The current squad: Stronger - but strong enough?

A settled back four built around Rio and Vida will help Dave immensely.

I'm not confident in the team/squad but I haven't been for a while and we've done alright....

Yeah because we looked really convincing in Europe last season. Mind you, most of our problems were related to complacency, either underestimating teams or the "just do enough" mentality.

True, but by ''alright'' I mean there or there abouts in either the league or CL

Ah, okay. "Alright" for me is winning at least one trophy and contesting the others until the death. Barring being hosed by a better team at some point (like Barca or Real)

The major thing will be injuries, as it has been for the last couple of seasons.

With that in mind if we can get Cleverley and especially Ando through the season unscathed, we'll be a hell of a lot stronger than last year and that's without taking into consideration the new signings of Kagawa and Powell, who have scope to surprise a few.

Then we have our other youngsters like De Gea, Jones, Welbeck, Smalling and Rafa, who are all 1 more year along the path of development and experience, improving all the time.

As much as I'd hate to see Eeyore McCari right, I have a feeling that Nick Powell will be seeing a lot of Moss Lane this season.

Ando staying fit will be more of a boost than people will admit....

I would be doing f*cking somersaults if Ando kept up the form he showed in the opening of last season.

I think he'll definitely get a cup run and the odd Prem app at least, he won't be reserve fodder the whole season, I don't think anyone thinks he's going to come in and get 30 apps though.

Personally I think we'll be top 3 with the current squad, but I'm not really confident that we will win the league or make a serious champions league push without further strengthening.

Keeping the defense fit will be the key again ..... Kagawa and Cleverly (who certainly was good in Olympics) can provide the much needed spark in the midfield...

Buy a good Central Midfielder and RVP, and we`ll have a good chance in the League, but we are miles away from competing with Europe`s best!

We beat Chelsea at home and drew with them away, not that far off Europe's best ay!

We still need a midfielder who also strong in defence..
may be thats Tiote

We will not buy a central midfielder this summer, not unless Spurs lower their asking price for Modric.

I think we either had 3 problems last year...
1. Playing City at the worst time possible (injuries)
2. Not scoring enough goals
3. Letting in too many goals

To fix 1, you can't do nothing about it was just pure bad luck. 2 hopefully has been a result of key injuries (Nani, Valencia, Cleverly and Anderson) but we have reinforced also with Kagawa. 3 should be sorted by De Gea and Lindegaard gaining a years experience and the return of Vidic.

Champions League is another story, Bilboa were unplayable.

I cant really agree with this.

The pummelling we recieved from City was just unacceptable. Irrespective of injuries. I really hope the one thing we gained from it was that it opened our eyes. Both the fans as to the relative merits of lots of our players as compared to superior players AND the eyes of management concerning weaknesses in the squad. Somehow I doubt either will have been achieved. Time heals all wounds eh?

I dont know why you cite Cleverley & Anderson as reasons we didnt score enough goals. I'm assuming its based on the handful of games they played together which is incredibly short sighted to be honest. Their performances were good without being spectacular and are grossely over rated by many fans, perhaps because they were together for so short a time. We have seen all too much often how consistent, or rather inconsistent, Anderson can be. We've also seen how often he contyributes in a meaningful attacking sense. Cleverley on the other hand is an unknown. A young man with potential - nothing more. Nani & Valencia are more relevant but dont address the issue of our midfield.

The defence will be better for Vidics (assuming he can return to his old self which is by no means a guarantee) return and De Gea can only benefit from the experience of last season. Hopefully he wont start so poorly again. Hopefully hes been in the gym and bulked up. The lack of a quality midfield is still going to leave the defence exposed at times however and I'd be worried against better sides that we will leak soft goals.

That City game was a one off and our senior players were to blame forthe crazy last few minutes. We wouldn't even be talking about that game if it stayed at 3-1.

I do not agree the squad is stronger
giggs and scholes a year older,rio a stretcher case evra past it .
Anderson has not improved a jot Cleverley looks overhyped
Rooney is fat,Chico stopped scoring and wellbeck is like an excited spaniel chasing a tennis ball.

We are proper bo fooked and you all know it> it will not be long before the fa cup regains its allure and you can walk up and pay in.

get that old fossil out the door pronto and get a man in that will stand up to the owners

We will be in division 1 in a few years if we avoid Rangers fate after our sponsors desert the sinking ship