How far off is this squad from a title challenge?

[JohnnyKills]

From the meltdown season we've improved, and from the 1st half of last season for sure.

I'm not convinced we're any better than Mourinho's 2nd place 17/18 team that had a better points per game and actually managed to get out the CL group stage.. And I don't think anyone thought that was a top team either.

We've overperformed our expected points this season and scraped a lot of wins that on another day we'd have dropped points, when you ride the wave of positive variance then you eventually come unstuck because performance levels aren't high enough to keep winning every game.

We've won 1 league game convincingly all season which was Leeds. And we've played the likes of Burnley Fulham and Sheffield in the last few games and couldn't win 1 of them comfortably.

Agree with all of this.

In years to come hopefully we'll look back and thank Ole for the brilliant work he's done in overhauling the squad. But it'll be the next man who gets us back to winning titles IMO.

 

[Ronnie O'Sullivan]

For me it's increasingly becoming a management issue.

Let me explain why.

Ole has been rotating but not wisely imo. He changes the MF for example to suit certain teams but players like Tuanzebe need minutes here and there or will look rusty if put in like tonight after a while out.

Starting with a team you think is best is fair enough but when you see, like tonight, that the team is devoid of ideas in the final third, make changes. For me mata would have been a good sub to bring on with vdb or cavani as SU wanted us to stay wide (which we obliged). Playing through the middle would have upset SU plan

The subs were too late. Whilst I hate mourinho his taking off players after 30 minutes if a plan wasn't working was exactly what you need from a manager

Rashford and Martial need dropping if poor. That's on the manager. Ole talks the talk and will say things like Cavani showing our forwards a thing or two about movement and positioning, but we don't see that in game

Pogba and Matic has failed got us do many times and wasn't working today. That's on Ole imo

We need to ensure we win these games as then we have leeway with the tougher ones. Complacency can't be allowed

I in no way bought into the hype about us winning the league. Just enjoyed the moment and the ride. However the performance against a team like SU (with all due respect) is nothing short of a disgrace. Results can happen but performances need to be earnt

Couldn't have said that any better. Our so called title challenge has probably ended. It's a pity as the team had collected many good results only to be undone by this one disgraceful performance. I fear a collapse starting at Arsenal.

 

[Lentwood]

I would say until Martial has been sold and Rashford is being used as the 20-minute impact sub he really ought to be then we’re winning nothing

The GK is a disgrace and he should have been dropped two years ago. Never mind after tonight

The rest of the team I generally have no issues with. You can nitpick but they are there or thereabouts.

 

[OzzyWv]

I feel the biggest issue with the squad right now is that it is banking on potential. Martial, Rashford, AWB, McTominay, Greenwood (too young but still) there is a hope they will become consistent world class players and that is why we can struggle at times. The reason teams like City and Liverpool (they will bounce back) are a machine is because even with their best players out, they have industrial players, consistently good. Jota, Mane, Mahrez, Gundogan and so forth, you could argue our cluster of players have better potential but they simply do not have the consistency required.

The squad isn't bad, but we really need class experienced and established players especially a RW, DM and CB

 

[lex talionis]

We were never going to go the rest of the season without suffering a defeat, but this one hurts. We'll be in the conversation for the league title but City have to be considered the strong favorite. If we can come in second place no more than 5 points off the pace that will definitely exceed everyone's expectations, but I still feel like we could have accomplished more this season (which is far from over) had we brought in a proper RW in September and cut bait on Martial sooner.

 

[croadyman]

Still need absolute minimum CB (LEADER), CDM, RW & ST (when Cavani leaves) for the first XI and of course we could definitely do with a backup RB (attacking) but certainly not as urgent as the first four

 

[Womp]

The goal isn’t top 4 at all. In what world has anyone written off second place when the gaps 4 points? We’re a million miles ahead of where we were last season.

We’ve always had wobbles against the bottom clubs even in fergies reign. We’ll reset and go again.

