I am damn right broken by drawing like that,took all the fecking pressure off them in one freak moment well two if you count Casa booking
Race for top 4 | Finito.
- Thread starter Andycoleno9
- Start date
Just a thought - what team beats Arsenal (or the league leaders), City, Liverpool, Spurs, in one season, none of which we didn’t deserve, and doesn’t challenge for the title? Our results v the top 6 have been almost as good as you could hope for.
Actually think it’s results like tonight, I.e. winning those, that will determine if we can compete in the next couple of years. Reality is, our squad isn’t there yet. Namely in attack with a starting number 9 and another midfielder required. Huge bonus is the way ETH is getting a tune out of players we thought added almost no value - AWB now looking like a decent option at RB for example.
I think we should get Top 4 fairly easily, and hope we don’t finish miles behind the title winners, even under Jose and Ole finishing 2nd, that gap was fairly huge if I recall.
Actually think it’s results like tonight, I.e. winning those, that will determine if we can compete in the next couple of years. Reality is, our squad isn’t there yet. Namely in attack with a starting number 9 and another midfielder required. Huge bonus is the way ETH is getting a tune out of players we thought added almost no value - AWB now looking like a decent option at RB for example.
I think we should get Top 4 fairly easily, and hope we don’t finish miles behind the title winners, even under Jose and Ole finishing 2nd, that gap was fairly huge if I recall.
A title race that lasted 4 days ain't one to begin with
We got excited. There are some glaring holes in the squad which is yet to be addressed. Title challenge isn't for this year.
Top 3 would be brilliant.
Top 3 would be brilliant.
This is Sheff Utd in 2021 all over again and hurts just as much maybe more with the players now
So who are we rooting for today? City to drop points so that we still have a shot at the title (or at least second place), or Spurs to lose so that we can solidify our spot in the top 4?
Draw but they will leave us standing now
We aren't winning the league ffs. Spurs to lose. Let's seal 4th.
In both instances, I doubt we were truly programmed to compete for the league. A missed opportunity to put some pressure on other teams ? Yeah for sure but more than that ? Not for me, getting in the top 4 is what matters most
Spurs to lose.
If city can catch up, good for them, i dont care but they definitely can't give point to spurs
Stranger things have happened. Leicester winning the title wasn't even 10 years back.
Nah it's over for this year
Leicester weren't up against 85-90 point teams.
We still have half a season to go and if we win this weekend we are 5 points off the top with practically half the season to go.
If you aim low, you fall even shorter than that. Might as well target the title and then see where it goes from there.
I don't agree with that, but this weekend would be crucial for it.
I wonder how many people would retrospectively go back and say we was ready for the title in 2006.
Yes we haven’t finished building, but it doesn’t mean we can’t achieve our targets early.
We are in this title race.
Yes we haven’t finished building, but it doesn’t mean we can’t achieve our targets early.
We are in this title race.
It's not over. But it hasn't really started yet, unless all teams are in the title race until they're not. Ffs
Haven't been this gutted with a draw in a long time. Shows how far we've come though.
I thought we played very well for a lot of the game though so still looking great for top 4.
I thought we played very well for a lot of the game though so still looking great for top 4.
The title was always far fetched, we're looking excellent for top 4.
Title is out of reach. We have 57 points available until the end of this gruelling season. I'd say we'd need high 80s to win it and that's being optimistic.
This would mean we'd need high 40s from the second half of the season i.e. we may be able to lose to Arsenal but we'd need wins away to Spurs and Newcastle. Or we'll need draws in all our remaining hard fixtures and wins everywhere else. Whilst fighting on four fronts with a squad that's thin in quality. And assuming low points total for the title.
It's basically a pipe dream but top 4 is very much within reach which is great.
This would mean we'd need high 40s from the second half of the season i.e. we may be able to lose to Arsenal but we'd need wins away to Spurs and Newcastle. Or we'll need draws in all our remaining hard fixtures and wins everywhere else. Whilst fighting on four fronts with a squad that's thin in quality. And assuming low points total for the title.
It's basically a pipe dream but top 4 is very much within reach which is great.
5 points having played a game more and thats if we beat a team thats barely dropped any points and that too at their ground.
Arsenal are playing much better football than us and have done all season. It's really not happening. I'll be delighted with top 4 this year. We are a big WiP
The title was and is simply not on because of our inability to score goals, if you double the season you get 78 points and 58 goals scored 42 goals conceded. Personally I think the players will have burn out by too many games and the club not having a big enough squad. We lack a true elite number 9 that we can rely on, we are short in MDF area where a club that recruited correctly in the past would have a Casemeiro replacement, an another elite number 8/10 like Milenkosavic.
