3rd Season Curse: What are your expectations for next season?

[RedPed]

My expectations and predictions:

Expectation: Anything less than the PL and/or a CL will be deemed a failure.

Prediction: #3 finish in PL and SF exit in CL.


I'm just tired of more time/more money excuse. But I reckon he still will have 1 more year and maybe 100 more million with nothing to show for it. Just being realistic!

I predict the caf will remain a meeting point for whingey b*tches.

100% this!

Do people not realize that only one team can win the Premier League and Champions League???

So five out of City, Arsenal, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs are going to be deemed failures next season and will be expected to sack their managers.

Ridiculous!

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

100% this!

Do people not realize that only one team can win the Premier League and Champions League???

So five out of City, Arsenal, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs are going to be deemed failures next season and will be expected to sack their managers.

Ridiculous!

Nonsense. Nobody is expecting a win every year. Last time we won the league was 6 years before. Surely fans can rightly want a win without sounding ridiculous?

You might be happy with boring inconsistent football and non winning finishes, but not many are.

 

[simplyared]

100% this!

Do people not realize that only one team can win the Premier League and Champions League???

So five out of City, Arsenal, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs are going to be deemed failures next season and will be expected to sack their managers.

Ridiculous!

How many Spurs or Liverpool fans do you think will want their managers sacked. Whatever happens from now on to the end of this season. Answer: none of course. Reason: They have developed the younger players in their teams, there has been harmony in the groups and they've played entertaining football. We haven't done any of that!

 

[Swift Football]

My expectations: We will be experts at parking the bus next season.

All we need to do is ship out few 'showboats' in our team and replace them with 'workhorses', then our bus will be shiny and strong.

 

[simplyared]

My expectations: We will be experts at parking the bus next season.

All we need to do is ship out few 'showboats' in our team and replace them with 'workhorses', then our bus will be shiny and strong.

A shiny red double-decker!

 

[Theonas]

You can't usually win the PL playing as badly as we have so often.

I am not sure about that to be honest. Depending what you mean by playing bad. If you mean winning lucky as in opponents failing to score easy chances, then I agree, you cannot win the league like that. If you mean a lack of technicality and offensive fluidity, I don't agree. Conte and Mourinho's Chelsea, Leicester, Mancini's City and even our winners in 2013 and 2011 were hardly fluid outfits who could dominate games against quality opposition. This was evident when those teams came up against, not even elite European teams. I don't think we have been lucky this campaign, we are good at a lot of things, it's just that those things do not generally produce great teams in the mold of Real or Barcelona but they can be enough to win you the league unless someone like City this year raises the standards.

 

[jackofalltrades]

I am not sure about that to be honest. Depending what you mean by playing bad. If you mean winning lucky as in opponents failing to score easy chances, then I agree, you cannot win the league like that. If you mean a lack of technicality and offensive fluidity, I don't agree. Conte and Mourinho's Chelsea, Leicester, Mancini's City and even our winners in 2013 and 2011 were hardly fluid outfits who could dominate games against quality opposition. This was evident when those teams came up against, not even elite European teams. I don't think we have been lucky this campaign, we are good at a lot of things, it's just that those things do not generally produce great teams in the mold of Real or Barcelona but they can be enough to win you the league unless someone like City this year raises the standards.

In general I agree but I'm thinking of those games where we create next to nothing or one like the Leicester away game where we threw away a 2 goal lead (if I remember correctly) the second coming when they had ten men. The PL has got more difficult too, with City looking set to dominate and Liverpool resurging at least while they have their present set up. Mou has said it himself, that the results are sometimes better than the performances, which I'd say is fine for a top 6 but not winning the PL. We need more games where the results come as a logical consequence of the performances.

 

[Captain Obvious]

This is it, make or break for Jose. Either a title challenge or progression past the quarter finals of the CL. If he fails to do either than we are still in the same position despite making progress this season.

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

History suggests it's Mourinho's last season by sacking or resignation at the end.

