Best title chance post Fergie

[FootballHQ]

City are big favourites now after van Dijk's injury. They'll be at full fitness soon enough and no other team is close to them in quality.

I agree. Bar the collapse second half v Leicester I honestly don't think Man. City have been that bad especially as they've had a tough start. Good win v Wolves, Leeds will give tough game to all top half sides so I don't think a draw there was that terrible and beating Arsenal with a clean sheet is fine.

Got Aguero back now who they missed. Ruben Dias looks to be making a difference at the back. Only played 4 games aswell.

It's not perfect wih Man. City but I'd have them as big favourites to win the league now with Van Dijk injury.

Man. United's best title chance post Fergie was surely 15/16? Of course didn't even finish top 4....

 

[tomaldinho1]

Please don't do this to yourself lads, it'll only end in tears.
I'm just praying we can stay top 4

 

[El Zoido]

This forum is strange, a relegation thread and a title winning thread.

Modern football fans. Or maybe it’s always been like this.

If we win tonight the “we’re a dark horse to win CL” thread will be at the top. If we lose, the sky will fall again.

 

[Berbasbullet]

Modern football fans. Or maybe it’s always been like this.

If we win tonight the “we’re a dark horse to win CL” thread will be at the top. If we lose, the sky will fall again.

Completely agree, looking forward to the dark horse thread!

 

[TwoSheds]

Currently we're not even better than Aston Villa

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

I don't think we can win it . The key here is motivation. If you give these lads a daily dose of that wake up call they get when we were smacked 6-1 or when Bruno came or when Oles job needed saving or when Mourinho was sacked then we can win the league. The team relies too much on an external stimuli to get going

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Hear me out, before we address the obvious problem of looking more like losing to Wigan than winning 5 games in a row.

But set aside united, I said before the season started and think even more now, that we will see a winner without the points hauls of recent years.

The season is so unusual for obvious reasons. Add fatigue and now key injuries to Liverpool and City. Nobody looks capable of running away with it and as disastrous as the start has been we've only lost 2 games. We've added some depth and showed glimpses yesterday of the post lockdown form.

Of course the question is can we capitalise on such unusual circumstances and dig deep and stay in contention? Do we get poch in and try benefit from a new manager bounce?

If you're considering outside chance for Everton, spurs Chelsea or arsenal, you have to consider us too.

Anybody feeling ambitious?

I agree with most of this save for the a pochetino bit. He'd be od no benefit.

It's up to the coaching staff and the lads to get us consistent enough to try

 

[Tarrou]

I don't think we're good enough to challenge, way too much inconsistency

But just imagine our next 2/3 signings are all Bruno level (or close to it), and we'll be right there challenging IMO

 

[Pexbo]

We really should have struck while the iron was hot this summer. A top centre back and Sancho and we would be very strong contenders for the league.

As things stand, we will be in the mix with 6 teams fighting for Top 4, all of which could just about do enough to take the title with a good rub of the green.

 

[bosnian_red]

Think the first of United/Chelsea to wise up and replace Ole/Lampard (with a quality manager), if done early enough, have the squads (especially us) to challenge for the title. At the very least be comfortable in top 4. Genuinely think player wise we have the best XI and squad that we've had in the past decade, of at least post 10/11 after our defence dropped off.

 

[ForeverRed1]

Just calm down with this shite. It’s a long old season and anything can happen. Let’s get out of this run of tough games relatively unscathed first.

 

[Wilt]

Genuinely think player wise we have the best XI and squad that we've had in the past decade

Exactly this.

We should be bossing the prem with this squad. It‘s an absolute joke seeing us struggle like we do.

 

[el3mel]

Think the first of United/Chelsea to wise up and replace Ole/Lampard (with a quality manager), if done early enough, have the squads (especially us) to challenge for the title. At the very least be comfortable in top 4. Genuinely think player wise we have the best XI and squad that we've had in the past decade, of at least post 10/11 after our defence dropped off.

I actually think the current squad is better than our last title winning one bar Rooney, RVP and Evra. Fight me!

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Not under Ole for sure. It is more open than normal, but Liverpool will probably still get it.
Although they are not defending well at the moment and conceding a lot.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I actually think the current squad is better than our last title winning one bar Rooney, RVP and Evra. Fight me!

Wouldn't even include Rooney in there. He declined a lot in 2012-2013 IMO. He was better the following season ironically.

I agree though.

Problem is Ole is no Sir Alex.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

I actually think the current squad is better than our last title winning one bar Rooney, RVP and Evra. Fight me!

We have noone like Carrick that can dominate the games from the deep. We also had better wingers then even though they didn't score as much as Rashford.
We probably have a better setup for europe and counter attacks though with a stronger midfield overall.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

We have noone like Carrick that can dominate the games from the deep. We also had better wingers then even though they didn't score as much as Rashford.
We probably have a better setup for europe and counter attacks though with a stronger midfield overall.

