13 Jul 2026 15:40:54
As it stands r midfield selections for 3 places.
United Bruno Santos, Teilemans, Mainoo
Liverpool Mac allister, Gravenbach, Wirtz, Sabozli
Villa new Swiss lad, Rodgers, Maginn, Kamara
Spurs Tonali, Maddison, Fernandes, Bentaur
City Anderson, Rohdri, Rejinders, Foden
Arsenal Rice, Odengaard, Eze, Marina
Imo we are not to badly off there.
Bruno is the best of all attacking midfielders.
Rice, Anderson, Sabozli, Rhodri are the 3 standouts of the midfielders imo but all the rest are pretty similar imo.
Chelsea arguably have the best 3 on paper to start but they didn't do well together last couple of years in
Enzo, Caicado, and Palmer.
Its not about who the names are is how they play together that counts.
13 Jul 2026 17:00:48
We need another signing. So far it has been good business, but I think we need to bring in a genuinely top quality player to push on.
13 Jul 2026 21:19:22
Ken, that was like picking a team on Pro Evo Soccer after they lost naming rights for players.
13 Jul 2026 21:47:20
I can almost see PES shipping with a player named "New Swiss Lad". ??
13 Jul 2026 22:45:25
The day I start proofreading my posts I'm done. ? I rely on Samsung autocorrect. ? I rarely read them back, so hope people get the gist. ?
My general point is that our 1st 4 options for 3 positions are not as poor as some might think, imo.
Of course, they need to gel and complement each other. So, it's a big fingers crossed on that one. Hopefully we get a different type in to complement that 4. A bigger, strong runner, physically imposing with good technique.
That profile for me would give all the options, but Carrick may prefer a different profile.
Further back on the pitch, it's a big year ahead for our defence.
Yoro needs to step up and start fulfilling his potential. Heaven has shown good potential, and he will be hoping to impress.
de Ligt and Martinez might not be available for the beginning of the season, so Maguire will need to feature unless de Ligt is fit. Little talk of cb's, which disappoints me, but it must mean they have faith in Yoro and Heaven, and that's good enough for me.
Maz, Shaw and Dalot are our full back options currently, assuming Dorgu is moved forward.
That's even more of a concern. All 3 are poor in the final 3rd, and 2 are often injured, and none can be considered high-class full backs anymore.
Add a cf and our front 6 compares well statistically with most.
It's full backs and cb, imo, where we lack the most quality versus most of our peers. Liverpool are lacking in the exact same areas, imo.
Arsenal not so much. ?
Lb biggest priority then, imo. Hall or Robinson would be good options from the epl.
Rb, no idea. I've seen us linked with 1 or 2 long shots, but nothing concrete, so looks like we're stuck with Dalot and Maz.
Cm, lb, cf are still must-haves, imo. Cb and rb are also must-haves, but a lot less likely this time around.
Not a word on players leaving.
Couple of rumours on Mount and Maz (neither are must keeps, imo) circulating, but not a word on Zirkzee.
Rashford, I suspect, will eventually find a new home, possibly on loan.
14 Jul 2026 00:22:19
Maz is a quality backup. He performs at a high level in any position in the back 4. He was excellent at cb for Morocco in the WC. He is, though, limited in attack, and I 100% agree that I would like to get back to having fullbacks who are a major part of our attack.
Dalot goes and stands up front as a striker, but the defenders don't bother to mark him.
That tells you everything you need to know. Shaw gets a nosebleed when he ventures over halfway these days. I would bite your hand off for Evra and Neville right now, but I suspect we might only get a left back if something drops in our lap. No way we sign a right back or cb.
14 Jul 2026 08:45:07
Great assessment, Ken. I think Maz is good defensively. Had a fine WC.
Funny how, all those years ago, Mourinho thought Dalot was, "The best young right back in Europe." Perhaps he was referring to potential, which never materialised!