Here our squad’s half term report; Goalkeepers 8/10(we have 3, good experience however none are great at building the play)
Defence 8/10(4 good FB options due to coaching, 4 good CB options and Harry and we are now conceding 1.15 goals per game rather 1.56)
Midfield 7.5/10 (Great starting 3, no depth no genuine like for like cover, no game changer from the bench, fatigue will find us out)
Attack 6.5/10( Marcus is carrying the attack(so shame on those who wanted him gone!) , Martial not fit enough, too injury proun, Antony to inconsistent, Jadon gone AWOL, Garnaucho great young talent, Pellistri not given a chance, Ellanga not good enough, Werghost, just joined, squad lacks game changers from the bench and will get thinner as the games mount up)
Realistically with this squad I see us burning out a bit and finishing the last 19 games with something like P19 W11D4 L 4 GS 31 GA17 PTs 37 so combined
P38 W23 D7 L8 GS60 GA38 +22 PTS 76 and I’m predicting 3rd. We will struggle away to Arsenal, Newcastle, Spurs, Liverpool and drop points against Brighton, Leeds, Villa and maybe palace again next week. I think Newcastle will get about 35 so they will end up on 73 points and easily finish in 4th position. There may be a gap
Of 6 or 7 points to 5th. I say this knowing that either united or Newcastle could blow up at any time and Liverpool could and can mount a 13-14 wining game streak where they get 43-45 points in last 19 to go with 29-31 points. I would be very confident that 76 points will allow the club to play champions league football next year and this is our sole aim for new owners coming in.
I hate to say this but I still think City will push Arsenal and end up with 88 points but Arsenal will get 90-92 and be champions.
My only wish is for us to win a cup this season and to finally get rid of the Glaziers.
The new owners need to back ETH give him £250m in the summer and buy 4 key players; an elite number number 9, a world class number 8/10 , another CM and a young quick robust physical CB.
My wish list for me Benzema or Kaine, Maddison or Milinkosavic, Veratti or E Fernandez, J Timber or J Gvardiol
The new owners can set a standard instantly by getting rid of players like Mctominay, Maguire, P Jones, Ellanga, A TUanzebe for hopefully £60m and then buy an elite GK as well with that money to put De Gea under pressure. If all this happens we can mount a serious challenge for PL. Ten years is more than long enough to wait for a club of united size.
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I'll also be delighted with top 4 this season, but that doesn't mean I have given up on the title.
When we lost to that City side in 2011, we had an 8 point lead with perhaps 5 games to go and yet City came through and our group of title winning players fell apart.
These things are not uncommon and when the business end of the season approaches, that is when we find the true mettle of a team. Just because Arsenal are playing better football for half a season does not automatically mean they will be able to sustain it throughout. We'll find out soon enough.
We were never in the title race. We had a chance to enter it by beating all of City, Palace, Arsenal in a row but that was always unlikely.
We'll do well to finish 3rd. More likely it'll be 4th. Our squad lacks quality in depth and we have tons of games to get through. More fatigue will come.
We'll do well to finish 3rd. More likely it'll be 4th. Our squad lacks quality in depth and we have tons of games to get through. More fatigue will come.
We are not wiining the league, we just dont have the quality back up players. Martial is constantly injured, Rashford will get injured at some point and then we are left with weghorst Who is a bench player.
casamiro gets crocked we are back to MCFRED.
The defence is looking solid with good cover in all positions. CDM and strikers we are very short. Why not sell MCtominay Elanga Jones Tuanzebe etc. and use the money to upgrade the gaps in quality back up players.
Top 4 will be a major achievement this season with this squad.
casamiro gets crocked we are back to MCFRED.
The defence is looking solid with good cover in all positions. CDM and strikers we are very short. Why not sell MCtominay Elanga Jones Tuanzebe etc. and use the money to upgrade the gaps in quality back up players.
Top 4 will be a major achievement this season with this squad.
I will be buzzing my tits off if we make top 4 this season as never thought it would happen. Our first team can go from really good to really average with the loss of a couple of players. The huge financial outlay in summer only replaced players we had lost and didn’t necessarily make us stronger although some better players - if that makes sense. At end of day all we are doing is replacing players we lose. I know with the pending sale and our current financial woes nothing was really happening this window but a good window was and still is required to capitalise on our good form. Long term injuries to the likes of Casemiro, Varane and Rashford and I will have us finishing back at 6th or 7th.
The thought of us winning the league was bordering on insanity anyways. We’ve had a great run of games remember that. We’ve been solid but not brilliant.
Top 4 is needed this season and hopefully a trophy or two. I’m more than happy with that! City would outpace us regardless in the league towards the end of the season. Quality shows in the end.
Eriksen getting tired second half means we don’t control games enough. We need at least a world class striker and playmaker (been saying this for 10 years now!) in that first 11 before we can think about winning big titles.
Maybe swap McTomminay for Rice too if he’s willing to be a squad player like Grealish at City is. That would make our midfield insanely flexible in big games but at a giant cost if FFP allows. We basically need world class talent to bridge the gap.
Top 4 is needed this season and hopefully a trophy or two. I’m more than happy with that! City would outpace us regardless in the league towards the end of the season. Quality shows in the end.