We really didn't.

Rashford is easily better than Valencia from 2012-2013.

Greenwood is also better out wide than Valencia too. Nani barely played that season and Young wasn't anything special.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

We really didn't.

Rashford is easily better than Valencia from 2012-2013.

Greenwood is also better out wide than Valencia too. Nani barely played that season and Young wasn't anything special.

Totally disagree there. I thought our wingers was a key reason for our forwards scoring so many goals. We do not have that service anymore.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Totally disagree there. I thought our wingers was a key reason for our forwards scoring so many goals. We do not have that service anymore.

If you put 2012-2013 RVP in this team, he'd probably score even more goals than he did then.

Valencia and Young were plain average that season.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

This thread

We have 1.4 points per game and some chaps are dreaming of winning the league.

 

[bosnian_red]

I actually think the current squad is better than our last title winning one bar Rooney, RVP and Evra. Fight me!

Honestly if we took the best 11 from both sets...

De Gea
Rafael Lindelof Maguire Evra/Telles
Carrick Pogba
Nani Bruno Rashford
Van Persie
​

And plenty of squad players. The team is here and we have depth. We settle for mediocrity though. You just know that the first out of Chelsea/United to change managers will get their shit together first. Just feels like a pointless exercise and a waste of time.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

This thread

We have 1.4 points per game and some chaps are dreaming of winning the league.

If we had a better manager, we could easily go for the league.

The league hasn't felt this open in years.

 

[marktan]

I think we have almost a title challenging squad - but we still miss a RW. Our attack just isn't a title winning attack without an actual RW that can do something.

Everton etc have started well, but in a heads up match Pool and City will beat them 7/10 times. Those two teams aren't as strong as the past couple of seasons due to a mix of injuries, fatigue from a lack of pre-season, players getting older/leaving (City), but their level is still above all the other teams and it'll show across a season.

Me personally I would go with Liverpool as the favourites just due to the potency of their attack. Their only one weakness is VVD missing - but I think it can be migitated enough by having someone like Matip back and especially now that Allison is back.

City personally I think have weakened a lot by losing 4 of their best players from when Pep took over - Kompany, Silva and Sane, with Aguero being injured more often than not. They've signed well to replace them but the replacements aren't of the same level, in my opinion.

 

[njred]

If we had a better manager, we could easily go for the league.

The league hasn't felt this open in years.

You’re sitting in 15th or somewhere near there. Thing is you seem to have these little spurts where progress looks to happening then it’s back to being inconsistent. You could challenge if the team doesn’t lose focus. Is that the mgr or certain players. Who knows.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Genuinely think player wise we have the best XI and squad that we've had in the past decade

Wouldn't say best XI, but definitely our squad is really really good.

I think our best 11 is the 2nd best... then again, we don't really have any best 11 players. What we have is various players suited to deal with certain situations better (low blocks, high pressure, attacking/defensive, etc) than the others, so the squad is full of more limited yet specialized players in a way.

Honestly I think we have the best squad and squad depth in the PL. If only we can fully make use of all this talents very well and sharpening it because seriously they're getting worse, many players maintain as who they are when they first joined, no visible changes indicating improvements (excluding purple patch).

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I actually think the current squad is better than our last title winning one bar Rooney, RVP and Evra. Fight me!

Okay.

Honestly if we took the best 11 from both sets...

De Gea
Rafael Lindelof Maguire Evra/Telles
Carrick Pogba
Nani Bruno Rashford
Van Persie
​

And plenty of squad players. The team is here and we have depth. We settle for mediocrity though. You just know that the first out of Chelsea/United to change managers will get their shit together first. Just feels like a pointless exercise and a waste of time.

If we're only looking at this season 20/21.. and Squad 12/13.

De Gea
Rafael/Bissaka -- Rio -- Evans/Maguire -- Evra
Carrick -- ???
Bruno -- Rooney -- Rashford
RVP

??? = Pogba/Fred/McT/VDB​

Just 5 from current squad, but only 3 definitely, not including De Gea.

Honestly, I'm not sure which version of De Gea is better - the 12/13 is still raw but more likely will make those trademark "impossible saves" and have clear limitations especially in handling crosses and set-piece, while the 20/21 is better in those weaknesses but also more likely making mistakes (which have been significantly reduced now thankfully) and less chances of making those "godlike saves" bar some.

