford Sancho and Martial we may as well sign off on sixth place already. Even if Ronaldo stays we need to bring in a player capable of playing as A RW. If Ronaldo goes then we need to get in a CF as well.
Since the start of last season we lost Cavani Greenwood Mata and Lingard with zero players coming in for the forward line. I honestly think a depth signing for the forward line is even more urgent than A CM. For the midfield we have Donny who could do a job, Iqbal and Savage look very promising as well. Plus we signed Eriksen and Martinez who is capable of occupying DM. Obviously far from ideal but if we don't get at least one more attacker and count on a forward line of Martial Rashford Sancho and a very average Elanga, who scored a combined total of 15 goals between them last season then it really is a suicide mission.
It'll leave you physically, mentally and emotionally scarredMany men. Many, many, many men.
Unlike last season, we have a new manager who will take time assessing the squad before making recommendations on whom to dump and whom to gain. And since these recommendations are going to be late, we could miss out on some of our top targets realistically. Add lack of UCL, it is bound to be a tough window. This has nothing to do with Woody rush or glazer something or anything. This is practical. Fans should understand that until we are a set team (I mean a team with an identity of what we need), transfers are always going to be a slog. Nothing to say here, next season will be much better and faster.The co pleated signings are pretty much a reflection of the Woodward style, bargaining and taking too much time. Even though their priorities may well have been different, Arsenal completed 5 decent transfers , helped no doubt by decisions on meeting prices and getting things done.
apart from some crazy last minute splashes that Van Gaal and Woody rushed, here we go again, a typical Glazer led window. Overseen by yet another Woodward type appointee. Hoping for some substantive action in the next week, but have doubts we will be any stronger as we head into the season from a player standpoint.
We announced ten haag back in April after a process that took far too long. That is ample time to think about the squad and what is required. We also have a director of football whose job should entail thinking about the type of football eth would want to play and understanding players that might fit that profile. Sure you would expect some delays given eth is new but it doesn't seem like the identification of targets was a slow process however the negotiations for those targets have been. You could also question murtoughs role given all the targets are clearly ETHs.Unlike last season, we have a new manager who will take time assessing the squad before making recommendations on whom to dump and whom to gain. And since these recommendations are going to be late, we could miss out on some of our top targets realistically. Add lack of UCL, it is bound to be a tough window. This has nothing to do with Woody rush or glazer something or anything. This is practical. Fans should understand that until we are a set team (I mean a team with an identity of what we need), transfers are always going to be a slog. Nothing to say here, next season will be much better and faster.
It was reported the list of intended transfers the club had been looking at was discarded by ETH, Also he was fighting for a title with Ajax and didn’t want to take his focus off of that, hence why he probably wasn’t working with the club then to sort transfers.We announced ten haag back in April after a process that took far too long. That is ample time to think about the squad and what is required. We also have a director of football whose job should entail thinking about the type of football eth would want to play and understanding players that might fit that profile. Sure you would expect some delays given eth is new but it doesn't seem like the identification of targets was a slow process however the negotiations for those targets have been. You could also question murtoughs role given all the targets are clearly ETHs.
You might have faith things will get better next season but I don't expect things to improve much. I am hopeful eth is the right manager for us but he also needs the right people above him and I have no confidence that is thr case
You mention the lack of ucl being a factor in signing players, we'll it will also be the case next season of we can't improve the team
Still say we need wide attacker and striker, however think there is no chance of it happeningGK: DDG / Heaton
RB: Dalot / Backup RB
LB: Malacia / Shaw
CB: Varane / Martinez / Maguire / Lindelof
Midfield: Frenkie / Fred / Eriksen / Bruno / VDB / Garner / McT
Forwards: Martial / Sancho / Rashford / Elanga / Another attacker
Just need Frenkie, another attacker, and backup RB. May be Laird can be used as backup right back, all depends on whether ETH thinks he's good enough for the role.
I think Ronaldo will leave, while Bailly, Bissaka, Chong, and Telles will be sold, while Pellistri and Amad will go out on loan.
Still feel we need a starter RB, got nothing against Dalot being a backup there thoughFrenkie de Jong and an attacker.
De Jong, as he is crucial for the way ten Hag wants to play & because he would improve our midfield massively.
An attacker, as we only really have the three starters. One injury, and we are dropping a few levels.
The rest we will have to look at next time, if we are being realistic.
We have enough reasons to be optimistic this season, but to each to his own. ETH could give a shopping list from the get-go like you claim, or come to training sessions, make the team play some friendlies and determine the actual playing ability of his players not to say their attitude towards training, instruction etc., and then amend his list for more players. These things take time. For a struggling team, patience is the only friend for everybody involved. Lack of UCL is a real factor, who knows Darwin Nunez or Erling Halaand even FDJ could be playing for us right now but for UCL. Saying we can't improve the team at all without UCL is not true. The transfers just gets a whole lot harder and longer in convincing players (which is what seems to be happening now).We announced ten haag back in April after a process that took far too long. That is ample time to think about the squad and what is required. We also have a director of football whose job should entail thinking about the type of football eth would want to play and understanding players that might fit that profile. Sure you would expect some delays given eth is new but it doesn't seem like the identification of targets was a slow process however the negotiations for those targets have been. You could also question murtoughs role given all the targets are clearly ETHs.
You might have faith things will get better next season but I don't expect things to improve much. I am hopeful eth is the right manager for us but he also needs the right people above him and I have no confidence that is thr case
You mention the lack of ucl being a factor in signing players, we'll it will also be the case next season of we can't improve the team
From February. I guess we've covered the CM and the LB. Martial staying has covered the striker position (and I still think we'll be stuck with Ronaldo).We need a RW (again).
Priority for the summer at this point I would say:
DM, CM, RW, ST (would be higher but we're stuck with Ronaldo), RB, LB.
Challenging the top 2 is at least a couple of years away even with good signings. Do you really think we can compete this season with martial as a starting striker and dalot as our first choice right backThe question now is whether or not the glazers/management break the bank and go after Antony, even after we sign FDJ.
If we do, then you could actually stand up and say we might have a chance to challenge the top 2.
Maybe.
Believe.Challenging the top 2 is at least a couple of years away even with good signings. Do you really think we can compete this season with martial as a starting striker and dalot as our first choice right back