I'm not worried we wont challenge for the title.....i'm worried we wont make top 4!

[Rob Bowman]

This is a real concern of mine now.

We are clearly not in for Jose or we would have made that move. As such I would expect to see LVG in charge thru the end of this season. Thus it is critical we get some real talent in the window or we are looking more and more like Liverpool.

I mean at the end of the season I see Man City and Arsenal dueling it out. Leicester is too much an unknown for me. Yes they are playing very well, but I have no idea if they will maintain that. A couple injuries could really hurt them. Then of course Spurs are looking fairly good and Crystal Palace is not terrible. Pool with Klopp looks energized. And us... we look tumescent.

Honestly with LVG in charge I am very worried. The only possible way for us to make CL in 2016 is if we get a real injection of talent, skill, and speed. At least two amazing attackers or we are about done I am afraid.

 

[KingMinger22]

Glazer's must be very concerned. No CL TV (which is gling up massively this coming year) and match day revenuevery, as well as Adidas deal being part-tied to CL entry.

More than that though, it sets a worrying trend for the club: CL is far from guaranteed for the foreseeable future.

I don't care who the manager is. There is not nearly enough quality in our side - particularly attack - to breakdown teams in the PL who have improved a lot in recent years.

 

[Fergus' son]

We won't make the top four IMO, I'm quite sure of it.

 

[Butty19]

We need a good run of results like we had last season from the Spurs game onwards. Hopefully a couple of new faces can kick start us and improve the performances as well. All to play for as far as I'm concerned, not giving up yet.

 

[vidic blood & sand]

I'm worried I might not be able to finish all of the beers I have lined up tonight. Top 4 is a dead cert.

 

[Moriarty]

More than that though, it sets a worrying trend for the club: CL is far from guaranteed for the foreseeable future.

I don't care who the manager is. There is not nearly enough quality in our side - particularly attack - to breakdown teams in the PL who have improved a lot in recent years.

Time was, not so long ago either, that United would always kick up a gear or two after Christmas for a sustained run at the title. We'd go on a long unbeaten run and, more often than not, win the pot. Remember how Cantona or Keane would lead the charge and inspire the rest? But these days, we've no leader on the pitch to do that. It's too easy for players to hide, like some did at Stoke. If they tried that with Cantona or Keane as captain, their feet wouldn't touch. There's just nobody in this team who can step up and lead by example. Anyway, Van Gaal has told us we shouldn't live in the past, so it's shut up like a good little customer and take what you're given.

 

[Kill 'em all]

Unless we get Mourinho or we go on a very long win-streak which I don't see, we won't make it this time around.

 

[JPRouve]

Unless we get Mourinho or we go on a very long win-streak which I don't see, we won't make it this time around.

Even if we sign Mourinho we most likely won't make it.

 

[MoskvaRed]

Even if we sign Mourinho we most likely won't make it.

If we add firepower, we might, although that effectively limits us to PL proven players as we can't afford a 6 month acclimatisation period.

 

[bleedred]

Against Bournemouth we did not have 3 of our regular back four, we did not have schmidfield, so that is 5 of the first team not playing. As far as the backline is concerned we didn't have our backup defenders either.

Against Chelsea we had one first team player (in Shaw) missing.

In the CL I think we can all agree we were found out even with a first team. Also showed a mentality issue within the team.

So yeah, why would you attribute the failures to injuries then??

 

[SalfordRed1960]

So yeah, why would you attribute the failures to injuries then??

Because we didn't have our first team against Bournemouth and Norwich, only a couple came back for Stoke, and before the first team match fitness showed they looked pretty good against Chelsea.
So unless anyone wants to suggest LVG did something different than he normally does, which is unlikely, the difference in performance was due to the personnel. The personnel that came back from injuries or suspensions.

 

[Cheesy]

I'm worried I might not be able to finish all of the beers I have lined up tonight. Top 4 is a dead cert.

How is it a dead cert? It's not at all. Not even in the slightest. I think some people are probably showing a bit too much doom and gloom when they forecast that we'll struggle to find any form again all season and will be lingering in mid-table, and I'm almost certain that we'll contend for a CL place, but I really, really struggle to see how we're guaranteed a CL place when we're currently a number of points off of one, and don't really look like a better football side than most of those above us. Even a collapse from Leicester would hardly guarantee us top 4, because I'd struggle to see us outrunning the likes of Liverpool between now and the end of the season.

 

[JustFootballFan]

It doesn't matter about finishing in the top 4 because we're going to win the Europa league anyway.

Draw every game and just practice our penalties like mad.

oop

Nice plan.
The problem is we suck at penalties, too. Remember the Middlesborough game?
We just can't put the ball at the back of the net.

That´s why LVG got ZE German. Schweinsteiger scores one and DDG saves five.

 

[GlastonSpur]

Unless we get Mourinho or we go on a very long win-streak which I don't see, we won't make it this time around.

I think you're underplaying your chances. For example, United will probably beat Swansea tomorrow, whilst Spurs could very well lose away to Everton (it's a tough game, especially with Everton looking to bounce back from the Stoke defeat) ... and then suddenly the gap to 4th would become just two points with a whopping 18 more games to go.

