Season 2 LVG - Objectives and expectations

Where do you expect United to finish in 2016/17

  • All hail champions!

    Votes: 69 35.6%
  • Runner-up

    Votes: 74 38.1%
  • 3th place

    Votes: 29 14.9%
  • 4th place trophy

    Votes: 22 11.3%

  • Total voters
    194

SirAF

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Personally I don't care if we get a trophy.

How can I not care about trophies?

If we challenge for the league, if we're in the last 4 of the CL, if we lose to Chelsea 0-1 at Wembley, that would be a great season.

I'd much rather get to the last 4 of the CL than win the FA Cup, because we need to prove we're back against the best, and the FA Cup doesn't say that. You can lose the CL and still come out better for it, look at Juve.

Most seasons I'd take the trophy but I want us to compete for the League and the CL.

I'd rather lose the title by a point to Chelsea and lose the FA Cup than win the FA Cup but finish in 2nd while 15 points behind the winner.

We need consistency against the middle of the road teams, the Spurs, Southamptons, Swanseas of the league, to be fair we've been pretty good against the better teams, who will come out and play football with us.
100% agree. It would be nice to win the FA Cup or League Cup but for me that does not make or break a season at all.
 

pcaming

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For this season I fully expect to be challenging for trophies.

EPL - close run for title
FA Cup - Semi final at least
Carling - meh
CL - quater finals minimum

I expect us to perform like a big team once again, no more patchy results and performances, CONSISTENCY. I want us to have a solid playing style, an effective one at that. No more beating man city and losing to Swansea twice.

In truth, I find it hard to take another season without winning something, but the above mentioned is what I would consider significant improvement on the previous season.
 

Eckers99

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Challenging for the title until at least April (and top 3 finish), QFs Champions League and a cup. We need to maintain our record against the top clubs and show that we can grind out results against the battlers/strugglers as last season's results against the likes of Leicester, Burnley, Stoke, West Brom and Swansea were where we lost valuable ground. We've got to be getting 4-6 points against those types of teams. In short, more consistency.
 

Drifter

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Challenging for the Title .LVG said as much. Would also like a proper run at the cup competitions.
 

Raw

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How many more points are you all expecting United to get next season compared to last?

I'm going to go with 8 to 10, giving us 78-80 points. Which is just another 3 wins and a draw, considering the pathetic amount of points we dropped at the start and end of the season it doesn't seem too unreasonable.
 

Walrus

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I expect us to mount a challenge for the league, first and foremost, and to see further improvements in playing style from the team. We already saw promising signs in the second half of last season, and contrary to popular opinion I think that the current squad is capable of mounting a challenge for the PL with minimal additions.
 

Nighteyes

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1. Challenge for the title even if we end up falling away at the end. Minimum Top 3.
2. Don't play shit football.
3. Qualify for the CL and the move into the Round of 16.
 

IwatUwat

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1. Challenge for the title even if we end up falling away at the end. Minimum Top 3.
2. Don't play shit football.
3. Qualify for the CL and the move into the Round of 16.
This, plus a trophy I think.
 

Sammyjunn

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Objective (what I'd demand if I was Woodward) ; top 3 at leasr, fa cup/league cup, quarters CL and good football (although this is subjective)..

I expect 4th, no trophy and same dull naive possession football tbf, altho this could depend on the incoming players. Sign Ramos, Gundogan, Clyne and a replacement for Rooney, and I think we could do better.
 

Amethyst

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Reading some of the posts here, can't believe the standards of expectations of Manchester United fans has fallen so much. 3rd in PL and last 16 in CL with a good cup run and you are happy after spending 300mn in 2 years?
We have to be realistic, the drop from Ferguson's last year to Moyes was quite honestly staggering both in regards to the football and the mentality of the team. A side that had finished no worse than 3rd for over two decades and loses no key players finishes 7th with 9 losses and gets beaten by 3's and 4's against our rivals. Some of the expectations I added should our minimum standards but with the likes of Chelsea and City strong and spending as well as Arsenal who may be in the mix it's not going to be easy. One thing I think will be important is how well we actually progress in terms of the football, I don't think many on here will be that happy with 3rd if we achieve it by scraping through games like we have a times this year.
 

