Jake Wright - he sees things so far before they happen, he'd already spent his winnings from the McGregor-Mayweather fight in January
Very interesting how, despite the inevitable clamor for investment to compete at this mystical 'higher level' we were all warned about, that we are slowly reverting to last season's team.
It's unfortunate the injury to Stearman, but we are now back to the same back 5 as last year with only the exception of Stevens. Were it not for injury, we'd likely have Moore in goal.
Despite initial dalliance with Carruthers, who was a signing last January anyway, we have reverted back to the Holy Trinity of Coutts-Fleck-Duffy. If we continue to play 3-5-2, I'm struggling to see how that unit improves. For all the 'better' players that may be touted there is a somewhat telepathic understanding among these three that you simply cannot quantify financially. You can't buy understanding or familiarity. Throw Brooks in there as an off the bench maverik as well as Carruthers and you've a great formula unless injury ravages the team. Which touch wood, training is such that we don't seem to attract too many injuries.
As per last year, Billy has proved himself already to be the go to guy in front of goal and the only opening in the forwards is alongside him. Just like last year, you get the impression Clarke and Lavery are ok to rotate and Evans still remains a wildcard. It's just a question of whether we can get a partner for Billy who can add further goals and also inject pace.
The only reservation I am left with in the window is if Wilder, for some reason, feels a need to revert to 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2. Do we have the players to perform just as well with this? Full back we are still well served. O'Connell I'm sure could find a reliable partner out of Stearman, CCV, Basham and Wright, though I think the latter two are more suited in a 3, CCV, difficult to comment. Coutts and Fleck would continue as is. Out wide we suddenly look to lack a little depth. Brooks is an obvious one. Duffy would be given a shot, but then you are down to unconventional or untried - Carruthers, Thomas. If this is a possibility then it may be a final consideration for Wilder.
Up front the same question remains. Get a real quality performer, even if it costs a bit and we can look beyond holding our own. It is a bit of a Trevor Hockey moment in terms of our ambitions. Hockey as my Dad tells me was great getting them up, but if United really wanted to kick on, probably needed to be upgraded. Same here, if Evans hits previous heights then we can relax but it is looking at present like Billy plus rotation of Clarke, Lavery, Evans and possibly Brooks.
As a team, we are Jake Wright. Plenty of doubters, then all of a sudden you start to realise they boy might just be good enough!