We have improved but it isn't enough to close the gap on City. They are ahead with a game in hand. Will only get better (if that's possible with the way they are playing) as their best players return from injury. They look like it's borderline impossible for them to concede a goal at present and are scoring goals for fun.

On the other hand, we have been somewhat lucky with injuries to our star players and are labouring to wins with individual brilliance against some of the worst teams in the league over the past few weeks. There's a pattern forming imo.

 

[groovyalbert]

Our midfield and wing backs carry us. It's a shame Cavani is the age he is, because him in his prime would have been the perfect spearhead for the likes of Rashford and Martial to chip in. Relying on Martial as a number 9 is hurting us this season.

We need a too class RW and a proper CB partner for Maguire who is reliable. Basically what we all knew this summer. Why the van de beek money couldn't have been spent on adding to our Sancho fee and a CB we'll never know.

 

[croadyman]

Fair bit away but we have the nerve to say Spurs are bottlers after that performance is hypocritical

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Our squad looks paper thin right now.

 

[elmo]

A new striker, a RB, a CB, a Goalkeeper, a DM, a new manager with actual coaching staffs who know what they're doing and most important a DOF who knows what he's doing

 

[Lee565]

Who cares, the board and most fans have lowered their expectations of being happy with just qualifying for a champions league spot every year, we are basically on spurs's level now.

 

[Wumminator]

How far away is the VAR monitor,

 

[McGrathsipan]

A new striker, a RB, a CB, a Goalkeeper, a DM, a new manager with actual coaching staffs who know what they're doing and most important a DOF who knows what he's doing

A whole new Spine so

 

[croadyman]

MILES AWAY

 

[Yakuza_devils]

After Pep and Kloop leave their respective club. Also, a season where 80-85 points win the league. And we get our shit together.

In other words, all stars must aligned.

 

[Freak]

I’m sick of this team.

 

[Delano]

We play in purple patches. We go on big runs where we look like we're about to finally kick on. Then we go on runs where we lose and draw. We're currently your classic patchy top 4 side. Spursy if you will.

 

[thepolice123]

Last 7 PL games:

DWLDWDD

P7 W2 D4 L1

 

[Striker10]

It's not just players improving their game and the spirit and the belief but it's also bringing players in. You need luck. You need many things but City have a better recent history that gives them confidence. It depends on how many peoples you need. Even if we won today, it's unlikely City will slip up majorly. Who are they to fear? Our forward line isn't at the top of it's game. Our home forms been poor. We concede SILLY goals. Our away forms good, but we consistently go a goal down. We've a goalkeeper who's dividing opinion. Who also stopped us from dropping another point today. We lost BAD points to poor teams. We've lost points in the last moments of games.

Could go on and on. I think having no fans effects us more then any other team with our big fan base. It's a fine line. If we won it this year, I don't think we're ready to retain it. You need to learn mentally. You need luck physically. But we're improving. We used to be so erratic. We've a pretty good first 11. Baillys been a big miss. It's not our year. What we have to do is cement our place in the champions league for next season and the board DO have to back the manager with more quality. I think this season, patterns are set in motion. I think things will continue this way. We're capable of going on a run but we need players to stop up and right now only Bruno is stepping up.

 

[Feed Me]

We have ten points from our last seven games. Quite far off a challenge I would suggest.

 

[Roboc7]

At end of Jose’s second season I felt we needed better players, better/different coaching, better/different tactics and better management.

Still don’t feel much different and unless we sign a couple more players who have an impact like Bruno I don’t see where any significant improvement is coming from.

 

[Fahad Jawaid]

We need 4 players and a manager.

RB - A proper RB who can actually do something good forward a Shaw clone would be perfect.

DM - Any DM like Bossuma/Ndidi somebody who can play when pressed is strong and agile and would allow us to play 5 other attacking players.

RW - Somebody like Sancho/Grealish who can hold the ball and not give it away every two seconds and take players on from standing positions.

CB - Any CB with a spine would be a start, ideally somebody strong, tall and good on the ball, basically VVD.

