I think most fans were hoping to get closer to City and Arsenal. Close the gap. Doesn't look like that now. So what's a good season? Top4/5? Is that good enough?
What does a good season look like now?
- Thread starter UpWithRivers
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Top 4 would be a miracle
Top 4.
Progress from the CL groups stages
Decent run in the cups.
If possible, i'd like to avoid big defeats to the likes of city and liverpool.
Progress from the CL groups stages
Decent run in the cups.
If possible, i'd like to avoid big defeats to the likes of city and liverpool.
- CL qualification next season (probably means top 5)
- CL quarter finals and good showings in big games *once we get our squad back together
- Performances improving and showing a much higher level of play where you can foresee a title challenge in the future (will take time given absences, but this is a must probably in the 2nd half of the season)
- League cup doesn't matter much this year as we won last year and by same logic, trophy desperation isn't there so FA Cup would be nice but its whatever and we'll behind the others
In the league, well we lost away to Spurs and Arsenal, and then home to Brighton. We didn't feck up any easy games, Brighton loss is frustrating but if we make up for it away from home and at home against Spurs and Arsenal (which I bank on us doing) then it's fine. We can't be garbage in big games, but there's plenty to come to make up for the results so far and again, it's important to not lose the easy games you expect to win which really sets you back.
We have a nice run of fixtures before City and it's imperative we get pretty much perfect results in the league games, and approach that city game with confidence as that'll be an important one.
Top 4 would salvage a pretty horrific start to the season.
I’d like to see us advance out of the group stage in the CL.
Nice domestic cup runs.
But at some point we need to play decent football.
I’d like to see us advance out of the group stage in the CL.
Nice domestic cup runs.
But at some point we need to play decent football.
I think 5th is achievable, which will probably be enough for CL football next season.
I think City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle will be top four. 5th is between us, spurs and Brighton.
I think City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle will be top four. 5th is between us, spurs and Brighton.
Another CL qualification finish and some decent performances in Europe and big games would be fine. I'm more interested in seeing the fundamentals of the team improve.
Under Mou and Ole we managed 2nd place finishes, but you just knew looking at the team that it was the absolute ceiling for their styles of play. We lacked the basics that were needed to bridge that gap to first place. Im happy to spend a while longer getting those things right. As long as I feel like ETH is making progress in those ways, I can live with statis for a while.
Under Mou and Ole we managed 2nd place finishes, but you just knew looking at the team that it was the absolute ceiling for their styles of play. We lacked the basics that were needed to bridge that gap to first place. Im happy to spend a while longer getting those things right. As long as I feel like ETH is making progress in those ways, I can live with statis for a while.
Finishing with a +GD
The same as it did a few weeks ago, it’s only September.
So you came into the season thinking we've spent another 200 mill and we will be no better than the previous season. Probably worse. Start the season sht. What does that say about Ten Haag?
Yeah, this.
No reason this can't be achieved, if we get the injury situation under control and new players make a positive impact.
Top 5 which will secure UCL football starting from next season. Premier League's UEFA coefficient will almost certainly be in the top 2 which will give PL 5 UCL spots.
In the Champions League, we need to pass the group stage and finish second. It would be embarrassing finishing behind Copenhagen or Galatasaray, with all due respect to these teams.
Then in the knockout round we will draw someone who finished first in their group and it's not City, Arsenal or Bayern. I predict it will be Real Madrid or Barcelona which will make a big spectacle in February and we probably get knocked out, but who knows. If we get healthy(especially Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, Varane and Martinez) we have a chance against them, in my opinion. But losing to them would not be pretty disappointing, it's not easy to beat these teams. Against the other possible opponents, I would be disappointed if we don't pass the first knockout round and reach the QF at least(with PSG the only exception, because they will be first in their group and are pretty strong as well).
In conclusion, considering all the current circumstances(possible sale, Sancho, Antony, injuries, strong competition in the PL...), good season would look like this:
- secure UCL football(top 5 in the PL).
- advance to the knockout stages of UCL(as almost certainly the 2nd place in the group).
