Given the mounting injury problems, what will constitute a good last third of the season?

[Bastian]

Rashford out, Varane out, Martinez out, Shaw out, McTominay out. Bruno suspended for the away leg of the QF in Europa.

I don't know about others, but my expectations have really been fluctuating this season. There was that high point during the hype train where some of us (myself included) were flirting with the term "title challenge" followed by some heavy doses of reality.

As is I'd be honestly amazed if he checked all the boxes left - top 4 finish and two more cups (even one of them). I suspect we won't make it through against Sevilla now, they are street wise and absolutely cnuty to the core with a chance to salvage their season on the line. We've looked tired for a while in the league and to lose these absolutely fundamental players, I just can't imagine how we'll cope with the schedule. It's also hard to see past City in the FA Cup.

 

[Vernon Philander]

All offset by having Martial back

 

[Rightnr]

CL by any means possible and no Citeh trebble

 

[Rojofiam]

I expect us to make it past Sevilla. From that point onwards the EL + the FA cup is impossible to predict, they are cup competitions after all. Very dependant on injuries too, of course.

Not worried about dropping out of the top 4, there's a 90% chance we make it.

 

[Judas]

Top 4. Just need to grind and drag ourselves over the line. Cup comps are luck, if we get some, we'll win another one, we shall see.

 

[Irwin99]

Priorities i imagine are:

1. Top 4
2. Europa League
3. Fa Cup

Isn't the FA cup final only a few days after the Europa league final? It's probably hard to say which is the best trophy to play for but I think EtH would rather win in Europe than the FA cup.

Top 4 and one trophy would still be a good season all things considered but three trophies in one season would be a great start to the ETH era. It's looking very tough though with the mounting injuries.

 

[bosnian_red]

Finish top 4 and we end the season with top 4 and a trophy is a good season. Winning another trophy would make it an excellent season. That doesn't change because of the injuries... Martinez is the only one that is seemingly out for the season, but I do feel generally our collective health should be fine in May. A lot of uncontrollable variables come into winning cups though, sometimes it just is what it is.

 

[kouroux]

Finish 4th, feck the rest

 

[cyril C]

Maguire will definitely start in most games

 

[el3mel]

Don't bottle top 4.

 

[Bastian]

Finish top 4 and we end the season with top 4 and a trophy is a good season. Winning another trophy would make it an excellent season. That doesn't change because of the injuries... Martinez is the only one that is seemingly out for the season, but I do feel generally our collective health should be fine in May. A lot of uncontrollable variables come into winning cups though, sometimes it just is what it is.

Sure. I'm just thinking in terms of how expectations may sway with losing half the players that make us a genuine footballing side. I agree that top 4 alongside the trophy already collected would make this a better season than expected at the start. I can't be sure, but I seem to recall that at least 2 out of the 3 Ole seasons we faltered significantly in the last 10 games or so, and of course last season we were in free fall. Say we narrowly get top 4 and get knocked out of both cups, I'd feel a bit of an anticlimax with the silver lining being that lessons over what needs to be done in summer have presumably been learned. Then again, I'm sure ETH has already sussed out that he needs to overhaul this squad quite a bit anyway. I do get a bit worried about talk of de Gea's importance (which I get as a diplomatic answer to keep morale high, but also worry it might be more than that) when it's clear that the football ETH pursues is not a fit for his skill set. And that applies to so many players at the club.

That being said, I think everyone (or just about) would have taken top 4 and a cup at the start of the season, with expectations starting relatively low given last season. But the long-term is ruthlessly augmenting the squad to sustainably play in a way that the manager wants, which means we won't be as exposed as we'll now be with players who simply cannot play in the fashion ETH has set up his teams.

 

[Pintu]

I am expecting a tough top 4 batte but we will make it. And we are still massive favourites to win the EL.

The FA Cup is not as important as the EL but it would be a nice bonus. Specially if we get it against the cheating cnuts…

 

[sullydnl]

If we finish the season with top four and the trophy we've already won, that's a good first season for ETH.

