So what can we realistically achieve this season in the Prem with our current squad and manager?

[Fosu-Mens]

3)Pochettino is looking like a more likely candidate day by day.

He can certainly coach how to press and progress the ball into the final third as a team. The main issue with Pochettino is that during all his time at Tottenham, even though they dominated the games, they looked clueless on how to break down a team that stayed compact around the box. He relied on crossing by numbers and individual actions as a means to score/create chances. Still, miles better than what OGS has shown in regards to coaching a team. If he has used his break from football to get a better understanding of how to play against and break down low blocks, then he will get us top 4 each year, but if he hasn't then I would rather see us go for Potter.

 

[Red Star One]

Gun to my head and ask me if we make top4 this season, I say no.

On paper I believe we were third best team in the league before the window opened. Now I’d say we’re fourth with Chelsea taking over, whereas Spurs and Arsenal have comparable squads and arguably better managers. Chances of one of Leicester/Everton/Wolves overtaking us are also not so slim I think.

I just hope we get more points than last season and that we don’t crash out of CL in the group stage already. I’d take that as non-humiliating outcome and perhaps it would allow Ole to survive, though I expect him to be gone soon.

It’s Man United and we’ve done very little to narrow the gap between us and LFC/City. I’m reaching some WUM levels of frustration following our collapse against Spurs, hard to find any optimism. Well, at least we signed two young and very promising forwards.

 

[Maluco]

I don’t know how anyone could be confident about getting top 4 after those first three performances, nevermind not getting a top RW or CB.

I think the team is good enough to be the top 4 in the league, but I don’t think the manager is good enough to take us there this year.

Everton, Arsenal and Leicester have all looked better and have, potentially, better coaches over the course of a long season. I will go ahead and predict 6th and a CL exit at the first hurdle.

If we got in Poch now, I think we would get into knockouts and finish in the top 4. There is big potential in our team. We are better than Poch’s Spurs team individually and I don’t think we should have to lower standards.

 

[Deery]

He can certainly coach how to press and progress the ball into the final third as a team. The main issue with Pochettino is that during all his time at Tottenham, even though they dominated the games, they looked clueless on how to break down a team that stayed compact around the box. He relied on crossing by numbers and individual actions as a means to score/create chances. Still, miles better than what OGS has shown in regards to coaching a team. If he has used his break from football to get a better understanding of how to play against and break down low blocks, then he will get us top 4 each year, but if he hasn't then I would rather see us go for Potter.

Potter is a very good shout I like what he has done at Brighton and he knows the league now, but can’t see the majority fan base welcoming it over Pochettino and the board will more than likely have that same vein of thought.

 

[jem]

If we keep Ole, I think we’ll finish 7th, behind Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, and Everton. What’s scary is that you could also make a case for Leicester, and Wolves.

 

[OleBoiii]

It's difficult to predict, because all our rivals have done a better job in the transfer market. The likes of Mourinho and Arteta have also been around for long enough to finally start to implement some of their football. There's also the potential rise of Everton. This is honestly shaping up to be one of the craziest PL seasons for a while.

If you're a big optimist, then we're the 3rd best team on paper. If you're a pessimist, then you could rank us as low as 6th.

In other words: we can't expect more than top 4. And we can't be surprised if we get 5th or 6th.

Had we signed Telles, VDB, Sancho and a good CB/DM, then I'd honestly expect a title challenge. That's how important this transfer market was. That's how much the club fecked up.

 

[RedDevil@84]

10th should be a decent finish. Given how even the teams who were considered mid-table are in good form. We have an ok-ish first XI who can achieve top 5-6, but we are couple of injuries from 10th-11th.
We can always achieve top 4 if everyone else's form falls off the cliff

 

[Matthew84!]

top 7, lots have better teams and thr others have improved, gonna be a very hard season, our starting 11 will be shattered by Jan

 

[westmeath]

Our defence is so bad that I can’t see any chance of top 4.
I think we will have a winter of discontent like last season of LvG and Jose.
Ole will be gone before the end of the season. Michael Carrick will steer us home in 6th or 7th.
Then we’ll appoint Poch, give him 150m to spend and repeat the entire awful cycle again.

 

[sammsky1]

Am not expecting top 4.

Liverpool, City, Chelsea will be top 3 all @ 75 points or more

Spurs will get 4th.

Arsenal, United, Everton, Leicester will fight it out for 5th.

 

[K Stand Knut]

Sounds about right.

Every chance of us having the same diabolical start we did last season. You’d surely think that would be enough of a reason to get in a new manager but I have zero faith in Woodward et al getting any big decisions correct.

Agreed, although I suspect from your words and tone that our views on Ole staying or going might differ?

Ole out?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Realistically 4th highest while we're struggling to get there and hovering at actual 5th. But hey who knows.

And cup runs to quarter or semi at most. If we have good lucks then finals.
No chance at CL, we won't pass the group stage.

Realistically.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Agreed, although I suspect from your words and tone that our views on Ole staying or going might differ?

Ole out?