Xaviesta

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I expect you to challenge for the title, last 16 at least in the Champions League and at least a semi final of the cups. I've probably been generous with the Champions League expectation.
 

OJKernow

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I think I seem to agree with the common opinion:

In terms of the competitions:

  • Top 3 finish in the league with a 'decent' challenge at the title
  • Good cup runs, utilising the younger/fringe players in the COC (Winning one of these would be great but not as important as progress in PL and CL)
  • Knock-out stages of CL
Progression is the most important aspect, if we can play a consistent and settled side in a formation/set-up that we can stick to (with a good alternative as a plan b) then that will go a long way. Knowing what our best side is and playing it, that should lead to more consistent and attractive performances.
 

Speak

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Everyone says 'title challenge'. What does this mean?

If we finish second, does that automatically count as a title challenge? If we miss out on the league by five or six games, does this count? We were in with a chance until game 33, for example.
Or if we finish a certain number of points off?

Like, what is the cut off point? I've always found the term daft. Surely you can 'challenge' for the title and finish third or fourth.
So isn't it just better to aim/set your objectives around a certain position in the league?
 

Varun

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Everyone says 'title challenge'. What does this mean?

If we finish second, does that automatically count as a title challenge? If we miss out on the league by five or six games, does this count? We were in with a chance until game 33, for example.
Or if we finish a certain number of points off?

Like, what is the cut off point? I've always found the term daft. Surely you can 'challenge' for the title and finish third or fourth.
So isn't it just better to aim/set your objectives around a certain position in the league?
Finishing 2nd 15 points off isn't a title challenge. Finishing 3rd 3 points off would be. Basically, being right up there with a chance of winning it till the last few games.
 

DanNistelrooy

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One of the key things I'd set as an objective is to massively improve our away form. I honestly don't think its over the top to suggest we played well in 2 away games last season (Liverpool and Chelsea) and we even lost one of those!

Apart from that I echo the majority here, pushing for the title and good run in the cups should be the minimum.
 

LilRicky

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For me I'd want at least
  • Top 3 finish
  • Knock-out stages of the CL
  • Decent Cup run in one of the domestic cups - QF or Semi Final
 

Kag

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A genuine go at the title. That means being in the frame at the business end of the season. Improved football is desired and a cup win would be great, albeit not a necessity. Improvement, basically.

What I won't be doing is making black and white judgements based on our transfer spend or ultimate league position. People need to get out of thinking that managers need punished on the basis of these variables. When the season starts the summer is over, and it's all about winning matches and playing some good stuff. If that leads to trophies then great. If it doesn't, then we judge the manager based on how far we think he can take us, as opposed to punishing him for what could have been.
 

Oo0AahCantona

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Challenge for the title, within a few points minimum. Better football once again, and if we get a cup its a good bonus.
 

iammemphis

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  • Finish first in the league, or finish within 5 points if we don't
  • Reach 1/4 finals of champions league minimum
  • Win FA cup
  • Win Carling cup with youthful side
  • Clear style of play with entertaining football
  • Turn Januzaj, Perreria and Wilson into first team players.
 

Hernandez - BFA

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Totally depends on our Summer activity. After seeing what we go into the new season with, objectives should come clearer.

Ideally a good title challenge though and at least into the quarters of the CL. Plus a good Cup run in the COC or/and FA Cup.
 

Pyroblazer

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Title challenge, cup win, CL quarterfinals and of course improved general play, nice football is always good to see.
 

Adebesi

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Totally depends on our Summer activity. After seeing what we go into the new season with, objectives should come clearer.