Pogba at CDM is still a risk, even worse with Carrick. Remember 16/17? Need to have additional support to make them work. Nani isn't really that good in that season, so Bruno as false RM to fit in Rooney, no way we can put him out even his form isn't the best in that season, he can't stop scoring and always a threat. Our right wing in that season is poor standard wise. Rio is far better than what Lindelof can do. Our left wing at that time is also terrible, so Rashford in is easy. I remember Evans is equally good, in the absence of injured Vidic. Why is Telles even in contention? Evra is on fire that season. Rafael is good in attacks but risky when we're defending, Bissaka the opposite. Chicharito is also a killer from the bench, which we don't really have at the moment bar Greenwood the closest.

12/13 have far better XI, but current 20/21 have far better quality in squad depth.

 

[Canagel]

If we had a better manager, we could easily go for the league.

The league hasn't felt this open in years.

Don Allegri is waiting and available. If he enters now with this squad its looking mad all of a sudden. I mean look at what Carlo is doing with lesser players. Literaly any half good manager out there is already a upgrade on our current "manager" but as usual we'll drag until things spiral out of control before acting. Hell Even Moyes would probably get more of this squad than him its this bad

 

[amolbhatia50k]

If we had a better manager, we could easily go for the league.

The league hasn't felt this open in years.

We would be closer but still not capable of going for it. People are overstating VVD s importance. The league is open for teams like City who can actually win it (but won't). Not for a constant 4th place challengers who finishes half its time outside CL places.

No doubt a top manager who do much better than Ole but I don't think we're that close yet.

 

[Salt Bailly]

You've got to admire the optimism.

 

[Danish Wizard]

The title is definately up for grabs this season. We might see another "Leicester-season" where a team outside the "top 6 teams" wins it.
United is however not a candidate. Mentality and quality is not good enough.

 

[Godfather]

Interesting this comes up after one of our worst PL starts in history. Gotta love the optimism though

 

[Borys]

Interesting this comes up after one of our worst PL starts in history. Gotta love the optimism though

There's a lot of reasons to be optimistic though.

- midfield much improved with Fred-McTominay combo
- defenders looking decent with midfield sealed ahead of them
- Bruno has improved significantly in last few games
- Greenwood coming back to squad
- Telles looking decent full back
- Pogba being quite useful in super sub role
- were finally playing some decent football, no hoofing

We've been the better team against Chelsea, unlucky not to score at least one. These are all good signs for the future.

 

[Feed Me]

This manager is incapable of winning the league with this squad. A top class manager would have us in the mix. I’ve had enough of Ole’s nonsense by this stage. His crap team selection killed our momentum stone dead.

 

[meamth]

So we need to win 99% of the games? Can't draw?

Then caf be happy?

 

[Godfather]

There's a lot of reasons to be optimistic though.

- midfield much improved with Fred-McTominay combo
- defenders looking decent with midfield sealed ahead of them
- Bruno has improved significantly in last few games
- Greenwood coming back to squad
- Telles looking decent full back
- Pogba being quite useful in super sub role
- were finally playing some decent football, no hoofing

We've been the better team against Chelsea, unlucky not to score at least one. These are all good signs for the future.

I do agree with the last bit. Much prefer results like yesterday as long as we play decent football. Should have been more adventurous from the start though. Ole's team selections are still a bit baffling at times.

 

[Feed Me]

So we need to win 99% of the games? Can't draw?

Then caf be happy?

We have won two, drawn one and lost two. It continues a theme over a number of years now where we draw and lose more than we win. We have become accustomed to accepting mediocrity. A draw against Chelsea would be good if we hadn’t lost our opening two home games, conceding NINE in the process.

 

[Borys]

We have won two, drawn one and lost two. It continues a theme over a number of years now where we draw and lose more than we win. We have become accustomed to accepting mediocrity. A draw against Chelsea would be good if we hadn’t lost our opening two home games, conceding NINE in the process.

That is true, however we've improved significantly last three games. Not only results, but general play as well.

I am confident we can play against any team in the league at this moment and grab a win. Surely this will not happen every game, but its begging of the season so good signs.

 

[treble_winner]

Don Allegri is waiting and available. If he enters now with this squad its looking mad all of a sudden. I mean look at what Carlo is doing with lesser players. Literaly any half good manager out there is already a upgrade on our current "manager" but as usual we'll drag until things spiral out of control before acting. Hell Even Moyes would probably get more of this squad than him its this bad

Moyes? Now I have seen it all...

 

[Loon]

I fear it's gonna be the dippers again as City are a bloody shambles. I'd even put up with Mourinho winning it with Spurs. The rest of us are inconsistent.

 

[Bestietom]

The Title, No way. We haven't even got a settled side yet. If we keep changing the side around like we do, we will never improve. We had a settled side just after the lockdown and we got 3rd place with it.
Ole is playing around with the team too much and making too many changes each game. He needs to play 1 system and stick to it, if we are going to improve. A couple of changes in personnel now and then but don't keep changing the system.