We just can't blow top four.

 

[Dargonk]

Does the Europe League winner still automatically qualify for the Champions League. If so I would still have that on equal footing as the league, as I would be happier to win that and finish fifth, than simply finish fourth.

 

[londonredmaniac]

Finish top 4 is about it unfortunately.

I hate saying that, because wining trophies should always be more important than finishing fecking 4th.

But that's the nature of the game I guess.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Making champions league is the minimum requirement. Without that the season is somewhat ruined.

That said I'll be very disappointed if we don't win the EL. We are the best team left in it in my opinion.

 

[Member 125398]

Limp to top 4, don't expect great football.
FA cup, dogs of war style.

 

[londonredmaniac]

If we finish the season with top four and the trophy we've already won, that's a good first season for ETH.

We just can't blow top four.

The games we have left look dicey as feck though.

Spurs and Brighton away. As bad as Chelsea are we always find them heavy going...we did when they were shite!

Forest is such a big game. That's an absolute must not feck up. If you want to be in that top 4 then you can't be dropping points to Forest.

 

[londonredmaniac]

Making champions league is the minimum requirement. Without that the season is somewhat ruined.

That said I'll be very disappointed if we don't win the EL. We are the best team left in it in my opinion.

You think we will get the job done in Seville?

We could have put it to bed first half and now it's all in the mix. Real 50/50 game for me that.

 

[Eric_the_Red99]

Maguire will definitely start in most games

It’s not ideal, obviously, but having to rely on Maguire is far from the biggest problem we have, given that he’s usually been fine when he has played this season. I’m far more worried about the likes of Malacia, Dalot and Weghorst getting more game time in the run-in.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

I thought Sevilla was pretty bad and hope we can knock them out. Poor away form, but if Rash is back for the bench at least that helps.

 

[vangagal]

Does the Europe League winner still automatically qualify for the Champions League. If so I would still have that on equal footing as the league, as I would be happier to win that and finish fifth, than simply finish fourth.

Yes, it still does and bonus being pot 1 during group stage drawing iirc.
I take EL and top 4 this season. Hopefully with FA too.

 

[Poborksy96]

If anything happens to Martial we're utterly fooked. The constant games and lack of squad rotation is clearly taking its toll now. Fingers crossed Varane, Shaw and Rashers are back soon. Martinez looks done for the season.

 

[Drizzle]

The games we have left look dicey as feck though.

Spurs and Brighton away. As bad as Chelsea are we always find them heavy going...we did when they were shite!

Forest is such a big game. That's an absolute must not feck up. If you want to be in that top 4 then you can't be dropping points to Forest.

Completely agree. Pretty sure we'll drop points to Spurs and Brighton. We know our drop off when key players are out is huge. Our away record is dire.

If we beat Forest this weekend I think we're still looking good though. Lose or draw and it's looking difficult. Spurs have an easy game home to Bournemouth this weekend.

Have a funny feeling our away game to Spurs will end up being a must not lose.

Can't see us winning either of the remaining cups but I'd rather prioritise FA cup if top 4 looks OK.

 

[MegadrivePerson]

Finish top 4 is about it unfortunately.

I hate saying that, because wining trophies should always be more important than finishing fecking 4th.

But that's the nature of the game I guess.

Yes. Also if you win the Europa league you get seeded as a number 1 seed so it means you avoid Napoli, PSG etc next season.

It's the best possible way to qualify for the Champions league aside from actually winning your own league.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Last third? We’ve 8 league games left. I’m going with last quarter.

 

[Leftback99]

Qualifying for the CL is vital, however we do it. Not too bothered about the FA Cup, Brighton are favourites for that game anyway.

 

[G-manc]

Top 4 - anything else is a bonus but this is vital for attracting the right calibre of player.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

We are stiill favorites to win the Europa and end top 4.