Eriksen getting tired second half means we don’t control games enough. We need at least a world class striker and playmaker (been saying this for 10 years now!) in that first 11 before we can think about winning big titles.
Maybe swap McTomminay for Rice too if he’s willing to be a squad player like Grealish at City is. That would make our midfield insanely flexible in big games but at a giant cost if FFP allows. We basically need world class talent to bridge the gap.
Top 4 looks stupidly likely now so could be a shit end of the league season in terms of excitement
Exactly that from where we came last year, fans have short memories we had a 0 goal different and 58 points we deserved to be 9th or 10th not 6th, if we improve by 15-20 points and a goal difference of +20 that’s a huge improvement in one season. I’ll take 3rd or 4th this season as long as the Glaziers are finally gone, at the start of the season I would have taken relegation if it guaranteed the imbeciles that own our club left. Ironically I can just see their last statement as they leave the building;
“ It is with a heavy heart that the glazier family must relinquish their stewardship of the soccer club , Manchester United, we have sold the club to new owners. All members of the family were in unanimous decision and we will always be united fans, we look back with tremendous pride at our success on and off the pitch during a period of 18 years from 2006 to 2023 in which the club won 5 PL titles, 6 community Shields, 4 League cups, 1 Fa Cup, 1 Club World Cup, 1 Champions League and 1 Europa Cup ensuring that we gave the fans a trophy in every year of the period in which we owned the club.
We wish the new owners the very best of luck and hope they can continue the huge success that we have had on and off the pitch, forever red”
Yours Faithfully Joel, Avram, Linda, Kevin, Bryan and Darcie Glazier.
Rice won’t be a squad player he’ll play in a 2 with Casemiro and Ericsson and Bruno will share the work load, I’d say we need rice plus a Maddison or Milinkosavic we need 2 midfield players and a true number 9
Fans are allowed to get excited…United haven't been in the race for years. The feeling after City was great! and it right to enjoy it.
Palace was a slap in the face, but no one knows what will happen on Sunday.
Enjoy the ups and downs.
But just to stay on topic CL is coming back to Old Trafford next season.
Palace was a slap in the face, but no one knows what will happen on Sunday.
Enjoy the ups and downs.
But just to stay on topic CL is coming back to Old Trafford next season.
How we get on the season before that compared to last season?
I’ll take it.
My heart still says Spurs because if United win this weekend I can dream of the title again
But realistically this squad cannot compete with City right now. It's far too short of quality up front (which cost us points yesterday) and both depth and quality in midfield. Ten Hag needs more time to build something before competing.
So i'd be a bit more relieved if city win and top 4 continues to look likely
Not sure. Couple of bad results and/or a couple of key injuries and this United team are capable of blowing it. 10(?) points over Chelsea and Liverpool looks a lot now but that can easily vanish. Either are capable of a winning streak. And Kane is capable of carrying Spurs into 3rd/4th
Also United are always scrambling for 4th come May. Would be nice to actually qualify early for once.
"Capable"
Yes I would go for something similar. I’d probably swap Madison for De Jong personally but it’s basically the same.
I’m not to clued up on who will be the best striker for us going forward. In a perfect world I’d probably relegate Martial to 3rd choice next season.
Seriously frustrates me but I’ll still be sad when he leaves for some dumb reason. He’s almost part of the furniture now like Phil Jones
A veteran United player who’s had a grand total of 2 good seasons including his rookie one.City win tonight is important for us. Make no mistake about it, we're looking over our shoulder at fifth rather than looking up to first.
Can’t see it vanish since those teams aren’t capable of making up that difference and matching us for the rest of the season. They’re far more likely to drop points than we are.
We look good for third at the moment. No-one really knows how the effects of holding a World Cup mid-season will manifest, and which teams will suffer the most. Anything could happen.
The negativity on here is relentless. It was only a couple of months ago that the narrative was that we had no chance of top four and would be lucky to come sixth. Now people are kicking off that we won't win the title.
We're only halfway through the season and the improvement is clear and obvious. We do pretty well against teams that come out to play, but still struggle with teams that sit back and in games where we dominate the ball. We don't score enough and so we can't make our dominance count, we can't put teams away when we're on top and that leaves us vulnernable to a sucker punch like last night. We're getting better at it, in that we are winning more games that we previously would've drawn or lost but it will continue to be an issue this season.
But I think we're comfortably the third best team.
The negativity on here is relentless. It was only a couple of months ago that the narrative was that we had no chance of top four and would be lucky to come sixth. Now people are kicking off that we won't win the title.
We're only halfway through the season and the improvement is clear and obvious. We do pretty well against teams that come out to play, but still struggle with teams that sit back and in games where we dominate the ball. We don't score enough and so we can't make our dominance count, we can't put teams away when we're on top and that leaves us vulnernable to a sucker punch like last night. We're getting better at it, in that we are winning more games that we previously would've drawn or lost but it will continue to be an issue this season.
But I think we're comfortably the third best team.