26 Aug 2026 12:11:32
{Ed's Note - Shappy has posted a new article entitled, A Clear Assessment of United's Squad
1.) 26 Aug 2026
26 Aug 2026 14:39:28
Could you elaborate on this part: "and make the right key defensive signings earlier next summer"?
Why would we need to make signings earlier?
2.) 26 Aug 2026
26 Aug 2026 15:18:25
Trololo,
Utd don't have the money to do so. A LB or a CB might be signed, not both. Ideally Rashford, Igarte, Onana, Mount, and Zirkzee would have all been sold this summer.
Hopefully Utd can sign a couple of players on loan.
3.) 26 Aug 2026
26 Aug 2026 15:39:23
Can you elaborate on this part: "a powerful specimen of a man."
Did you, in fact, jump up on a table and do the Vic Reeves dual thigh rubbing motion after typing this?
4.) 26 Aug 2026
26 Aug 2026 17:34:45
Shappy, I know about his reliability, but, ahem, Mount in midfield? Not worthy of mention?
5.) 26 Aug 2026
26 Aug 2026 18:22:36
Trololo, so we can include them in the entire pre-season tour and start to integrate them sooner, which is more important in defence, which plays far more as a unit. Fortunately, without a World Cup next summer, that should be a little easier.
Danny, absolutely. ?
IWOTB, I think even if fully fit and available, Mount would be down the pecking order now.
He would be competing for either the more creative role deeper in midfield against Tielemans and Mainoo, or to play as the No.10 against Bruno, Amad, Cunha, and probably Shea Lacey.
And, like you say, he is reliably unreliable.
6.) 26 Aug 2026
26 Aug 2026 18:42:08
Good balanced overview, I agree with it all.
Putting the ugly mirror to this squad, you have
GK: an inexperienced goalkeeper and average backup,
RB: 2x mediocre RBs,
CB: 3x injury and/or error prone defenders, 2x unproven CBs,
LB: 1x injury prone LB,
CM: 3x new signings, 1x injured and mid, 1x good EPL level player,
AM: 1x World Class, 1x Crock, 1x Kid,
LW: 1x good option who is more of a 10, 1x Belfast Bebe, 1x erratic high potential,
RW: 1x Top Class, 1x Irratic, good but often ineffectual with high potential but time to deliver,
CF: 1x Good potential world class; 1x Berbatov minus goals.
We use the ugly mirror in business strategy. Using it here, you can see ideally we need a high standard back up GK, 2x LB, 2x RB, 2x CB, 1x LW, 1x AM, 1x CF.
There’s still tons of work to do on moving on and out players.
Sales of Zirkzee, Ugarte (Jan/summer 27) and contract expiries will help, but we have 2 years to wait.
27: Bruno, Shaw, Maguire, Martinez, Heaton.
28: Rashford, Mount, Dalot, Maz, Darlow.
7.) 26 Aug 2026
26 Aug 2026 20:17:46
Who would have thought it was important to have players early, so they could be integrated into the team? :)
8.) 27 Aug 2026
27 Aug 2026 09:17:48
Trololo
Indeed, but clearly not the decision makers at the club. Perhaps waiting for bargains until late in the window. A bit like that scramble at Tesco for the goods going out of date.