The odds we miss CL football by bookies are around 8 times the money. Might as bet a not too high amount that you want to win, but still money that matters a little bit as insurance that we miss it so you can buy a nice meal with your family if you are down and some alcohol maybe.

The odds we win a trophy by bookies is around 2 times the money as well.

 

[ScholesyTheWise]

Feck me, how momentums change within a couple of bloody weeks.

I'd like us to limp to the top 4 and would be happy with it.
And not to lose by 5 goals to any more of our rivals/teams in general.

 

[Tiber]

We have already turned into late Wenger era Arsenal where finishing 4th is considered a really good season. I'm not willing to drop my standards any further

We have injuries? so does everyone else, work around it. Rashford is injured? Good thing we spent the best part of 200m on other wide players in Sancho and Antony then, time they stepped up

 

[Ayoba]

I'm a glass half empty kind of guy so what I'm expecting is for us to limp our way to top 4, get knocked out of the EL. Somehow we will beat brighton but the season will end in the most humiliating fashion when city hammer us in the fa cup final. Sigh.

 

[Ballache]

Finish top 4 and a cup.
This has always been the goal for this season, we simply don't have the squad to go for all the trophies. We have won the LC so now all focus should be on finishing 4th or 3rd in the league.

 

[londonredmaniac]

Yes. Also if you win the Europa league you get seeded as a number 1 seed so it means you avoid Napoli, PSG etc next season.

It's the best possible way to qualify for the Champions league aside from actually winning your own league.

I think it's a tough ask. The Seville away game worries me. They've had a toss season and will be bang up for it.

I'd love us to win it, still some useful teams in there though and if we are under strength? I think it's just disappointment talking. We could have had semi final place wrapped up in 45 mins.

Anyway, it's never dull eh?

 

[Baneofthegame]

Completely agree. Pretty sure we'll drop points to Spurs and Brighton. We know our drop off when key players are out is huge. Our away record is dire.

If we beat Forest this weekend I think we're still looking good though. Lose or draw and it's looking difficult. Spurs have an easy game home to Bournemouth this weekend.

Have a funny feeling our away game to Spurs will end up being a must not lose.

Can't see us winning either of the remaining cups but I'd rather prioritise FA cup if top 4 looks OK.

Spurs play Newcastle away after Bournemouth, as long as we win the games we should we will make top 4 in my opinion.

Martinez is the worst injury for us in my opinion, if we can get Rashford back for the run in with no other suspensions/injuries we will be fine.

Shaw to cover Martinez
Maguire/Lindelof for Varane.

Still think we will beat Sevilla as well, they are garbage and basically won the lottery in the last 10 minutes.

 

[londonredmaniac]

I'm a glass half empty kind of guy so what I'm expecting is for us to limp our way to top 4, get knocked out of the EL. Somehow we will beat brighton but the season will end in the most humiliating fashion when city hammer us in the fa cup final. Sigh.

If we beat Brighton we need to go full shithouse Mourinho and stick a lorry park about 20 yards from our own goal.

City look back to terrifying mode at the moment. I hate talking like this but the gulf in class is huge and we are now missing too many of our better players.

That 6-3 at their place still looks large for me and tbf, 6-3 was absolutely flattering for us.

 

[11101]

Top 4. We've got a fairly comfortable run in and with Casemiro and Martial back we should be achieving that.

Europa and FA Cup are second place now. We were much better than Sevilla so we really should beat them next week and then we can see who we get in the semis.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

All offset by having Martial back

But he is fecking made of glass, will be shocked if we get more than 3 games from him

 

[pacifictheme]

At the start of the match last night I was pretty relaxed about our injuries. Most of the squad was back and available. Absolute disaster that second half.

 

[laughtersassassin]

You think we will get the job done in Seville?

We could have put it to bed first half and now it's all in the mix. Real 50/50 game for me that.

No I think we bottle it now but if that happens it's quite unacceptable and pathetic from the lads

Current Sevilla are beyond shite.