I find this to be a simplistic argument.Firstly,he left Porto and Inter after 2 seasons....and he left both clubs a League and European champion.In his 3rd season at Chelsea,he finished 2nd in the league with 83 points(6 behind us),he lost a CL semifinal on penalties to Liverpool and he won the FA Cup....that's hardly a disastrous 3rd season...

In his 3rd season at Real Madrid,he finished 2nd in La liga with 85 points(Barca won the league with 100)....He reached a CL Semifinal and he narrowly lost the Spanish cup final.Is this an implosion?Not really....

He lost the league after winning back to back championships in 2007,and he finished 2nd to a great Barca team with 85 points...So what are we even talking about?

 

[RedPed]

Nonsense. Nobody is expecting a win every year. Last time we won the league was 6 years before. Surely fans can rightly want a win without sounding ridiculous?

You might be happy with boring inconsistent football and non winning finishes, but not many are.

Yes, I would like the football to improve of course, but I wouldn't see it as any sort of failure if we didn't win the league or CL for another 3 years. We don't have any divine right to it. I just want the manager to improve the way we play. Hopefully success will follow. Liverpool or Spurs haven't won any PL titles. At what point will their managers be failures??

How many Spurs or Liverpool fans do you think will want their managers sacked. Whatever happens from now on to the end of this season. Answer: none of course. Reason: They have developed the younger players in their teams, there has been harmony in the groups and they've played entertaining football. We haven't done any of that!

I'm just using this guy's argument that if we don't win the title or CL next season, it will be deemed a failure, which is absolute nonsense!

 

[edgar allan]

I find this to be a simplistic argument.Firstly,he left Porto and Inter after 2 seasons....and he left both clubs a League and European champion.In his 3rd season at Chelsea,he finished 2nd in the league with 83 points(6 behind us),he lost a CL semifinal on penalties to Liverpool and he won the FA Cup....that's hardly a disastrous 3rd season...

In his 3rd season at Real Madrid,he finished 2nd in La liga with 85 points(Barca won the league with 100)....He reached a CL Semifinal and he narrowly lost the Spanish cup final.Is this an implosion?Not really....

He lost the league after winning back to back championships in 2007,and he finished 2nd to a great Barca team with 85 points...So what are we even talking about?

Finishing second in Spain is like finishing second in Scotland.

 

[edgar allan]

Finishing second in Spain is like finishing second in Scotland.

Or second in a boxing match

 

[endless_wheelies]

Finishing second in Spain is like finishing second in Scotland.

Or second in a boxing match

What's your simile for when Atletico won it?

 

[Coxy]

...

My expectations and predictions:

Expectation: Anything less than the PL and/or a CL will be deemed a failure.

Prediction: #3 finish in PL and SF exit in CL.


I'm just tired of more time/more money excuse. But I reckon he still will have 1 more year and maybe 100 more million with nothing to show for it. Just being realistic!

a failure if we don’t win the league? Damn mate we don’t have a god given right to win the league you know - we’re up against a great City side managed by a great manager.

Anything less than second would be a failure based on this season.

My prediction? 3rd in the PL and quarter finals of the CL

 

[edgar allan]

What's your simile for when Atletico won it?

Once in a blue moon?

 

[Cheesy]

What's your simile for when Atletico won it?

And when they're literally ahead of Real in the league and might still finish second.

 

[Trizy]

Clash with big players and fall out with the dressing room by Christmas.

Finish 5th, no improvement in the football. Worse top 6 record.

 

[Name Changed]

My expectations are that we will find ourselves way behind both City and Liverpool whilst playing shite football.

 

[Bobski]

Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs are not expected to win the title, not with their financial disadvantage compared to City, Utd and Chelsea. Those last 3 should be the top 3 most years. Not really a big 6 if we are honest, there are tiers among that group.

 

[Marcus]

Title

 

[steffyr2]

Win the Premiership or the sack.

That must also be the standard for all the follow up managers, yes? Win the league or you're out.

 

[Snow]

I find this to be a simplistic argument.Firstly,he left Porto and Inter after 2 seasons....and he left both clubs a League and European champion.In his 3rd season at Chelsea,he finished 2nd in the league with 83 points(6 behind us),he lost a CL semifinal on penalties to Liverpool and he won the FA Cup....that's hardly a disastrous 3rd season...