Everything is still very wide open.

 

[Sandikan]

I think you're underplaying your chances. For example, United will probably beat Swansea tomorrow, whilst Spurs could very well lose away to Everton (it's a tough game, especially with Everton looking to bounce back from the Stoke defeat) ... and then suddenly the gap to 4th would become just two points with a whopping 18 more games to go.

Everything is still very wide open.

Some balance finally on here! Reading some of the posts we're a completely finished waste of space. Rather than a team who had a crap month, a lot down to a ridiculous injury crisis in defence, and having the main 2 centre mids out.

Having said that, it's always easier to fear other teams and play your own chances down.

For instance, I still suspect Chelsea have a major run in them and wouldn't discount them from top 4 despite being a mile off.
So I wouldn't discount us!

And if we did miss top 4? Would it be the major disaster we always thought it would be? We had an awful campaign, and were never going far in it. And what players did we bring in just cos we were in it?

 

[Needham]

If Klopp buys well in January using all his shleigenhumphstraater connections that would make it a six way fight between Arsenal, Man City, Spurs, Leicester, Liverpool and Utd.

 

[Leftback99]

I think you're underplaying your chances. For example, United will probably beat Swansea tomorrow, whilst Spurs could very well lose away to Everton (it's a tough game, especially with Everton looking to bounce back from the Stoke defeat) ... and then suddenly the gap to 4th would become just two points with a whopping 18 more games to go.

Everything is still very wide open.

Which will be reversed two weeks later when you play Sunderland at home while we play Liverpool away, so still 5 points with 16 to play. It doesn't look good for us unless we have a massive uplift in form.

 

[Kevin]

The Liverpolisation has started.

 

[KingMinger22]

This squad cannot make 4th. It doesn't matter who is in charge.

 

[spwd]

We have scored 13 goals at Old Trafford from August till December, and are ranked 92 in all of the English leagues,can someone sack this fraud straight away, we are the first club that naively gave him a blank check and let him throw away 250mill

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...officially-boring-watch-English-football.html

 

[Oneunited26]

I think you're underplaying your chances. For example, United will probably beat Swansea tomorrow, whilst Spurs could very well lose away to Everton (it's a tough game, especially with Everton looking to bounce back from the Stoke defeat) ... and then suddenly the gap to 4th would become just two points with a whopping 18 more games to go.

Everything is still very wide open.

Like half the teams we probably should have beat, but VG is doing so bad he does not even know how to most of these teams

 

[Crossie]

Top 4 (3rd or 4th spot) is still perfectly possible for United. I'm not a massive fan of Schweinsteiger but I think nevertheless his suspension before Christmas had cost you a point here and there. After you'll have beaten Liverpool, I expect a mood swing, both on the field and on the Caf.

 

[Water Melon]

City and Arsenal will defo be in top 4. Scousers will probably be there too, especially if they make purchases this month. So, it is us, Spurs and Leicester to fight it out for the last CL spot.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

City and Arsenal will defo be in top 4. Scousers will probably be there too, especially if they make purchases this month. So, it is us, Spurs and Leicester to fight it out for the last CL spot.

I would say Spurs are far more likely to get top 4 than Liverpool, they have five points so on them atm, and really seem to have found some consistency, if they could beat Everton tomorrow then they have a really nice run of fixtures for a while so they could well stick around the top 2/3 for a long time, they have a dodgy run in but this is their best chances for ages.

Having said that I think only Arsenal and City are nailed on for the top 4, so it'll be a mad scramble for the other two positions, United, Liverpool, Spurs, Leicester, Palace, and at a push Stoke and Everton all could have a shot at it.

I personally hope we go all out in the Europa as a back up, to miss on CL will really mess us up.

 

[K2K]

we still have away games against Spurs, Pool, City and Chelsea(who we have an unbelievably bad record against away from home ).

Things could get ugly.

 

[skidmark]

What happens with Season Tickets if we miss out on the top 4? Do you have to buy tickets for all the home Europa League matches?

 

[Roboc7]

We don't score enough goals and we are an injury to smalling away from a defensive crisis, throw in the Europa league and it will be a real struggle to get top four. We still have a chance of course but we are at least two players short and will need a lot of luck with injuries because I can't see us bringing in any new players.

 

[Hed Zitin]

They need to gain some confidence from that quick. Playing really well until the winner and they just stopped playing. A lot of nerves in this side and it needs removing for top four.

 

[Todd]

Leicester will self-destruct and be out of the top 4 race by March...West Ham and Palace are even less of a threat to maintain a high level of play. You can only perform above your true talent level for so long.

That being said I have a feeling Chelsea will claw their way back into it. Should be a hell of a battle. I think City and Arsenal are locked in for top 2, but 3rd and 4th will be a battle between us, Spurs and Chelsea.

 

[Timdbro]

Chelsea are probably too far back to catch up with teams who are reasonably consistent. If they catch up with us, it's more likely that's because we're out of the top 4 race too rather than because they're back in it.