Lastly we need a manager with tactics and attacking patterns and somebody who can lambast these overpaid pieces of shit. Ole is too nice, its no co-incidence that these players think just because its West Brom they can start Half heartedly and they will just roll over, how many matches its been this season where the other team has started on the front foot and before we even touch the ball we are 1 nil down.

We just start very poorly, you can't keep coming back after going goal down our intensity and commitment should never be less than other team, which appears to be the case. This has to be from the manager if after 20 odd matches he can't get these players to start the match on fire then he does not deserve to be here.

I remember SAF said at any away match or big match the first 15 - 20 minutes are crucial, you need to earn the right to play football and start as if you are at war. We start as if all players have come back from a party and they are all drunk. This can't continue because any other season we would not be 2nd in fact we would be fighting for a top 4 spot, which we eventually will be because these players and managers does not have it in them.

 

[OrcaFat]

We are probably 4 players worse than Man City and 3 worse than a fully fit Liverpool. After that it’s down to coaching, management and luck.

We have a 2nd / 3rd place squad this year. If we ever thought there was a glimmer of hope to win the league this year, it’s gone now and it’s nothing to do with belief, it’s a lack of quality and leadership at CB and CM. We were so ragged in the last 20 mins today and it was the players losing their composure. Upgrades are needed.

 

[dal]

I think if we buy two world class attackers then we challenge.

We can play attacking patterns for crying out loud he just needs to complete his rebuild with two attacking players.

Ole knows this it’s so obvious hence why he went for Haaland, Grealish and Sancho.

When we drop points it’s like any assemblance of sense or reason goes out the bloody window.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Conservatively I'd say we need a top class CB, a RB alternative, a DM, a Striker and a RW to even mount something of a serious challenge.

 

[Crustanoid]

Title challenges are not a strategic priority at Manchester United Football Club

 

[ForeverRed1]

max aarons as a back up/rival right back. Kounde from Valencia. Ndidi. Sancho. Grealish. (Not all next summer, over next two).

Sell martial, pogba (we know he’s going anyway so cash in in summer). Sell mata, sell Dan James. Sell matic.

extend Cavani another season, get Vdb playing more games, get Diallo in squad.

Henderson first choice keeper.

That’s a start, and obviously I know it’s a massive ask but look at Chelsea last summer, it can be done

 

[dinostar77]

How many other clubs play with forwards who arent and never were wingers in their wide positions? Hopefully Diallo/Pellestri/whoever else will over next few seasons nail down the wide positions and we can get away from the wide forward nonsense. We need proper creativity, and crossing from our wide players.

Also Ole needs to pick players based on form.

 

[arnie_ni]

A manager, a cb, a dm, 9.

 

[Lee565]

The club's recruitment is woeful from top to bottom, we have an accountant running the football side of things, we have manager that has not achieved anything of note in over ten years of management and who's standards are so poor he get compared to novices like arteta and Lampard, and despite all the overspending we have done on players we still don't rate half of our regular first 11

 

[kitress]

Title challenges are not a strategic priority at Manchester United Football Club

Manchester United Football Club's owners, whose "football" team has just won the Superbowl, stated his philosophy as such, "if you want to know the road ahead, ask the person that's been there." Well, considering they are sticking with the manager that has not won anything of note, or even been to a final of any importance, I'm inclined to believe the statement above.

 

[Jeffthered]

We still are a fair bit away really. We need a fair few players. Thing is, we don't play like a team that believe in themselves, I mean, do we play like a team hungry, really hungry for success? I think we prefer it when the pressure is not us, with no expectations etc. Definitely need some new energy in there.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

We definitely need a centre back, DM & right winger & most importantly (and I cannot stress this enough) a coach. We desperately need a proper coach.

If Ole & Pep swapped jobs, we would finish above City with this squad.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

No way near one at the moment . I know city have a lot of money but it's incredible that they have built another great squad while replacing all their old players . Few years back people used to talk about city replacing Kompany,Fernandinho , Aguero and Silva but they are now about to win the league without all these guys . Unfortunately for us it's always one step forward two steps back , by the time we sort out one area there are other weaknesses that appear