In his 3rd season at Real Madrid,he finished 2nd in La liga with 85 points(Barca won the league with 100)....He reached a CL Semifinal and he narrowly lost the Spanish cup final.Is this an implosion?Not really....

He lost the league after winning back to back championships in 2007,and he finished 2nd to a great Barca team with 85 points...So what are we even talking about?

It's not an argument at all, it's a simplistic observation. Almost every manager in the history of the game ever has always resigned or been sacked in their last season at a club.

 

[CA_vampire]

The treble. That's my expectation every year.

But this doesn't mean I will be gravely disappointed if we don't win the treble. Or any trophy. I am old enough to know that real life does not always match our expectations.

I hope that Mourinho stays with us for at least 10 years, no matter what. It will not be easy to find a better manager.

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

Finishing second in Spain is like finishing second in Scotland.

He won the league the season before....and Barca ended up with 100 points...So not getting a 100 points is a disaster?

 

[Garethw]

a failure if we don’t win the league? Damn mate we don’t have a god given right to win the league you know - we’re up against a great City side managed by a great manager.

Anything less than second would be a failure based on this season.

My prediction? 3rd in the PL and quarter finals of the CL

It will be a failure in that you put up with all of Joses’ shit because he usually delivers the title within two years.

If he can’t deliver that after three seasons and £400-£500 million (assuming he spends £150-£200 million this summer) spent in transfers, then yes his tenure will be a failure.

Especially if we are still playing this dire football that has no discernible style or direction.

 

[PepsiCola]

It will be a failure in that you put up with all of Joses’ shit because he usually delivers the title within two years.

If he can’t deliver that after three seasons and £400-£500 million (assuming he spends £150-£200 million this summer) spent in transfers, then yes his tenure will be a failure.

Especially if we are still playing this dire football that has no discernible style or direction.

Agree with this. At the VERY LEAST - a genuine title challenge.

We're second, yes, but it's not a positive given how far off we are from City.

That must also be the standard for all the follow up managers, yes? Win the league or you're out.

If they deliver the same miserable football - I'd atleast want league titles.

 

[MUFC OK]

Expectation: PL champions and CL semi-final.

Prediction: PL champions and CL semi-final.

Manchester United to be transformed by actual full-backs. Mourinho to enter unprecedented fourth season...

In all seriousness, I just want us to be competitive - so be in an actual title race and to be relevant in the Champions League again.

We need to claw back some respect.

So, so crucial - this can transform out attacking play imo

 

[ROFLUTION]

Depends on the summersignings, but at this point:

- Title challenge. Top 2 at least (We've just witnessed City in one of the PL's best forms ever)
- Semifinals in Champions League

It might sound underwhelming, but I think we need to consider the power of other teams and where we are at the moment instead of just saying we need to win everything or else it's a failure

 

[sunama]

So, as it'll be his 3rd season, even his PR/cult can agree a PL title isn't an unreasonable expectation at this point? Or am I a spoilt, gloryhunter that shouldn't ask for too much and should run off to support City?

League title should be a reasonable expectation.
Has Jose ever stayed at a club for more than 3 years and not won the title? If he doesn't do it for us, it'll be his first time (I think).

 

[sunama]

Expectation: PL champions and CL semi-final.

Prediction: PL champions and CL semi-final.

Manchester United to be transformed by actual full-backs. Mourinho to enter unprecedented fourth season...

I'd love to see all that happen.

And i hope that jose will realize that he needs top class central defender. We have 5 solid defenders but we need one who is top top class

Mate, we've already got loads of defenders. Given that we have other positions which need investment, I don't see us buying another CB, nor do I think we need this.
We need a LB, RB, CM and possibly an attacker.

 

[steffyr2]

Expectation for next season -- Utd is neck and neck with City/Chelsea/Liverpool. It will be exciting. People here still complain.

 

[Coxy]

It will be a failure in that you put up with all of Joses’ shit because he usually delivers the title within two years.

