4th place is there to play for: what will the board do?

Fortitude

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Chelsea are all over the place and flagging; they're 6pts ahead of us, but we have a game in hand. If we beat Burnley, the gap is down to 3pts, and the pressure is well and truly on.

4th place, and hopeful Champions League qualification, alters our position over the summer dramatically, both with our sponsors as well as our attraction to a higher tier of talent. It may also be our only hope of retaining elite talent - he who shall not be named.

Now, our squad is threadbare and a number of key players are out and shouldn't be relied upon even when they return, not only that, our bona fide starters are in need of some rest (Fred, Maguire, in particular) and rotation, otherwise, it won't be a surprise if they join those out on the treatment table. Essentially, we're in a precarious position with a thin squad bearing a load that cannot possibly be a surprise if it burns them out.

There is all kinds of talk in the transfer forum of this transfer window being a rouse in which we may well not sign anyone to aid our waning squad - whether you believe that or not is entirely up to you. Perhaps three signings are being lined up, unbeknownst to us... perhaps none are, but, my thread header pertains to what you think the club will do in relation to the predicament we find ourselves in where that 4th place that may well have looked unassailable just a few games ago, is now very possibly a seriously viable target once again.

It's said on here that the club and our M.O. is to react to situations rather than prepare for a multitude of eventualities, so, in this instance, does the carrot of CL football, and all that it brings, procure any kind of reaction from the powers that be, or do you believe whatever was set in motion prior to Chelsea's floundering is still set in stone?

As fans, most of us are going to say we should be going for broke and putting all the chips on red/black, but that's not how business works, however, in this instance, risk/reward and the stakes being played for are tremendous, aren't they? The knock-on effect of us being a CL club is worth a fortune, so with all this said, what is your take on what we will do?
 

2 man midfield

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Feels like deja vu to be honest. We had the exact same situation last May, and we never quite managed to get close enough. It’s the same thing now, it feels like it’ll always be just out of reach because we always seem to shit ourselves whenever we have a chance to capitalise.
 

Relevated

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Fourth place sounds very high, you're trying to rob us. How about 6th? At a push we'll take 5th.
 

Castia

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Every single time there’s a chance to close the gap we blow it, I’m already expecting a draw tomorrow.
 

SER19

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Let's be honest, two really good additions in fernandes and a striker on loan with pogba and mctominay returning we should have an eye on europa too.

Yes we're probably not good enough, but we've gotten to the point where a target some would laugh at us for even feeling good about still feels too big for the clubs ambitions. Woodward and his pals literally don't seem to care if we succeed even in smaller terms.

Solskjaer is the fall guy. And most of you are falling for it
 

OleBoiii

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If it weren't for the injuries we'd easily be top 4. Probably with a solid 5 point gap down to Chelsea as well. So frustrating...
 

Leftback99

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It might look close right now but we simply don't have the squad to be able to put up a proper fight for it. I would say Spurs or Wolves have more chance.

Where are the goals going to come from? We're a Martial injury away from Greenwood being our only hope.
 

dove

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What will we do? Drop points vs Burnley of course.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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We need to bloody bring players. No idea what we are doing. Just a total mess on the higher level.
Still I have some hope which rest mainly on Greenwood growing and saving us now without Rashford.
Our defensive midfield is playing very well, but we got no backups.
Hopefully Lingard can get going again since we do need him with our thin squad.

We will probably not reach top 4 with Ole and no signings, but we should at least fight for it.
 

UnitedSofa

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Funny thing is there's at least 4-5 games this season, especially at the start where we've missed key penalties which would've got us a win apart from a draw, there's other games Villa and Sheffield spring to mind lately that we should've won too. So that's what? 7 games where we've dropped at least 2 points. So for argument's sake, let's say out of 5 of those games we go from a draw to a win, which gives us 10 extra points.

44 points 1 point off Leicester and 7 off of City.

People would be very happy with that and the pressure on Ole would be so much less.

Think about it a point off 3rd going into the Burnley game and 7 points off 2nd with 12 games to go. People would be VERY happy.

Win that and you're 3rd and 4 points off 2nd breathing down City's neck.

People seem to forget how many stupid points we dropped at the start of the season.

This season hasn't gone as bad as you think! Especially when you think how bare and poor the squad has been (mismatch of ageing players and academy players, players not up to the standards) it's been a succesful season. I'd say 4th place and either a trophy or a semi final for Ole's first full season isn't something to turn your nose up at.
 

