I think last season once we got Batshuayi in we looked good for a mid-table position, but before Christmas we were not very good and got lucky with some results (although it could be argued we were unlucky in others). So far this pre-season we have sold our POTY, lost Bats back to Chelsea and brought in a third-choice GK on a free. We have only 20 senior players of which only 17 are outfield players. Of these 17 we have players with constant injury problems and Sorloth, plus Riedewald who didn't make a single PL appearance last season.

My concern is that we need at least three players to just account for inevitable injury problems, let alone to improve. With three weeks left we have a lot of work to do and there is still no certainty our most creative outlet will be here when the season starts. Either we have been unlucky in getting transfers completed or there are other issues hampering our progress. The worry is having worked so hard to clear out the deadwood we may be pushed into making last-minute purchases that we then spend another 3/4 years trying to get off the books.

The signs have not been positive this summer and to suggest otherwise based on our activity would surely be more hopeful than based on evidence. I am still erring on the side of being optimistic (as I generally do) but we really need a signing that will bring back some positivity.