While respecting you opinion, I just fail to see how the squad is stronger. We haven't filled the two major problems of a ST and LB, Fernandinho is another year older too.
Grealish is a top player, but his best and favorite position is the left hand side where Sterling and Foden like to play just makes it hard for me to see how we are stronger. We haven't lost any of our top players, so at best I reckon you can say we've stood still.
You then look at our main rivals
Chelsea lost no one of note, signed a proven goalscorer which they needed so have improved.
United Varane, Ronaldo and Sancho are all improvements on Lindleof, James and Martial on paper so look stronger
Liverpool bit like us, stood still, but will hoping the defenders they get back will improve them.
The one thing that gives me hope is we have the best manager of the 4, so hopefully he can work his magic again.
It is what it is mate. Looking at our transfer history, we'd rather go without & wait for the right option to become available, rather than panic buy a player not up to the standards we've set ourselves & be lumbered with a depreciating asset on huge wages.
This policy has caused small peaks & troughs over the seasons, but since 2012 it's served us better than any other English club in the professional leagues.
We're all pissed about the Kane scenario, but realistically who else on Kane's level was available? We know we need a LB, but no one could have predicted what's just happened to Mendy, & seeing as he's been mostly injured & in poor form since being here, it's not as if we'll be any worse off this season will we?
Grealish adds to the strength of our squad & provides additional midfield & forward cover, & we'll never know if Torres can be our main striker solution unless he's given the opportunity to prove himself. Jesus can operate as a No 9, or on either wing & has been a revelation on the right this season so far, so we have similar striking options to last season.
We've taken the gamble that Fern has another season as a top CDM left in him. I reckon he'll see us through as long as we don't rinse him. Injuries can throw all of that into disarray, but it also gives Rodri the opportunity to properly establish himself as our undisputed No 1 CDM.
Essentially, our failure to get Kane, a new LB & to sign a replacement for Fern gives opportunities to several players in our squad who were pissed off with mostly starting our biggest matches on the bench.
I really feel they'll step up to prove to the club that even more solutions to our squad issues can be found right under our nose & in our academy. Perhaps this situation is what was needed to stop Pep from sometimes acting like a child in a sweet shop because he's so spoilt for choice.
Now Pep will have to play the best players available, & take rest & rotation into account for the sake of rest & rotation, & not just because he wants to experiment with his abundance of options in crucial matches.
Funnily enough, this season could could be the making of our club & squad for years to come.... )(
