Expectations for 2017/18

[worldinmotion66]

A trophy again would be nice, but we must challenge at the top of the PL table again. Champions League football is a bonus at this stage - we need to be comfortably qualifying for the competition each year to really make any waves in it in the future.

I've just watched the video below and it's done little to dampen expectations. We really have a perfectly balanced midfield three, I'm expecting big things of all three this season and our attackers have no excuses this time around. An improved season from Mkhitaryan, Martial and Rashford should see us make huge improvements.

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[Hed Zitin]

Get a winger, or an attacking LB and I think we can challenge. I'm optimistic we'll add a winger to the squad and have zero expectations of a LB, but if we don't add more wide options to the squad I think we're battling for fourth.

 

[Antisocial]

Same as every season since Sir Alex retired: Champions League qualification has to be the minimum expectation. Given that we obviously won't do that through the competition itself, then it has to be through the league - unless of course we end-up in the Europa again, which would obviously give us another avenue.

Hopefully Spurs dealing with Wembley, Liverpool having more than 3 games to play a month, and Arsenal having the Europa to deal with will open things up for us. Also a Costa-led meltdown at Chelsea would be useful

 

[Womp]

Don't think we are good enough or ready to win the title but all I expect to see is improvement.

Higher league finish and getting to a respectable stage in the CL.

 

[Crackers]

From my perspective I think our team is good enough to compete. We have a good spine with some new additions like lukaku and matic. Problem is that we have a lot of very good players that haven't clicked yet. We have good players and we play a good system but I don't think we have a good team yet. Players like miki, martial and rashford are all great attackers all of them seem to blow how and cold. If mourinho can address this issue quickly, then we're golden. Otherwise it'll be a long year

 

[whatwha]

Without solving our LB/winger situation, I think we'll be battling for 4th or 3rd at best.

Expect us to get through the CL group stage.

 

[Adisa]

Think we will score more because Martial, Mkhi will have better seasons, especially Martial. Still don't think it will be enough.
3rd or 4th

 

[Silverman]

A lot of pundits tipping us to win it. A lot of pessimism around the caf.

 

[RooneyLegend]

My expectation for our club hasn't changed, sadly we've made a mess of the last three seasons. Compete for the two major titles we're up for.

A lot of pundits tipping us to win it. A lot of pessimism around the caf.

Are they the same pundits who predicted that last season would be a war of attrition between Mou and Pep?

 

[el3mel]

A lot of pundits tipping us to win it. A lot of pessimism around the caf.

I thought most of them are betting on City to win the league ?

 

[Oneunited26]

Its hard to say, as its all down to tactics and how our game plan going forward works out. If we no better going forward than last season, its going to be difficult to gain a top 4. I would hope with us more quicker upfront with Lukaku, our ability to play a proper 3 man midfield with matic anchoring the team, things could change in our favor. As with last season we were playing fellaini pogba and rooney in a midfield 3, well rooney playing off zlaten. I would hope matic anchoring the midfield, with herrera and pogba more advanced will make us a formidable outfit esp now Jose seems to be getting over his slump he had at chelsea, which seemed to follow up at times last season at united. I still think I would hope another signing or two can really nail our place to challenge for the league, has just having 3 signings seems a bit short on us going all out. I am still unsure with our defense and our attacking play, to predict what our expectations should be

 

[Lentwood]

City have the most complete squad and the most experienced starting XI. There may be a settling in period but that aside they really have no excuses not to win it this year. I would say they probably win it.

After that, the remaining top 4 positions look up for grabs. Chelsea and Liverpool have to cope with the extra games and Spurs have to cope with playing at Wembley.

I feel we were in a little bit of a false position anyway last year due to a combination of too many games, injuries and bad luck.

2nd to 4th would be fine with me as long as we generally improve and aren't scrapping around last couple of games to finish 4th

 

[Gopher Brown]

1st

 

[serxyo]

UEFA Super Cup winners
EFL Cup out in 1/8 finals
FA Cup out in 1/4 finals
Premier League winners
Champions League out in 1/2 finals (?)

I'd accept such season, it will be though to fight on all fronts, but we have depth in the squad and this should help us. I think we still need some confident 1st team world class players ...

 

[RedCoffee]

Serious Premier league title challenge taking the race into mid April 18 at least followed by a top 2 finish.

Champions League quarter final but only reasonable to be getting knocked out at that stage by one of Juve, Bayern, PSG, Barca or Real.

FA Cup/EFL Cup. Play second string team to quarters and take it from there.

 

[ROFLUTION]

We have yet to find our best formation, get the best out of top-talents, and rarely does that happen at the same time all of a sudden (Shaw, Martial, Rashford, Mkhi needs to step up)

2nd/3rd place would be a good achievement, compared to City's great team and Chelsea's well-functioning machine. Liverpool is going in the upwards direction too, but will fight on more fronts this year.

