Is our squad stronger or weaker than last year?

What do you think?

  • Total voters
    736
Right now it'a undoubtedly weaker, as we're missing a left back.

Once we sign one, it's hard to argue we're not better off overall.

Ortega is an upgrade over Steffen, Phillips is an upgrade on last season's Ferna, Haaland is an upgrade over Jesus.

Alvarez isn't an upgrade over Sterling, nor a direct replacement if we're being honest, but is nonetheless a really exciting signing and has the potential to be an upgrade long-term.

Whoever we sign at left back now, they won't be enough of a downgrade on Zinny for me to say the squad is weaker, although we have become a little more narrow up front. A left back who can overlap would help with that.
 
Hard to say

I was surprised we let Zinchenko go, I think any club benefits from a player like that who can adapt well to different positions. But with all due respect to him, it’s not like he isn’t replaceable in quality, not to say he isn’t a good player.

In attack I think we’ll be stronger. I liked Sterling and Jesus but I think their time was probably coming to an end here anyway in the next year or so, so we did good business. Haaland will be a huge upgrade in attack and I think Alvarez will prove it too.

Fernandinho’s best days are well behind him so I think Phillips is an upgrade on last seasons Fernandinho. I guess the question is if Phillips is the quality of player to play his position for a team looking to win premier leagues and champions leagues, we’ll find out, it’s a huge leap from Leeds to this level really.

Either way, our squad is quality all the way through. I’d like to see us get a quality left back though.
 
It's impossible to say at the moment as we don't know how well the new signings are going to settle in and perform. We have lost four established squad players who knew our system inside out. While we will miss them many of us here also recognised the squad needed to be refreshed, it was getting a little stale and predictable in parts. Fingers crossed the changes work.
 
If we lose Bernardo we are definitely weaker , there isnt a player in europe to replace him , if Pep sanctions a £70m sale to Barca it would be madness , would have a chat with Bernardo and ask him for another twelve months and then he can have his move. In the mean time we need to scour the world looking for a player who can achieve his levels.

We need a more defensive and natural left back option for the tougher games and the big Champs league matches , really liked Zinchenko and it looks like the Cucceralla deal is dead and we are now looking at players from Dortmund and Spain who i have never heard of and are probably not an upgrade on Zinchenko.

Haaland , Phillips and Alvarez are great signings , we need to keep Bernardo and get an upgrade on Zinchenko and i would then say the squad is slightly better.
 
balotelli's back pocket said:
Right now it'a undoubtedly weaker, as we're missing a left back.

Once we sign one, it's hard to argue we're not better off overall.

Ortega is an upgrade over Steffen, Phillips is an upgrade on last season's Ferna, Haaland is an upgrade over Jesus.

Alvarez isn't an upgrade over Sterling, nor a direct replacement if we're being honest, but is nonetheless a really exciting signing and has the potential to be an upgrade long-term.

Whoever we sign at left back now, they won't be enough of a downgrade on Zinny for me to say the squad is weaker, although we have become a little more narrow up front. A left back who can overlap would help with that.
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We are at our best as a team when Cancelo plays left back and Walker plays right back. I think Cancelo is the best left back in the Prem.

What we’re lacking is a back up left back.

We didn’t have one last season neither as Zincehnko was a midfielder filling in at left back as a back-up.
 
jimmygrimblesboots said:
If we lose Bernardo we are definitely weaker , there isnt a player in europe to replace him , if Pep sanctions a £70m sale to Barca it would be madness , would have a chat with Bernardo and ask him for another twelve months and then he can have his move. In the mean time we need to scour the world looking for a player who can achieve his levels.

We need a more defensive and natural left back option for the tougher games and the big Champs league matches , really liked Zinchenko and it looks like the Cucceralla deal is dead and we are now looking at players from Dortmund and Spain who i have never heard of and are probably not an upgrade on Zinchenko.

Haaland , Phillips and Alvarez are great signings , we need to keep Bernardo and get an upgrade on Zinchenko and i would then say the squad is slightly better.
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Losing Bernardo would be a huge blow but it appears just to be a question of time.

An unhappy player is not good for anyone, if reports are true this is the third season he is with us when he really wants to go.

The previous two he was outstanding , let's hope the same is true this season if he's still here next month.
 
Keeper! said:
Losing Bernardo would be a huge blow but it appears just to be a question of time.

An unhappy player is not good for anyone, if reports are true this is the third season he is with us when he really wants to go.

The previous two he was outstanding , let's hope the same is true this season if he's still here next month.
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Bernardo was unhappy in Manchester during the lockdowns in April-August 2020 and January-March 2021.

Last season with the lockdowns just a memory he seemed more settled and happy and he was excellent performance-wise.

Since then the only thing he’s said is, “I miss Portugal a lot. If I could go back in a year or two, I would. Not only because I would like to play for Benfica again, but because I miss my family and living in Portugal very much.”
(May 2022)

He’s recently bought a house in Cheshire after having lived in the city centre in all his previous time with us.
 
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Psychedelic Casual said:
Bernardo was unhappy in Manchester during the lockdowns in April-August 2020 and January-March 2021.

Last season with the lockdowns just a memory he seemed more styled and happy and he was excellent performance-wise.

Since then the only thing he’s said is, “I miss Portugal a lot. If I could go back in a year or two, I would. Not only because I would like to play for Benfica again, but because I miss my family and living in Portugal very much.”
(May 2022)

He’s recently bought a house in Cheshire after having lived in the city centre in all his previous time with us.
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So is agent is pimping him to Barcelona for a joke?
 
Psychedelic Casual said:
How can we stop them? They’re one of the cuntiest clubs in Europe and get away with everything.
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They are gambling their future, calculated risk, and they are putting together a very useful squad.

But if you think Mendes and Bernardo have not indicated they are happy for Barca to use them, I think your a little naive
 
For me definitely weaker.
We've lost some excellent players, we've signed arguably the world best forward but he may take time to adapt.
We've not yet signed a left back and the squad is very thin.
I think we're in for a transition season.
 
Psychedelic Casual said:
It’s all coming from Barcelona’s side. Neither City, Bernardo or Bernardo’s agent have said a dicky bird about Barcelona.
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I’m not even sure I’ve seen anything from barcelona as far as I can see it’s random twitter posts being incessantly repeated on here and flapped over.
I could turn out to be wrong but I’ve seen nothing from any reliable source to suggest any truth in it.
 
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