It shouldn't be but I think it is with the current set-up.
Is a league challenge really out of reach?
- Thread starter RedStarUnited
- Start date
We have the lowest aka the best xGA (expected goal against) in the league post Spurs game means defensively we are not as bad as the numbers we conceded. Last week clean sheet, today conceded from set pieces. Own goal against Newcastle, penalty against arsenal and 1 goal only against Everton. We improved after the 6-1.
The only thing that's certain is you can't predict anything about this year. It looks like anyone can make it theirs to lose if they go on a run. Hell even Spurs.
We and City were the last English teams to finish the last season in mid-August. This season started 3 weeks later. We are doing very well after perfectly explainable bad start. City doing worse than us. We should be contenders this year.
I read an article on The Athletic a couple of weeks ago and our overall xGA for this season was the worst for all managers and seasons since Fergie
Looking just at our last game against WBA (a crap team) they had about 3 big chances. Completely lucky to win that one.
Remember the end of last season and the "it's in our hands" stuff? 
If you look at our form with Bruno its title-challenge form.
I do always think we’re one or two injuries away from having serious issues but even the squad depth is starting to look less of an issue
What I would also say with the age profile of our squad is that we are only going to get stronger over the next two years
I do always think we’re one or two injuries away from having serious issues but even the squad depth is starting to look less of an issue
What I would also say with the age profile of our squad is that we are only going to get stronger over the next two years
I said after spurs game. The Athletic included our first three games which irrelevant to my post since I was making point that we have improved since 6-1.
This is what happened after the 6-1, best xGA.
Oh god not this again, cue loss in out next match!
Yes it is. Let's see if we can get a back to back top 4 finish for the first time in eons.
Some of our best players have been terribly out of form so far this season, if we can stay in touch and eventually get it to click (as it did last season) we are in with a shot.
Martial not got going at all
Greenwood is the same as above
Pogba out of the side and injured
Rashford inconsistent
All 4 have the ability to take this team to another level if they can find some consistent form. At the moment we're relying on single players having brilliant games, rather than the team performing brilliantly.
Martial not got going at all
Greenwood is the same as above
Pogba out of the side and injured
Rashford inconsistent
All 4 have the ability to take this team to another level if they can find some consistent form. At the moment we're relying on single players having brilliant games, rather than the team performing brilliantly.
No.
Our egotistical tilt at the EL last season kaputz that chance. We should have been top of the league now if we are to grind our way to the title, but all those points dropped at home to our direct competitors will have a big impact come the end of the season.
People are pinning their hope on going on a similar run like the one after the lockdown, but this year we will not have the chance to take a rest and restock, the fixtures won’t let up and we are only a couple of injuries away from falling to pieces.
Our egotistical tilt at the EL last season kaputz that chance. We should have been top of the league now if we are to grind our way to the title, but all those points dropped at home to our direct competitors will have a big impact come the end of the season.
People are pinning their hope on going on a similar run like the one after the lockdown, but this year we will not have the chance to take a rest and restock, the fixtures won’t let up and we are only a couple of injuries away from falling to pieces.
Every team in this league at the moment is playing at a high level. They may not have the typically top tier players, but sports science is implemented effectively at all the premier league clubs and a lot of the Championship clubs as well. I think it's changing the game. The upshot really is that we're seeing a higher level of performance out of players more often, for every team. Teams are just not shit like they used to be, really they're not. The standard is really high, it might be that covid has had an affect as there aren't really the same home/away games like before. Liverpool had basically already won the league by the time it was stopped in March. Since the restart, there hasn't been a single dominant team. Liverpool got done 7-2 by Villa for christs sake. Man Utd is definitely up there with the best in the premier league, I really do believe so, but nobody is unbeaten and every team is capable. It's fascinating really, it does seem like any team could win this league. If we keep winning we'll be in contention for sure. I wouldn't put any money on it, I just hope it lights a fire up their arse to know they're not a million miles away.,
was it ever within reach?
Jesus Christ haha
Lads, I know we're all on the crest of a wave having beaten a side featuring Shane Long and Theo Walcott, but we're a week on from needing Sam Johnstone to basically run out and smother the ball as Bruno took his peno to win the game against a team who already seem to be jonesing for another sweet, sweet hit of relegation.