AltiUn

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If it weren't for the injuries we'd easily be top 4. Probably with a solid 5 point gap down to Chelsea as well. So frustrating...
Without a doubt, in my opinion. Losing McTominay was such a huge blow and cost us some really easy points when we chose to play Pereira as CM in his absence. Not to mention missing our only decent creative midfield outlet for essentially the entire season, now add our leading scorer to that.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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Funny thing is there's at least 4-5 games this season, especially at the start where we've missed key penalties which would've got us a win apart from a draw, there's other games Villa and Sheffield spring to mind lately that we should've won too. So that's what? 7 games where we've dropped at least 2 points. So for argument's sake, let's say out of 5 of those games we go from a draw to a win, which gives us 10 extra points.

44 points 1 point off Leicester and 7 off of City.

People would be very happy with that and the pressure on Ole would be so much less.

Think about it a point off 3rd going into the Burnley game and 7 points off 2nd with 12 games to go. People would be VERY happy.

Win that and you're 3rd and 4 points off 2nd breathing down City's neck.

People seem to forget how many stupid points we dropped at the start of the season.

This season hasn't gone as bad as you think! Especially when you think how bare and poor the squad has been (mismatch of ageing players and academy players, players not up to the standards) it's been a succesful season. I'd say 4th place and either a trophy or a semi final for Ole's first full season isn't something to turn your nose up at.
You can say that for a lot of teams. We are just not very good at defending results and are not always clinical in front of goal.
 

SambaBoy

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4th place will be very hard without reinforcements this window.

Rashford being out is a massive blow, and is going to be hard to replace. We need to bring someone who can contribute in the front line whether that's short term or an attacking midfield i.e. Fernandes for the long term and we can alter our shape till he is back or put our faith in Greenword more.

McTominay is out for a while now, Fred is playing every game and Pogba just turns up now and again and goes missing for months. We need a CM desperately. Even if all our midfielders were fit and firing, it would still be a target.

Our squad is just too stretched at the minute to be able to compete for 4th if Chelsea or Spurs hit some sort of form.
 

CM

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Feck it up, of course. We don't have the bodies or enough quality to sustain a proper challenge.

Even if Pogba finally returns it will be an uphill struggle with Rashford and McTominay out for the foreseeable and it doesn't look like we're any closer to bringing anyone in.
 

BluesJr

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It might look close right now but we simply don't have the squad to be able to put up a proper fight for it. I would say Spurs or Wolves have more chance.

Where are the goals going to come from? We're a Martial injury away from Greenwood being our only hope.
Have you watched Spurs? Worse than us under Mourinho.
 

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A few loans should be a disappointing minimum, even if it's a high signing fee, well worth the gamble. Loans dont compromise the squad rebuild excuse.

I think Leicester will fall back into the fight too, leaving two spots up for grabs.

We've been away to City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Wolves and Sheffield. So we're in a good position fixtures wise.
 

Denis79

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We got a good chance but I worry about our thin squad, a lot of games left. Fatigue and additional injuries would destroy our chances.
 

BaneIsPain

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I think we will choke it as usual. However, I can't see us drop to sixth or seventh this season.
 

OverratedOpinion

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Probably cock it up.

Spurs and Chelsea seem to want it even less than we do at the minute which is a bonus but Rashford has carried us this season. If we get a striker and a midfielder in and the striker hits the ground running then I might favour us. Tomorrow is a big game.
 

Marcus

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This feels like very familiar territory. I don't think we can do it though. The dilemma is whether to bring in players not ideal in the long term to try and get 4th or to just try to make do and likely miss out. I guess some players in on loan with an option to buy would be ideal.
 

SAFMUTD

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The kids will learn and will want to bounce back, but no we wont reach top 4 and not because we cant but because the squad doesnt have the pressure on them, Ole has made sure this season is seen purely as development and the players have bought it.
 

bosnian_red

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Think we have a likelier route through the Europa League. Either way, dependent on signings. Full strength, we are probably the 3rd best side in the league tbh. But pogba hasn't played this season, Rashford won't play much more this season and McTominay is also out for a while. So our current squad of options is barely mid table level.
 

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Seeing as we've not looked prepared for this transfer window at all, I'm starting to think it's better to just find relatively cheap stop-gap solutions than to go big on targets that aren't first choices. I don't think we're in the financial position to be paying over the odds for players we haven't been working on for months (which we probably haven't), just to try to secure top 4. It would limit what we could do sensibly in the summer, when we might even have a new manager. CL is of course hugely important in terms of recruitment, but if we've already starting forming a squad with new recruits who aren't quite desired and measured targets, it will just further stall a proper team emerging.
 

Sad Chris

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The odds are clearly stacked against us. But I feel good about the group of players we have now. I have the impression the team spirit is better than it has been among previous managers.