I expect us to go far in CL though; Semi-finals please.

 

[Mr Smith]

A lot of pundits tipping us to win it. A lot of pessimism around the caf.

Really? I've seen almost no pundit tip us to win it, most are going with City. Only one I've seen definitively go with us is Savage, and I take very little of anything he says seriously.

Personally I think we have enough to push close. We may not be perfect but few teams are able to be, and we have an extremely strong core. I think wobbles from Chelsea and Spurs (both lack depth) could see us as City's major competition for the league this season.

 

[Rory 7]

We're gonna win the league

 

[Hed Zitin]

Even more convinced we need to sort the left side of our team out big time.

 

[Lentwood]

At lot will depend on City. I can't see how they don't improve significantly with the signings they have made.

IF they flop who knows, it really could be one of 4/5 teams but they have to be hot favourites for me

 

[Fergies Formula]

Top 4 and quarter finals of champs

 

[Von Mistelroum]

If we can get Perisic we'll do better, but we should be trying to sort the RW too really. I think that Rashford could do well there. Mkhi isn't suited to it.

 

[The White Pele]

We need to be pushing towards 80 points and a title challenge. Too many years without a strong league campaign now. Any success in the cups would be a bonus.

 

[VP89]

A lot of pundits tipping us to win it. A lot of pessimism around the caf.

They've all bet on City haven't they?

 

[TheReligion]

Think 2/3rd in league, a domestic cup and SF of the CL

 

[Minimalist]

Ahead of West Ham and judging from this pre-season (and obviously last season), we're going to be reasonably solid and difficult to beat as before.

However I fear we're going to be dull as dishwater for the majority of matches though, with a broken attack regardless of who we field out there. Nothing in pre-season has changed my mind on this. Mourinho seems to just be leaving it up to the players and it's really hit or miss (and more often miss).

Won't win the league with that but probably good enough to make the top four and do very well in the cups.

 

[dichinero]

Top 4, anything more will be be welcomed

 

[sully1]

it will be a tough battle for top 4. realistically looking at a quarter final exit in the CL.

 

[sammsky1]

I think it should be expected that we win, given the investments.

However I don't expect us to win as our attacking options are still unreliable.

I'll settle for a strong 2nd place and last 8 in CL. Hopefully win a domestic cup.

But then we must win the title with no excuses in Mourinho year 3.

 

[MattyB1986]

Our left hand side in my opinion will be our achilles heal this season if we go into the season with what we have, for sure... Top 4 really is my expectation this year.

To be honest we could do with a LW and a RW to really challenge for the major trophies.

 

[vivaronaldo]

1 - a serious title challenge going deep into the final few weeks
2 - knockout stages in Europe

we do that , ill be happy - whatever we do avoid Europa please ........

 

[fallengt]

- 1/8 UCL
- Another fight for top 4 maybe. Don't see us winning title.

 

[NoPace]

City are the obvious choice but they will have to break down teams sitting and countering and refusing to play football against them, which should result in some routs but also some hunkered down, low scoring games where the other team defends with 10 behind the ball and City are crossing the ball to their tiny strikers.

I think our midfield trio will prove very strong and Mourinho will ensure we don't concede too many, but we lack the production from the wing to win the league.

My guess is City will struggle in bigger games but will score enough goals against weaker teams to win the league. Chelsea, Spurs and United round out the top 4 in some order.

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

Reading this thread one might assume Uniter not only needing miracles to finish in good position, we are relying on them.

 

[Member 5225]

I still think our squad is no where near good enough.
We have some rose tinted glasses on re some (most) of our players. Not many players in our squad that rivals would really want tbh (bar a handful).
We should finish top3 (obviously hope I'm proved wrong and we win it and get far/win CL too!)

 

[GDaly95]

- Top 3
- 1 Domestic Cup
- Go out to an elite team in the CL knockout round whenever we face one, probably quarters.

 

[Ballache]

Top3, quarters in the CL and a cup is what I'm expecting.

 

[PeteManic]

The only acceptable scenario is serious title challenge. A cup is fine but United only won 2 cups last year as it was clear that the league was beyond them. The league is not beyond United this year.

Personally I'd most like to see is United going up a gear when needed. I think that is/has been what is truly missing.

 

[Inebriated bison]

I expect us to still have a chance of winning the title by the end of March. And I expect us to get further in the champions league than liverpool and city.

 

[Random Task]

If Miki and Martial play to the best of their ability, on a consistent season long basis, then I'm confident we'll challenge for the title, possibly even win it outright. Should they fail to step up, our attacking will take a drastic hit and we may very well witness a repeat of last seasons misfortunes in the league. So much is resting on the shoulders of our attacking players.

Lukaku is going to score a hatful of goals given the service.