I can't see Arsenal, City or Spurs going on the sort of bad run it would take them to be caught by Chelsea, and I also think they'll be more consistent than us over the rest of the season (barring injuries). We need to make sure we're at least consistent enough to take advantage when Leicester hit a rough patch - a couple of losses in a row for them and wins for us and it's 1 point. I'd be pretty confident the former will happen, the latter is down to us improving enough.

 

[Todd]

With Spurs drawing we're now only 3 points off 4th.

 

[KingMinger22]

This weekend was good to us.

If we can get in Mane, and maybe another player or two, perhaps we can scrape it.

It's going to be very, very close.

 

[mattsville]

With Spurs drawing we're now only 3 points off 4th.

That statement is concerning.

 

[Todd]

That statement is concerning.

If instead I had said this:

"In the past two months United have not only faced a staggering injury crisis but also the worst form the club has seen in years, and yet they're still only 3 points out of a CL position, and one of the teams above them has been playing so far above their true talent level thus far that there's no chance in Hell they'll be able to maintain their position for much longer"

Would it have been as concerning?

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

This weekend was good to us.

If we can get in Mane, and maybe another player or two, perhaps we can scrape it.

It's going to be very, very close.

I don't think we can expect any transfers this window. LVG recalling the prolific Will Keane from Preston seemed to all but confirm they'll be no striker coming in.

 

[Fully Fledged]

You can ignore LVG because he was given no credit for the uplift last night, he apparently,if you believe caftards, let the players show what they can do. He has obviously seen the light and the players are going to continue from that performance.

In all seriousness, we lost 3 PL games during an injury crisis, not through any change of approach. Those injuries have subsided and we now have the first team again. The losses naturally hit the confidence of certain players. In other game, a draw away to Leicester in their current form isn't too bad, as City showed tonight, and the other draw with WHU was a tad disappointing, but we faired better than the other top teams who met them at home and lost.

I am not trying to make excuses, but it is the 3 losses that have pissed people off the most as we were in a good position. I don't see any reason why our performances won't improve now the main players are back.

Swansea are 17th in the league for crying out loud. The idea that beating the 17th placed team in the BPL 2-1 at OT some how means that we are back is ridiculous.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Swansea are 17th in the league for crying out loud. The idea that beating the 17th placed team in the BPL 2-1 at OT some how means that we are back is ridiculous.

Who said anything about being back.

Who cares that they are 17th, just as who cares where Chelsea are. You can only play against what is put in front of you. When we smashed Everton, it was only because Everton didn't turn up, same with Liverpool. We drew with City because they came for a draw. We could only beat Spurs with an OG and so on. It is always the same with caftards who just want to bash LVG. We got beat by the likes of Bournemouth, Stoke and Norwich becuase we were shite on the day. The last two games there has been an improvement. If you do not want to see it, then carry on. No one has said we are world beaters.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Who said anything about being back.

Who cares that they are 17th, just as who cares where Chelsea are. You can only play against what is put in front of you. When we smashed Everton, it was only because Everton didn't turn up, same with Liverpool. We drew with City because they came for a draw. We could only beat Spurs with an OG and so on. It is always the same with caftards who just want to bash LVG. We got beat by the likes of Bournemouth, Stoke and Norwich becuase we were shite on the day. The last two games there has been an improvement. If you do not want to see it, then carry on. No one has said we are world beaters.

We have now won 5 out of the last 18 games. Everton, CSKA, WBA, Watford and now Swansea. The only one of them in the top half of the table is Watford and CSKA finished bottom of an easy CL group. The only one that I would call an achievement was beating Everton the only time we have scored more than 2 goals in a game since September.

I'm not counting any draws as we are draw specialists.

I don't call only beating that group of teams over a 3 month period a massive achievement for a team like Stoke let alone for Man Utd.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

We have now won 5 out of the last 18 games. Everton, CSKA, WBA, Watford and now Swansea. The only one of them in the top half of the table is Watford and CSKA finished bottom of an easy CL group. The only one that I would call an achievement was beating Everton the only time we have scored more than 2 goals in a game since September.

I'm not counting any draws as we are draw specialists.

I don't call only beating that group of teams over a 3 month period a massive achievement for a team like Stoke let alone for Man Utd.

And if we win the next 4 are you going to bleat on about 9 out of 22. It is just a selective argument that brings no rewards. We are 5th, 2pts from 4th having been shit all season. Says more about the league than just us.

 

[KingMinger22]

We have now won 5 out of the last 18 games. Everton, CSKA, WBA, Watford and now Swansea. The only one of them in the top half of the table is Watford and CSKA finished bottom of an easy CL group. The only one that I would call an achievement was beating Everton the only time we have scored more than 2 goals in a game since September.

I'm not counting any draws as we are draw specialists.

I don't call only beating that group of teams over a 3 month period a massive achievement for a team like Stoke let alone for Man Utd.

5 in 18 is insane.

We have a very shit team and squad, and possibly manager. That much is clear.

I want to be optimistic about our chances for top 4 - there is a chance, but I'd say we are unlikely - as it would be such a huge blow to moving towards where we should be as a team.

However, all I see is a dearth of quality, skill and pace in our squad and it does that reassure at all.