I hope that the team-factor can make the difference that pushes our bunch over the line.

But obviously, we’ll need to get results to stay in contention. If we do and our injured starters return toward the closing stages of the season, we might just be able to secure 4th.

It would be a fantastic achievement, even if plenty of people here would complain about how far our standards have fallen, etc.
 

amolbhatia50k

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We are definitely good enough for 4th. Thered a myth some like to believe that our squad is terrible and that 4th is too much to ask for. However this is simply not true. There's not much between us and Chelsea in terms of quality. Personally I prefer our squad if anything and I'm sure most here did too at the start of the season. I fully expected us to finish above them.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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We are definitely good enough for 4th. Thered a myth some like to believe that our squad is terrible and that 4th is too much to ask for. However this is simply not true. There's not much between us and Chelsea in terms of quality. Personally I prefer our squad if anything and I'm sure most here did too at the start of the season. I fully expected us to finish above them.
I think our problem over Chelsea is the lack of dept up front, but we got higher top level. Hazard was a massive loss for them.
Martial is better than Abraham in my view even if Abraham got more goals.
Rashford better than all the attackers in Chelsea too.
Could be hard to keep up without Rashford.
 

RedPed

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Chelsea's next 3 games are Leicester, United and Tottenham. There's no reason why we can't be in 4th in a few weeks.
 

Bogga

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Chelsea's next 3 games are Leicester, United and Tottenham. There's no reason why we can't be in 4th in a few weeks.
Every time they messed up we've somehow managed to do the same. And that was when we didn't have as many injuries as we do now...
 

Louis Van Gonads

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We are closer to 13th than 4th
Exactly. The table is very tight and there are only 4 points between 5th and 13th.

Sadly I think if we stick with OGS we have zero chance of finishing 4th and are more likely to finish 9th or 10th.
 

zenith

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Every single time there’s a chance to close the gap we blow it, I’m already expecting a draw tomorrow.
This

I'm expecting a score draw against burnley and then just hoping that we can find our way to the winter break while still being in contention. Take it from there
 

Relfy

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If and it is a big if, we can bring in a couple of players, coupled with others coming back from injury I see no reason why we can't get ahead of Chelsea. They will continue to drop points and we still have to play them in a game I fancy us to win. Up to the board and whether they wish to support the manager in the market or not.
 

Fortitude

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Seeing as we've not looked prepared for this transfer window at all, I'm starting to think it's better to just find relatively cheap stop-gap solutions than to go big on targets that aren't first choices. I don't think we're in the financial position to be paying over the odds for players we haven't been working on for months (which we probably haven't), just to try to secure top 4. It would limit what we could do sensibly in the summer, when we might even have a new manager. CL is of course hugely important in terms of recruitment, but if we've already starting forming a squad with new recruits who aren't quite desired and measured targets, it will just further stall a proper team emerging.
Do you think the board/Woodward will take stock of the table and predicament it presents, and (re)act in accordance?

I agree that smart investment now is not big purchases we had no intention of making until the summer, but do you believe the club will scramble for loans and those that would be intended as squad options in the long term - but for now would be key players in tiding us over - in light of the CL places now looking like they are attainable with the right investment?

@Relfy , same question to you.
 

elánius

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Yeah, this might be the worst battle for top4 in the history of PL and I actually thought it cant be worse than it was last year. Well I was wrong. Btw teams fighting for top4 are only 10 points above relagation battle and we are at same level with Wolves and Sheffield United. Arsenal won just 6 games from 24 ffs = 25% winrate.

But even if we make it to top4, we still have to sack Olé, because he should be evaluete on his team results and team play and not on bad results of our rivals. Last year after 23 games we had 44 points. Today after 23 games we have 34 points. And we are closer to champions league than we were last year. What does it actually say about us?
 

elmo

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Drop points the moment 4th place seems like it's up for grabs and pick up points when it seems we're way off the mark.

That's the United way under Ole.
 

elmo

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Yeah, this might be the worst battle for top4 in the history of PL and I actually thought it cant be worse than it was last year. Well I was wrong. Btw teams fighting for top4 are only 10 points above relagation battle and we are at same level with Wolves and Sheffield United. Arsenal won just 6 games from 24 ffs = 25% winrate.

But even if we make it to top4, we still have to sack Olé, because he should be evaluete on his team results and team play and not on bad results of our rivals. Last year after 23 games we had 44 points. Today after 23 games we have 34 points. And we are closer to champions league than we were last year. What does it actually say about us?
That the overall standard of the league has improved and we're just treading water by playing a thin squad for an entire season.