Whether or not anyone believes we can win the title, we are extremely under-valued around the bookies sites at the moment.
It's certainly a tough ask, but possible. If we are to kick on and push for the title we do need to stop this 2 steps forward 1 step back shit that we seem to favour. In saying that though, while our performances haven't been top notch we are getting results.
Got to love how threads like this appear whenever we put in a half decent performance.
When we actually do that consistently then stuff like this wouldn’t look silly.
When we actually do that consistently then stuff like this wouldn’t look silly.
You can't just handpick statistics like that . That 6-1 game could statistically due to randomness also just have happened spread out over the cause of the next 9 games. Instead you choose that "this very bad spike cant occur" in your stats. That's not how to do statistics or understand randomness / xG spikes.I said after spurs game. The Athletic included our first three games which irrelevant to my post since I was making point that we have improved since 6-1.
This is what happened after the 6-1, best xGA.
We need another Bruno-esque signing in January to challenge.
And a solid centre half too. Otherwise, unlikely.
And a solid centre half too. Otherwise, unlikely.
it's out of reach as we all know that with our ridiculous inconsistency even if we won few games key to mounting a challenge, we are still to stupidly lose points to much inferior sides this season. I fully expect us to lose at least one more game at Old Trafford against a bottom 8 team, we'll drop points and look as dire as we did against Istanbul lately. You can't challenge for title if you're not consistent and you can't deliver these performances week in week out, even if the opposition struggles. As much as I would love to see us near the top, can't see it happening - we'll be way off the champion come the end of the season, if you ask me. If Ole were to ever win some silverware, I guess he'd do it in a cup - in fact I think it would be easier for us to win a Champions League with him than a Premier League. Few very decent games in isolation is something he can manage. Full season of consistently delivering against inferior team - not really.
Cause we can, any team who can put together a good run of form over say the next 10 games will be in with a shout. Ole has shown he can get this group of players to do that, we’ve also seen it can go the other way.
It’s a funny season so I’m going with the positive!!
It’s a funny season so I’m going with the positive!!
This season is a really good chance for us to make a push for the title.. everyone is pretty average
I think the winners of the league will be the side with the least injuries to their most influential players. It is a weird season where everyone is beating everyone else. You could get a really strange looking top 4 and you might only need low 80’s points to win it.
Given the weirdness around this entire season, it’s probably our best chance post Fergie to contend at the top. However, we are far too inconsistent to mount any sort of challenge over the course of a season. A few good results followed by a couple of car crashes has summed Ole’s time up and I cant see that changing anytime soon. On paper, our squad depth should have us challenging but our mentality to take such an opportunity is highly dubious.
Given the weirdness around this entire season, it’s probably our best chance post Fergie to contend at the top. However, we are far too inconsistent to mount any sort of challenge over the course of a season. A few good results followed by a couple of car crashes has summed Ole’s time up and I cant see that changing anytime soon. On paper, our squad depth should have us challenging but our mentality to take such an opportunity is highly dubious.
We have been really consistent since January though?
Lack of consistency is a bit of a cliche at this point.
+1, very well put
We haven't even reached top 4 yet. One step at a time.
There aren't any top teams this year so I'd expect us to be within reach until spring.
Minor miracle to win it. Someone will be better.
Minor miracle to win it. Someone will be better.
It’s not out of reach, but there is not quite enough quality and consistency amongst our squad to reach it.
Our inconsistency has us 5 points off first with a game in hand. I'd say if we can get more consistent we can definitely challenge for the title, but I said that even before the season kicked off, we just need to see it happen. The performances worry me less than dropping points. If we can win when we play badly then we'll definitely be in with a shout.
I'm happy with today's performance and comeback because it proves what all the naysayers on here have been spouting for weeks. We can break down teams that sit deep, even to protect a 2-0 lead, and our players are fighting for our manager.
I'm happy with today's performance and comeback because it proves what all the naysayers on here have been spouting for weeks. We can break down teams that sit deep, even to protect a 2-0 lead, and our players are fighting for our manager.