If he can’t deliver that after three seasons and £400-£500 million (assuming he spends £150-£200 million this summer) spent in transfers, then yes his tenure will be a failure.

Especially if we are still playing this dire football that has no discernible style or direction.

True, I find it hard to disagree with that.

 

[sunama]

That must also be the standard for all the follow up managers, yes? Win the league or you're out.

I think that this has been the case since SAF left.
When Moyes and LVG managed us, the fans all expected a league title at some point. But when it was evident that these managers couldn't get anywhere near 1st place, they were let go.
Officially, they needed to be out of the CL.
You also need to specify how much time you will allow the manager to win the league title. 6 years? A la Moyes?
IMO, Jose is here to stay for a while, so he needs to find a way to win the title, asap. The longer we go without winning the title, like LFC, the more difficult it will be to regain the mentality to win the title.

 

[VP89]

He will have to go for the league. There won't really be much of an excuse for him this season if he fails to do this.

I don't mean win the league but be in the title race right till the end as a minimum.

 

[Reddevildans]

Think I predicted we would finish 2nd behind city before the season started. But never thought the gap would be this large and I also thought we would challenge for the title but fall short. Our title challenge fizzield out after the derby loss against city at Old Trafford. Its been a strange season with stats being much better than last season, more wins against the top 6 and more points on the board. However, performances have been the same if not worse than last season. I seem to recall us creating hatful of chances last season but not finishing them. This season we have been efficient but we need more.

The defeat against Sevilla was the low point of the season. Simply not good enough and embarrassing.

Looking forward I cant see the level of performances changing. We're disjointed and have no cohesion when we attack. Some players seem to be wanting to impress on an individual basis and we dont attack as a unit. We need three or four major changes in our team. Possibly two midfielders and two full backs. I expect a similar season next season with us finishing second or third. We simply won't be a attacking and ruthless team under mourinho. Theres so much talent in our squad but we need a change of style if we are to unleash its potential. Mourinho has done well to get us back up the table and win a few trophies, but the big two trophies may still elude us.

What's more worrying is hes prepared to keep some average players the majority of us want to see the back of. I hope this is just a ploy to increase thier value but I dont think its the case with Felliani, he genuinely wants to keep him. Im not too excited about this summers transfer window as I was in previous summers, simply because our big name signings haven't impressed so far.

 

[Ikon]

I really think the 'expectation' or demand that we win the CL is crazy.

A bit of context, we have only won it 3 times in our entire club history.
SAF the greatest manager of all time only won it twice in his entire career, and this during a period where he created unbelievably great United teams.

Back in '99 on that glorious night in Barcelona, it was a 31 year wait from our only previous win.
We beat that powerhouse of European football, Bayern Munich, and they hadn't won the European cup in 23 years themselves.

I just don't think its at all realistic to 'expect' to win it, and that if you don't win it, then the season is a disaster.

 

[redflair]

Pogba and Matic are his men and going forward, you can't say that many of us are convinced that with, the third or fourth man in midfield (whoever he buys), we're going to have enough tempo, nous, sharpness and cunning to feed our front players relentlessly so that they can have enough chances to make a difference.

I feel this is one of the main problem areas. I just can't see us winning the league because our midfield still feels sluggish, sterile and is prone to ball-hogging tendencies.

A third midfielder, or a fourth one, may change that - but there'll be no excuses next season. These will all be his signings and if they still can't pass the ball to each other and keep acting like strangers on the pitch, then it's all on him. Some of our first halves, in particular, this season have been frankly disgraceful.

 

[edgar allan]

He won the league the season before....and Barca ended up with 100 points...So not getting a 100 points is a disaster?

In the last 10 years both teams have finished either first or second on all but one occasion. my point is that during his tenure a second place was not a huge achievement.

 

[Alvaro Maestre]

We are winning Champions league and the league. The Curses function differently here at United.

 

[tomaldinho1]

2nd place finish, albeit closer to City who will win it again.
QF minimum CL.

If we stay injury free we might be able to challenge for the title but we've so many areas of the first XI that need to improve I don't see us winning the PL sadly.