We are light in midfield. We needed two quality midfielders this summer. Our midfield is still light with even getting Fred. As for the RW, the only way we'll get anyone in is if we sell Martial which I don't think will happen.
My recommendation (4-3-3) with Sandro and Dalot working as wing backs to provide width. Pogba, Fred and Thiago are very dynamic midfielders with a lot of creativity and the front three need no introduction. Lindelof will only get better this season. Bailly will regain full fitness and come good as well
---- Sanchez ---- Lukaku ---- Martial ----
-- Sandro -- Pogba -- Fred -- Dalot --
----------------- Thiago --------------------
--------- Bailly ------- Lindelof ------------
Do you really think that team is stronger than having Matic in Thiago’s place and an actual right-sided attacker in place of Martial?
I can see your logic regarding a right winger in terms of the number of attacking players overall but you don’t seem to apply that same logic to midfield.
We have three players who, again, have been brought to the club in successive years, under Mourinho’s stewardship, at great expense. It is surely very sensible to assume that they will be set for starting roles in the team. We then have Herrera, who can come in in the holding role or as an energetic workhorse at no.8, and we have Fellaini and Lingard, who are more advanced players - potentially occupying no.8 or no.10 roles - and are not starting standard but offer qualities and interpret their roles in a way which is very distinct from our high-calibre players in that area (and really from most midfielders in general). They are, again, great ‘options’ - they provide something different and are effective in what they do. Six good players for three positions, a clear hierarchy, varied skill sets and with no gap in positional coverage. McTominay pads out the squad. Outside of Real Madrid, Bayern and PSG, our depth is level with, or stronger than, anyone. I think a second midfield signing only made sense with Fellaini’s potential exit, and for a player who operates in a similarly advanced area - not another deep-lying player like Thiago.
Looking at our attacking options, we have potentially six choices for three positions as with the midfield area. Lukaku up top and Sanchez for the left seem dead certain, with Martial and Rashford able to come in in either spot. Big question mark on the right though, with Mata and Lingard the most frequent occupiers last season and both Martial and Rashford ‘tried’ there relatively unsuccessfully. All options are underwhelming for that position when considering a bona fide starter - any of them can cover but none will make that role their own.
We have similar levels of depth in both midfield and attack, but there’s only one position across the six where we don’t have the quality of a genuine starter and that needs to be prioritised.