Yeah, I think the job’s too big for him. It breaks my heart seeing him so out of his depth. He was a player I adored but he never should have been given this job in the first place. Perfect caretaker manager and good guy to have at the club (potential DoF?) but he’s repeatedly being eaten alive by more experienced/better managers and it’s painful to watch.

 

[Harry190]

I'd like us to get back to playing as a team first.

It was only 2 months ago that we were playing well against Sevilla in the semi-final. We lost, yes, but we were the better team.

 

[lex talionis]

United management failed to close the gap in quality between us and the other top three clubs last season. We can realistically pray for fourth place but 5th or 6th is much more likely.

The problems within the club are serious and won’t be overcome anytime soon.

 

[K Stand Knut]

Yeah, I think the job’s too big for him. It breaks my heart seeing him so out of his depth. He was a player I adored but he never should have been given this job in the first place. Perfect caretaker manager and good guy to have at the club (potential DoF?) but he’s repeatedly being eaten alive by more experienced/better managers and it’s painful to watch.

That’s a pretty fair assessment, and well put.

Im not sure I’m there yet but have a feeling of inevitability.

Shame really

 

[ArjenIsM3]

Honestly find it very hard to predict this time. We've seen some odd results already because the smaller clubs have generally had more time to prepare and are fitter. We've seen the likes of Chelsea and Everton strengthen very well and getting the results to match. Aston Villa have been very good so far, even trashing Pool 7-2. Meanwhile, we've been terrible and so have the likes of City, Wolves and Sheffield. This could very well end up being a freak season with an interesting top 4 (from a neutral POV).

 

[Zlatattack]

I think we'll hit third place again, but the league is going to be between Man City and Liverpool.

We have decent competition at LB, we have a backup striker and with VDB we have a creative option in midfield other than Pogba. That is all an improvement on last season.

Spurs are still heavily reliant on a fit Kane and Chelsea still have Lampard as manager.

 

[hobbers]

The squad is still a top four squad. Anything less than top four is abject failure.

 

[Random Task]

Much is depending on the new arrivals settling early and having an impact on the squad. Cavani playing anywhere close to his best will lift the team to another level, along with Telles providing a much needed attacking boost from the left flank equally so. Van De Bake already looks like a good signing, although Ole has been reluctant to start him. It's too soon to expect much from the two young lads, but we can hope.

Top-four will be a big ask should the above fail to settle though, especially if we suffer another injury crisis similar to last season.

 

[Andycoleno9]

With another manager top 4, maybe even title challenge if Liverpool and City slip a little.
With Ole 7th

 

[Roboc7]

The squad is good enough to finish in the top 4, it’s tougher this year but we have added to the squad. It’s not as much as we’d all like but you don’t have to be brilliant to finish 4th or even 3rd.

The big question mark is the manager, he’s had two purple patches that didn’t look sustainable at the time and not much else. He has big decisions to make and has to learn from mistakes, hopefully he does as we can’t allow a big gap to the top four to open up.

 

[SAFMUTD]

With the current squad top 4. With the current squad and manager top 6-8. If a bad patch hit us, we could end even lower this team is so mentally fragile and has showed us that if we enter a bad patch it will last for months.

 

[matt10000]

3 matches played andnits all ole out, doom, gloom........I don’t come on here too often and this is why.....

 

[Robbie Boy]

If Ole remains then probably 5th to 7th. If he goes relatively soon and we get a manager in who can actually coach, then top four.

 

[SuperiorXI]

Ole has to sort out the fitness and defence and quick... if that means changing the shape that's what he'll have to do. We're leaking goals and lacking confidence, this is where the manager earns his money.

He's been hung out to dry though, I'll be amazed if he does anything this season. I expect trophy less season finishing between 5th and 8th.

 

[CiroDiMarzio]

Top four would be a massive achievement given the poor start and other sides strengthening significantly. Not where the club should be but just the reality of the situation.

 

[P0GBA]

Around 7th in my opinion. Arsenal, Everton, Leicester and Spurs have definitely overtaken us.

 

[Danillaco]

Given this shambolic transfer window, we'll battle for fourth. And I'm not sure we are favorites.

 

[Suv666]

Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea have improved a lot, we'll have pretty much the same starting 11 as last season bar Telles. I reckon we'll finish 5th-7th. Ole gets sacked, new manager brought in who'll be sacked 2 years later.

 

[Ødegaard]

5th would be my guess.
We'll be playing catchup because either the players didn't keep themselves fit over the break, or the planning for pre-season was not good enough.
I suspect Rashfords back problems aren't done, and we certainly can''t expect to get the same output from Greenwood this season. We still have to rely on Lingard, Mata and James from time to time due to injuries.

While I expect us to get 6th this season based on our lack of quality in defense and right-wing, I think a great run of form can see us catch up to gain 5th.

 

[AshRK]

I hate saying this but Top 4 would be a great achievement at this rate.

 

[Jaxa]

Finishing 4th would be a miracle, we need a massive turn in form after the internationals but if we continue to slump were screwed.