- Not lose in the first knockout round to anyone not named Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG(who will be first in their groups, most likely). If we lose to these 3 teams, it will be understandable. But it will be a spectacle, glamorous and memorable experience so there's that at least. Losing to Inter, Salzburg, Atletico, Feyenoord...will be disappointing to me(no offense to these teams).
And bonus point, almost forgot, get rid of the Glazers, once and for all.
In the Champions League, we need to pass the group stage and finish second. It would be embarrassing finishing behind Copenhagen or Galatasaray, with all due respect to these teams.
Then in the knockout round we will draw someone who finished first in their group and it's not City, Arsenal or Bayern. I predict it will be Real Madrid or Barcelona which will make a big spectacle in February and we probably get knocked out, but who knows. If we get healthy(especially Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, Varane and Martinez) we have a chance against them, in my opinion. But losing to them would not be pretty disappointing, it's not easy to beat these teams. Against the other possible opponents, I would be disappointed if we don't pass the first knockout round and reach the QF at least(with PSG the only exception, because they will be first in their group and are pretty strong as well).
In conclusion, considering all the current circumstances(possible sale, Sancho, Antony, injuries, strong competition in the PL...), good season would look like this:
- secure UCL football(top 5 in the PL).
- advance to the knockout stages of UCL(as almost certainly the 2nd place in the group).
- Not lose in the first knockout round to anyone not named Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG(who will be first in their groups, most likely). If we lose to these 3 teams, it will be understandable. But it will be a spectacle, glamorous and memorable experience so there's that at least. Losing to Inter, Salzburg, Atletico, Feyenoord...will be disappointing to me(no offense to these teams).
And bonus point, almost forgot, get rid of the Glazers, once and for all.
Playing decent football will be a good start, our football is painful to watch when was the last time we scored more than 4 goals? 
Seriously i thought we were going to challenge for the title but finishing top 4 comfortably will be a miracle now
Seriously i thought we were going to challenge for the title but finishing top 4 comfortably will be a miracle now
I think you've misread his post? I believe he is saying that what expectations anyone had on the club's success before the start of the season should remain as it has only been 6 games.
Top 4 would be decent considering the start we’ve had. We’ll probably have a decent run in the EFL cup. I’d like to see us progress into the knockouts of the CL but what I want the most is decent football to be played.
Getting our mojo back. And finishing top 4.
Hannibal, Mainoo, Pellestri, Garnacho, really stepping up and Utd somehow going on a long winning run would be great to see, plus new ownership, sooner than later, I'd be more than happy with that.
Targets are more or less the same as last season: top 4 and a trophy, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be some progression within that. Hope we can get some players back and finally see that new style of play we’ve heard so much about. Can we win something better than the league cup? I think we all knew we weren’t winning the league, but securing top 4 for a second year running would be a sign of some much needed stability.
5th should be enough for UCL qualification. While that remains achievable, it would require a significant improvement in performances and results. If we manage it, it would be a good season, given how poorly we've started.
Top 5 + CL Quarter finals
That would do for me.
we should send the kids to play in early stages of FA Cup and Carling Cup to avoid distractions
That would do for me.
we should send the kids to play in early stages of FA Cup and Carling Cup to avoid distractions
3rd or 4th with less of a points gap between us and champions aka city but can't see it happening at current rate.
We also have to start playing consistently better attacking football with better possession of the ball and off the ball movement, to be honest even getting top 4 and playing the awful football we have seen this season so far should not be acceptable for eth to be given a 3rd season as it will not get us anywhere long term but top 4 and nothing more as seen under all previous 3 managers .
Added bonus would be seeing 2 of our youth players come into strong contention for a starting 11 spot
We also have to start playing consistently better attacking football with better possession of the ball and off the ball movement, to be honest even getting top 4 and playing the awful football we have seen this season so far should not be acceptable for eth to be given a 3rd season as it will not get us anywhere long term but top 4 and nothing more as seen under all previous 3 managers .
