Aim to build a title winning first eleven and if we fall short we will still be in a very strong position.
Ignoring style of play, tactics and players gelling;
433
World class Keeper
Centre back pairing of ball player + Monster
Attacking full backs
Defensive midfield star
Box to box midfield general
Attacking central midfielder
Two goalscoring inside forwards
Lethal striker
Pickford is class and will get better
Holgate is a ball player + Mina is a monster
Coleman + Digne are attacking full backs
Sigurdsson the jury is out on
Richarlison + Walcott can score
Tosun is a goalscorer
Even if we sign Digne + Mina and everyone else plays to their maximum ability all season...we lack 2 crucial ingredients of a first eleven
Star defensive midfielder + midfield general
And...no depth.
I thought you were being optimistic...this does look positive you know. I do hope there is optimism and realism in the club, where we are not aiming for a consolidated top 8 finish. There's just no point to playing for no.7 as if it's somehow the 'Premier League Relegation Championship'
This actually looks good I think, and if somehow you remove MIrallas, Williams, Bolasie, McCarthy and Besic / Schneiderlin, and then add Mina, Digne and Richarlison, it's really not bad, but still a big squad.
Realistic compeition for places, where people think they can actually get in the team (not like last year when some players had no hope) makes it worthwhile.
In the past, with a good system, other teams have made youth / reserves work out to bring depth to the squad (Davies, Dowell, Beni, Vlasic, DCL, Lookman)
Currently underperforming players can play to their best, and outdo themselves...we've seen flashes from Besic, Schneiderlin
Sigurdsson / Vlasic could work in an attacking midfield role, but I dont know yet what roles the 3 play in Silva's 4-3-3 (midfield)
It's a shame about apparent 'nice guys' like Klassen and Sandro, but can't see how they fit into this.