It's really unclear what role malen will play for emery. He played most of pre season upfront but that could simply be the lack of an alternative to Watkins. More broadly my questions re recruitment under Monchi are mounting. It's hard because circs have been so tough...
... But we've made c 20 signings. Only 3 have become regular starters, 2 of whom were clearly Emery picks (Rogers and Pau). We've spent over £150m since last summer without any of those signings yet establishing themselves in the team. And we're really lacking balance....
It’s fair enough to ask questions but many of those were squad roles anyway. The key for me is I expect Onana and Maatsen to be team regulars this season. 1 season to integrate then in properly. That will be the mark of Monchi’s success or not imo
... Loads of extenuating circs of course. But that pts to quite how risky our model has been. If we hadn't got CL under Emery a worse crunch wd have arrived earlier. We've had several sliding doors moments go our way (promotion, staying up, getting Emery, getting CL) and our high risk ££ strategy..
I think the thing with that is if we were not in the CL last 16 we don’t sign Asensio or Rashford. That significant outlay albeit a gamble depended on securing the next stage of CL money. Will be similar this year in Jan although on smaller scale.
.. Was rewarded. But Old Trafford really felt like a sliding doors moment then and it sure does now. I draw hope because progression under NSWE has been rapid but not at all linear, so we may regress and go again (and some worry that it's relied on those knife edge moments tipping our way).