I dont blame you mate. How do you feel about your chances? I guess your hopes hinge on keeping those two? I like both Vlaar and Delph a lot but I fear you're right, Vlaar at least could go after such a good WC.
I wouldn't say I'm optimistic just yet but I can see us being stonger this season. I think I need to see it to judge it to be honest.
There's promise there but we need certain players to be given opportunities and we need them to turn up. Fletcher was never fit at any point last season I didn't think, but he has a record of scoring goals in poor teams. I hope he's back to his best. I need to see more from Giaccherini as well. I know how good he is so it's frustrating to see him at Sunderland. He needs more opportunity, but he also needs to take what he's given. I didn't see enough of a commitment from him last season.
With those two in form, Borini, Wickham, more consistency from Johnson etc then yeah, we can be more of a threat. Our main problem last season was lack of goals. Not lack of chances, possession etc, but putting the ball in the net.
Our defence really worries me though. Wes Brown, early last season, was a tank. He was brilliant. But it was too brief a run of form. He made too many mistakes, picked up too many red cards, and overall had an awful season. The less said about John O'Shea the better.
I'm not at all convinced by less than ambitious signings like Billy Jones either so that doesn't make me feel any better. I hope he does well, of course, but it's not a signing that fills me with confidence.
Vergini was a hideous centre half but did well at right back, Alonso impressed at left back. Both loanees. We need to lock down Alonso at least, after failing to get Danny Rose, Alan Hutton before him (but I didnt want him), it's an area we just havent had a regular for too long now.
Basically I think our defence is so bad that it's hard to feel optimistic just yet, but I'm hopeful that we start this season with more attacking options than we had last season.
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