16 Sep 2020 17:08:46
While there is a little doom and gloom around the club to do with a lack of signings so far this window I still feel there are things to look forward to this season.

I'm looking forward to seeing how DvdB does, to seeing Pogba and Bruno play a whole season together, to continued development and improvement from players such as Martial, Rashford, McTominay, Tuanzebe and AWB. I'm looking forward to seeing DDG and Henderson battle it out for the No.1 shirt. I'm looking forward to seeing Greenwood and Williams in their second seasons. I'm looking forward to maybe seeing one or two other youngsters step up either at the club or on loan. While there is still another 3 weeks left in the transfer window.

I do have a couple of concerns though. Firstly, as pointed out by Shan further down the page. Our players haven't had much rest and looked very tired toward the end of last season, while we have a large squad Ole doesn't seem to trust half of them. I am concerned about burn out this season. To that end maybe early exits from the domestic cups wouldn't be such a bad thing when looking at the bigger picture.

Secondly, is it just me or do we spend less in the season's when we qualify for the UCL? Since Sir Alex left we have finished in the top 4 twice and once qualified for the UCL as Europa league winners. Without checking to confirm my suspicion is that we spend money to qualify for the UCL but then once we have it we don't seem to spend. It definitely happened after Jose finished 2nd, he wanted 3-4 players and he got Fred and Dalot. I just wonder if the club have the appetite to spend and push for league titles or whether top four is the height of their ambition.

1.) 16 Sep 2020
16 Sep 2020 18:26:30
The big issue is the drop off in quality in the front 3.

Martial, Rashford and Greenwood, am more than happy to watch them week in week out.

But we are going to have 3 games in a week and our backup front 3 is Ighalo, James and Lingard. That is an awful chasm in quality drop off.

I still don't get why we haven't looked at wilfried zaha as an alternative to sancho, admit he blows hot and cold and it’s questionable if he's champions league level but he's certainly miles better than james or lingard.

2.) 16 Sep 2020
16 Sep 2020 18:50:24
So shappy let me get this right. You think it won't be a bad thing if we get knocked out early in the cups because we can then but up a better challange for a top 4 spot?
Tired my arse. look how many games robertson salah mane vvd played last season.
You doubt the owners ambition. Where is your ambition? Imo its never a good thing to go out of cups early. Never.

3.) 16 Sep 2020
16 Sep 2020 18:57:16
I think you've hit the nail on the head Shappy! The next few weeks will tell us more!

4.) 16 Sep 2020
16 Sep 2020 19:43:36
About the spending I mean, I agree with Ken about the rest!

5.) 16 Sep 2020
16 Sep 2020 21:08:08
Ken I don't want us to exit competitions early. I'm just saying that if we did this season it might have more of an upside than it would normally.

While every club will have had little rest between last season and the start of this one. Ourselves and the other sides still in European competitions last season got 2-3 weeks less rest, which when we had 5 weeks and other clubs have had 8 will make a difference.

Also it will be tougher for those sides playing in Europe again this season as those club's will likely have an half a dozen games at least maybe as many as 12 extra games as well as international travelling.

It will be a longer and more arduous season this year than most. To that end if we had to make a choice on one hand we could make the Semi finals of both domestic cups and finish 5th or get knocked out early in the cups and finish 3rd. Which would you pick?

6.) 16 Sep 2020
16 Sep 2020 21:35:33
I also agree with shappy that there are positives to look forward to.
Pogba fernandes dvb all can create and score from midfield. Matic fred mctom are all solid enough he has to find the right and best combinations.
At their best rash greenwood and martial are very good and a real handful.

7.) 16 Sep 2020
16 Sep 2020 23:17:09
so now we become arsenal.