Exactly this mate. I really don’t get these people that say this player or that player can cover etc. It nearly cost us at the end of last season and did cost us big style when Kompany left. I really hope we have learned from our mistakes this time. Personally I would love Jurrien Timber here if Ake leaves.
2018/19 was much worse as you had Otamendi at 30+ a little off the pace, and Fernandinho at 33.
With Stones and Laporte getting injured early, Rodri was dropped in the deep end with a slow defence behind him.
Mendy wasn't the same after the injury the previous season, and it took Cancelo a while to settle.
This season, if we get a left back from the PL, then, even if Laporte and Stones were out, we'd have Dias, Walker, Cancelo, Cucurella, Zinchenko, and Phillips, who has played at centre back before and is much more dynamic than Ferna or Otamendi that season.
The end of last season was a shit show, but during that period, everyone except Cancelo and Zinchenko got injured, and Cancelo got suspended for the RM 1st leg. Not sure how many defenders you need for that? Arguably, if we get Cucurella and Ake leaves, we're in a better position already, as the only difference is that Phillips is likely to be a safer CB than Fernandinho.