It's the new season and people looking at things in a vacuum, thus failing to understand the context of lack of pre-season and covid circumstances. It has affected everyone, just look at the league table, it's super weird start to the season. I'm not saying I think we'll win the league, but generally we've been consistent since January no doubt about that. We're definitely a top 4 team now, with maybe an off chance to really challenge like everyone else but yeah the league is still crazy and it might continue to be that way the whole season.
If Rashford and Martial kick on and our backline continue to improve sure.
It's too early to suggest these things. Only a few weeks ago people were calling for Ole's head. Let's just enjoy the bit of form we've come into and see where it takes us. As Sir Alex used to say if you're there or thereabouts at the half point/Christmas then you're certainly in with a shout of winning that year.
The league barely touches 10 Matchdays and we already have this kind of thread.
Fecking stupid thread we were 20 mins away from lost 4 won 4 of our 1st 9 games.
get a grip
get a grip
It's def. not out of reach; the PL this season is there for the taking. IMO the team that best manages injuries and fatigue will win the title.
Could be wrong but think only team that has won league in last decade with fewer than 15 home wins was Leicester in 15/16 and they got to 81 which could be a realistic total for this season.
For Man. United to get to 15 home wins you need to win ever single league game left so big ask I'd say. Man. City next up.
Of course BCD balances that all out as pretty much every single team at top and bottom has worse home form than before. That one exception is Liverpool.
Won 5/5 this season and they won 3/4 after lockdown last season so one team that's retained their aura at home. They get minimum of 15 home wins again and then you just need to win just over half of aways to get to around 85 points. Can't see Man. United, Spurs, Chelsea or anyone else having the consistency to beat that this season.
I think the key for Man. United this season is to break 70 + points again and be only 10 or so points off 1st and build from that. Last time that happened in 2018 things completely imploded a few months later but doubt that would happen this time with the personnel in charge.
For Man. United to get to 15 home wins you need to win ever single league game left so big ask I'd say. Man. City next up.
Of course BCD balances that all out as pretty much every single team at top and bottom has worse home form than before. That one exception is Liverpool.
Won 5/5 this season and they won 3/4 after lockdown last season so one team that's retained their aura at home. They get minimum of 15 home wins again and then you just need to win just over half of aways to get to around 85 points. Can't see Man. United, Spurs, Chelsea or anyone else having the consistency to beat that this season.
I think the key for Man. United this season is to break 70 + points again and be only 10 or so points off 1st and build from that. Last time that happened in 2018 things completely imploded a few months later but doubt that would happen this time with the personnel in charge.
We are inconsistent but so is the rest of the league. This is going to be nothing like the last couple seasons where it's been City and Liverpool running away. In fact, we are even up on City right now and if we win our game in hand, we are only 2 points behind Liverpool. Anything can happen. I just hope the board sees this and tries to improve in January so we might be able to make a run at it...
I think our perception of the game and our chances completely changes if Greenwood buries his two chances. Then we’re winning this 5:2. Or not even conceding potentially.
I do think the plan is to challenge next year but we have started to see the opportunities this year because nobody is winning a lot. As I keep saying, should we fix the form for the first half of the season, then the second half form will lead us to close the gap, even potentially win the league.
We are either 2nd or 3rd best in pts already since Jan2020, and 3rd best since Ole took over pts wise. But again, fixing that form... and that is a mental thing.
We would have lost that game or at best drawn before. Winning, is providing us a 3rd win in a row in the league, and is showing how we have progressed as a team under Ole. The players understand what it means to keep believing now. This is thanks to Ole.
I do think the plan is to challenge next year but we have started to see the opportunities this year because nobody is winning a lot. As I keep saying, should we fix the form for the first half of the season, then the second half form will lead us to close the gap, even potentially win the league.
We are either 2nd or 3rd best in pts already since Jan2020, and 3rd best since Ole took over pts wise. But again, fixing that form... and that is a mental thing.
We would have lost that game or at best drawn before. Winning, is providing us a 3rd win in a row in the league, and is showing how we have progressed as a team under Ole. The players understand what it means to keep believing now. This is thanks to Ole.
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