Ideally a good title challenge though and at least into the quarters of the CL. Plus a good Cup run in the COC or/and FA Cup.
Good point. My objectives / expectations are quite modest at this point. If we do good transfer business - sign quality players in positions where we actually need them, and do it early - my optimism will increase and my expectations rise.
 

Rood

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Good point. My objectives / expectations are quite modest at this point. If we do good transfer business - sign quality players in positions where we actually need them, and do it early - my optimism will increase and my expectations rise.
Conversely, my expectations for the season are completely unaffected by our transfer business!

I expect to improve on the 4th place finish with a title challenge - get past the Euro group stages and winning a domestic cup would be nice.
 

Adebesi

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Conversely, my expectations for the season are completely unaffected by our transfer business!

I expect to improve on the 4th place finish with a title challenge - get past the Euro group stages and winning a domestic cup would be nice.
Yes you are consistently a fair bit more optimistic than I am. I admire your relentless positivity but I think we are short. If we go into the season without getting a new centre back, for example, I think that would be negligent, given a defensive injury crisis is a regular, annual occurrence. In midfield I also think something has got to give, either the way Van Gaal sets his team up, or the personnel. And given Van Gaal is unlikely to change his ways, someone new to play in there and give him the balance he wants is also pretty much essential.
 

Tyrion

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1. We improve performance wise and become more consistent to the point where we challenge for the title (for a while at least) and actually convince people that we deserve to be where we are in the table as opposed to the "they're not playing well but they're picking up points". I hate hearing that.
2. We improve results and finish 3rd, minimum.
(Basically an improvement of my two hopes from last season: top 4 and something resembling a playing style).

3. We qualify for the CL proper, get out of the group stages and do ok in the knockouts.
4. We do better in the cup competitions, helped by the fact that so much deadwood has left.
5. Our signings do well and justify their transfer fees (as opposed to Falcao last year, also ADM should improve).
 

Rood

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Yes you are consistently a fair bit more optimistic than I am. I admire your relentless positivity but I think we are short. If we go into the season without getting a new centre back, for example, I think that would be negligent, given a defensive injury crisis is a regular, annual occurrence. In midfield I also think something has got to give, either the way Van Gaal sets his team up, or the personnel. And given Van Gaal is unlikely to change his ways, someone new to play in there and give him the balance he wants is also pretty much essential.
Well my positivity is not just about our current options, it is also because I am absolutely certain that LvG will bring in the exact players he wants to take us to the next level.
 

charlenefan

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Objective has to be competing for the title and winning a domestic cup

Expectations to an extent rely entirely on signings, buy no one else then probably the above, sign some of the players we're being linked with and I'd fancy us to win the title and compete in Europe
 

Americano

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  • Improve defensive organization
  • Decrease unforced errors on the ball
  • More clean sheets
  • More clearly defined roles for defensive players
  • Keeping players healthy
  • Improve substitution strategies
  • Develop young players
 

Truedevil

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I honestly think we will do really well in the CL:nervous: With a bit of luck we could end up in the final, that would be fantastic.
 

red_devil83

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Mandatory: Get into the CL proper for the coming season

and

Expectation 1: 4th or better, Win a trophy, CL QF

or

Expectation 2: Title Challenge, Qualify from CL group
 

ottosec

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Depends how we do business this summer, but if we smash another 100M+, title challenge and QF/semis in the CL is the minimum we should expect.
 

Everest Red

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Depends how we do business this summer, but if we smash another 100M+, title challenge and QF/semis in the CL is the minimum we should expect.

Reasonable and that's what I think too. City and specially Chelsea have a way stronger foundation than us atm.

LvG _has_ to get us into CL group stages and out of it. And the minimum league position should be third. Esp if we spend over 100MM
 

Adebesi

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Well my positivity is not just about our current options, it is also because I am absolutely certain that LvG will bring in the exact players he wants to take us to the next level.
Ah OK. I was thinking about this post, where that is not the implication.

Im a glass half full type of person but I honestly think we could win the league without buying anyone else - too many transfer muppets who think that the only way to improve is to buy buy buy.