Added bonus would be seeing 2 of our youth players come into strong contention for a starting 11 spot
Sell Maguire, McTominay and Sancho in January. Finish in the top 5 and win the FA Cup.
That would be a good season in my book.
That would be a good season in my book.
I want to see some good football with good style of play. Top 4 and all is fun but not by playing like we did against Burnley. That is just not sustainable. Create an effective style and stop giving chances to players who are not in your plan. I understand injuries and other things are making it hard but even then we must improve with our style.
I want to see us score more than 75 goals in a season for the first time post-SAF.
- Top 5
- Defined style of play
- Deadwood out
- Targets lined up for next summer before season end
- Defined style of play
- Deadwood out
- Targets lined up for next summer before season end
Can we win at Anfield? That would be nice.
Yup very similar. Although I’d have a domestic cup win instead of just a decent run, to be classified as a good season.
Top 4 without any trophies is at most an okay season unless there is clear progress in results and style of play.
This season can be "good" only if we improve on last year's success. Anything less isn't good.
good enough based on what? Where we are after a few league games or fan expectations?
Fan expectation? Fan expectation can just feck off. United were never going to win the league with City around and not close enought to expect to win CL. So everything else is a stocking filler. A cup or a high league place means feck all in the grand scheme of things.
So a good season looks like it did before the season starts. Settle down into a solid team, become hard to beat and have settled productive players
But instead the transfer windows of the last few years are coming to bite us again as in the next window we need full fecking spine again .... CBs, Midfields, Strikers. Its never ending as we have no strategy.
Matching last year's results.
Top four would be amazing.
A top four finish must be the bare minimum requirement of any Manchester United manager.
Top 4 and clearing out the cnuts from the team.
Performance, performance and again performance.
We need to gel, have a clear tactical plan, show progress. Because while a top four place may be a goal this season, it should only be a stepping stone towards better things the following season. But without the performances, we'll have nothing to build on and will probably be closer to another managerial overhaul, which will have us starting over again.
We need to gel, have a clear tactical plan, show progress. Because while a top four place may be a goal this season, it should only be a stepping stone towards better things the following season. But without the performances, we'll have nothing to build on and will probably be closer to another managerial overhaul, which will have us starting over again.
Glazers sell the club and feck off in Nov.
New owners sack Arnold and Murtough. Put in a team of competent people to run the football club.
New owner invest in Jan window signing proper world class DM playing alongside Casemeiro. Another proven ST and CB.
We need to do a Chelsea, win the CL when nowhere near best team in PL. One can dream.
New owners sack Arnold and Murtough. Put in a team of competent people to run the football club.
New owner invest in Jan window signing proper world class DM playing alongside Casemeiro. Another proven ST and CB.
We need to do a Chelsea, win the CL when nowhere near best team in PL. One can dream.
UCL qualification and play style development. Seeing some coherence in our games, some attacking patterns and become defensively solid. Something that makes us believe we are moving towards the right direction.
We’re out of the title race so top four is the minimum now. We had a rocky start last year and finished third. Most teams vying for the top four will have rocky patches and we’ll need to capitalise but obviously our margin of error is down to nothing now.
I’d forego the league and Fa cup to focus on the league and CL, if we’ve got players constantly injured and running on empty. The league cup last season was a nice addition to the cabinet but the amount of injuries suggest we’ve got players who need to be rested more.
I’d forego the league and Fa cup to focus on the league and CL, if we’ve got players constantly injured and running on empty. The league cup last season was a nice addition to the cabinet but the amount of injuries suggest we’ve got players who need to be rested more.
If we win the league or maybe champions league I would say it was a good season
100% this. Disappointed the club didn't get rid of more players this summer; i understand they didn't want to be ripped off like we have been in the past with player fees but still, you're keeping some players in the dressing room that are simply not part of the future of the club.
Hope EtH survives a difficult season and we can build from there.
At the moment I would say a 'good season' would be avoiding getting stuffed (again) by Liverpool and Man City and becoming embroiled in a relegation battle.
However, I may alter this view when we have most of our first team players back
However, I may alter this view when we have most of our first team players back