This thread is funny to read, for people saying we can never satisfy 5 players in 3 positions...
That's not the concern. We have as many, more even, for the front 3 positions now. The concern, and scepticism, would be having 5 'world class' talents/players for 3 spots; it would be not only hard to sell to the potential players but virtually impossible to sustain.
My only point about Spain is it is a far far less demanding league physically. Its not necessarily about injuries but more about fatigue. Not everyone will agree with me on this but I personally think playing in England is far far more difficult than any other top league (especially Spain).
Its your first paragraph where I think the interesting debate is. I don't think we have to have the fullbacks sorted to also be looking at the attack. They aren't mutually exclusive. But, if these Sanchez AND Mbappe rumors are true and none of us know if they are it means Pep wants 5 world class attackers. He isn't dumb...so he will have thought about your argument which is a good one. But I expect like most things he will have a non-traditional solution to the issue. If we sell Aguero and buy two WC attackers, I do not expect that we would buy more than two fullbacks (a number of folks are expecting at least 3). And that is the key. I would happily go into the season with 1 LB and Maffeo backing up Fabinho because that gives Pep flexibility in other areas of the squad. If the LB is injured for a month we can play 3 at the back (or play someone like Delph or Zinchenko there--Hi
@Dax777). When we play 4 at the back Fabinho comes into the team. If we play 3 though he is not necessarily affecting Sterling's shot at playing Wingback because you would not necessarily want Fabinho there. He may still start because he may be a perfect DM in that formation.
My overall point is that if Pep really is going after 5 WC attackers its an indication that he is going to try to get to his ideal squad size and makeup. Basically 17 top class players who all would be regular starters in any club fighting it out for 11 spots each game. WC players will be on the bench. But with injuries and suspensions and occasional rest for jaded players or players who are dipping in form you will have a lot of playing time, IF, and ONLY IF, those 17 players are flexible and are capable of playing in a number of positions.
If you are the kind of player that can't buy into that philosophy then you aren't the kind of player for this club. But if you are, you will have the chance to do something really special and win a lot of silverware. IMO this is the only kind of squad (in England) that realistically can compete for the treble or dare we dream the quadruple.
I agree that England is the more physically demanding league, undoubtedly. Probably the most in that regard in Europe. However, the point that we may play 50/60 odd games a season is the same for any top club and at that point, such an amount, fatigue/injury concern/demand becomes much of the same and my example of Barca's front 3 play when they're fit probably 99% of the time; I genuinely don't know, but did any of the 3 miss any CL games this season when available outside of match day 6 when it was a dead rubber? I can't ever see two of them being dropped in favour of the next, or because of the prior, league game.
If the rumours of a fullback each side being sounded out and sorted are true then, in my opinion, it may stand at; 1 new LB and Kolarov by virtue of a year to go on his contract, and Maffeo and a new RB as well as potentially Fernandinho filling in. I see those 5 potential options as
the options at FB. I don't believe that Pep would bring in a potential FB if they weren't capable of playing the various systems; i.e. a wingback with 3 at the back or a traditional FB with 4 at the back. The Alaba, Rafinha, Alba, Alves type players. Not Ribery, Robben, Villa, Henry dropping deeper and tasked with being the wingback.
Hence I see Sterling and Sane as, not strictly, attacking players but certainly not wing backs in either a traditional manner like Dani Alves or even the stop gap-ish way that Navas is now.
Like Kolarov has played CB and LB, Sterling has played all 3 forward positions; that's his flexibility. It doesn't always have to filter up or down a level; defence to midfield, midfield to defence, attack to midfield etc. That'll be the same for Jesus who can play through the middle or out wide, most comfortably, on the left. That will show case his flexibilty to the squad; those 'projects' won't always be extreme. They'll be as useful and as simple as the likes of Kolarov going from CB to LB; I use 'useful' lightly!
In essence my point is that the likes of Sane and Sterling won't be wing backs to accommodate Mbappe and Sanchez or vice versa. Sure look at Sanchez, his versatility is playing out wide or through the middle, with varying degrees of success tbf, his work rate is a huge plus but it doesn't translate to being defensively sound to play a defensive minded position like wing back; like Sterling, Sane etc don't have either.
So it's still Sane, Sterling, Jesus assuming Aguero leaves. Like it's Sane, Sterling and Aguero now with Jesus injured. As I said before, are those 3 not enough because they aren't good enough or we aren't creating enough? No, it's the poor finishing. Bringing in 2 world class talents isn't necessarily the answer to that because you'll be sacrificing a player or two and their other qualities for the sake of another. Like dropping Silva or De Bruyne because they couldn't score in a brothel, you miss everything else they bring. As we will the likes of Sterling etc.
And as we're seeing in Madrid and Munich, someone eventually wants out.
Personally, as I mentioned earlier, I would think if we have registered interest in both players it's again more of a case of it being better in being in on the ground floor with discussions and negotiations given the uncertainty of transfers. Like how Aguero was the back up to Sanchez. I imagine both were sounded out and contacted and when Sanchez fell through the club pushed on with Sergio. Rather than saying "Well Sanchez isn't happening, what now?" And it being too late.
