Donatello

Yeah......except for all the contract extentions/renegotiations.

That's me convinced (that you're Saint Charlie/Yuki/etc) "IMO"

Has he actually done that?!

That's a reasonable suggestion actually. And as I've pointed out to Batman, he started 24 games anyway - there are only six players (three of whom are defenders) in our squad who played more league minutes than him last season. Ultimately, I think your post will be lost on Batman who's determined to fly his 'wasn't first team at Norwich' flag in spite of the facts. Edit: And looking at it, he played more minutes than any other attacker at Norwich anyway (Oops, Robbie Brady aside...who I'm not sure I'd put in the same attacking classification)

Edit: Retracted.

Again, I'm not suggesting we are. Few have, as far as I can tell. Actually, if you want to be specific about it, it means we're not as good offensively. Cuco/Cedric will have improved with a season under their belts. The same can be said of Clasie/Romeu. Long, our best offensive player last year will almost certainly be starting from the off (surely *you* of all people recognise that will be an important change ) And who's to say that our new fancy formation won't be conducive to bringing the best out of the all the players we have. A sum greater than our parts, so to speak. In conclusion, just because Mane > Redmond, that doesn't necessarily mean that we won't have another great year, because Mane vs Redmond isn't the only factor in our success. P.S Ultimately, and as you've qualified your statement, "at the mo".

I'm not suggesting he is. Few have, as far as I can see.

To be fair, Redmond did start 24 games last year, it's not like he went AWOL. Out of interest, does anyone know who was supplanting Redmond in the game he didn't start?

Adrian spent most of last season proclaiming that we needed Gaston Ramirez, that we wouldn't hit any kind of prolonged form, and that it'd be a nothing season, if memory serves

Agree

Again, you've not really defined how you're fitting 8+ players into a match day 18 (three starting spots). And JRod has to count by virtue of the fact he exists /we're paying him a reasonable salary, I bet (although I understand your meaning). I just can't see how you can have five attack minded players on the bench, so two (assuming three on the bench) players would be spending the season in the reserves by default. Decent options is fine and all that, but it has to fit.

Presumably you meant 4-3-3 without the ball? Because that's definitely how I see it (as opposed to a diamond). The no.10/Tadic is far too advanced for it to be a diamond (imo), in spite of commentary to the contrary.

More ambition

Pray tell, how are you fitting Tadic/Redmond/Austin/JRod/Long/Ziyech/Boufal/Tello into the match day squad? And I'll extend that Q to anyone who's suggesting we should have 8+ forward thinking players, given we seem to be playing a formation which utilises 3. Edit: Removed Davis, because I'm happy to accept that he's may become one of the three CMs

And our second best

Why edit out your squinnying about Reed?

Overlooking that improving in the Prem is a significantly greater challenge, naturally.

This. I hadn't read this before posting.

Who cares? He's still been replaced. If we always have to replace a lost asset with a player of exactly the same mould, we'd never be able to change our style of play....which we seemingly have done (3 CMs).

Everton, smashing that ceiling, tucking into that war chest...http:// https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/26/everton-aston-villa-release-clause-idrissa-gueye Is that because they can't land Witsel, or would Gueye be in addition to?

Who are the seven, Supersaint?

I'm sure Adrian can see this really. He just doesn't think it's as good, but that's another matter to the point I was making.

A) I'm not claiming it's better/worse than anything, B) if you're including Mane, you have to include Redmond, C) I'm not including Mane, so I'm not including Redmond, D) Austin was signed on the basis Pelle would be leaving. In conclusion, it's Long/Austin/JRod Vs Long/Pelle/Austin. To suggest that we've been been a Prem side with 4 established strikers is simply disingenuous.

Why don't you think we've replaced Pelle? Simply because the replacement arrived before the departure?

I know you didn't highlight them initially, but City and United are not teams we should be using as barometers to measure our business (in terms of spending)