Sum up the season

[Giggsy13]

Top 4 and trophy hasn’t been achieved since Fergie retired, so a good season. My biggest concern is that this squad can very much still be Jekyll and Hyde in some respects. Massive wins at home and making OT a fortress again but then getting absolutely hammered away against city, Liverpool and Sevilla. Perhaps the hectic schedule was the cause of this and we’ll see more consistency we need for a viable title challenge. Starts with ten Hag being backed with a budget of at least £200 million this summer.

 

[Ish]

7.5/10 for me. Really hope EtH gets backed with outgoings and incomings and we really kick on next season.

 

[Van Piorsing]

Could be easily 7 or 8/10, but there are always elements in the squad who demolish any collective work being done well and frankly I'm up to here of being sick of it. 6/10. Most positives coming from Ten Hag and his coaches who did all they could.

Next season if club have thorough clearout, I'm rating that move as 7/10 on the start. Would be nice of the board and owners, fully supporting the manager they hired, because even Arsenal are moving forward.

 

[RedorDead21]

Our recruitment department isn’t fitting of a huge club with huge ambition. Needs the spotlight shone on it and kept on it until resolved. I’d happily replace it with Brightons and most others! Fix that before all else.

 

[Oscar Bonavena]

7 out of 10

Good aspects:
16 points better than last season and finishing 3rd

Excellent home record and defence

ETH dropping Maguire and standing up to Ronaldo, showed he was boss and meant business

Improved form from Rashford (1st half of season at least)

Improved form of AWB

Emergence of Garnacho

Success of big signings Casemiro and Martinez

Winning a trophy 1st season, albeit only Carabao, gets a monkey off his back early doors

Bad aspects
Horrific form and performances away from home against most half way decent teams

Tendency to fall apart when conceding 1st in those games. So many times we don't hang in after falling behind, we often concede a 2nd and 3rd in short order.

Serious lack of goals and goal threat throughout the team. Lack of top quality CF. Amazing we finished 3rd considering

Sancho an expensive disaster

Antony not delivering on his promise. Needs to show serious end product next season.

De Gea showing beyond doubt that he is past it as a top class keeper

2nd half of season, Rashford showing signs of the laziness and sulkiness that characterised last season. ETH needs to snap that the f**k out of him right quick, or else show him that he's not too good to spend some time on the bench.

 

[Bobski]

Solid first season for Ten Hag, strong league finish and 2 cup finals, couldn't have asked for more results wise but some concerns around approach to big games, squad rotation and giving the likes of Weghorst so much playing time.

I don't like the squad composition at the moment, clear holes in goal, midfield and up front, important players in Varane and Cas with a lot of wear and tear, a lot of big decisions to be made, go for Kane and the spine of the team is all about short term success, but the other side of that is potentially wasting the last top years of Cas and Varane by not going all in.

Need to get better defensively, Licha and Varane felt like a top pair but the goals conceded numbers didn't really mirror that.

Think Antony will be much more productive in terms of goals next year, but I think his style of play will still be a painful watch at times.

Licha, Cas and Antony gave some much needed fight and spine, Garnacho coming through with much of the same,more of that type of personality in the future signings, fewer of the Martial, Sancho, Donny soft touches.

 

[ifightdragons]

1. We're much better at pressing and counter-pressing.
2. Defensive structure is solid, bar the goalkeeper.
3. We still struggle to control games and dominate possession.
4. David de Gea is IMHO our biggest liability.
5. We need at least 6-7 more elite class players to fill up both the starting XI and the bench to play at City's level over a season 38 games.
6. In cup games, anything can happen and we can beat anyone on our day.

 

[Nicolarra90]

Paradoxically I felt better and more optimistic at the end of last season.

It probably is because of the incoming treble.

 

[Salt Bailly]

E = tH²

 

[klayton88]

Our first season post SAF where I've genuinely believed we have somebody with the skills to handle the pressure that comes with managing United. He's introduced stability, and the fans can see exactly the style of football he is trying to play and we can see the progress.

We need to back him this summer. If he thinks Mount works in his system then back him. My fear is the sale of the club dragging on all summer and it having an effect on signings by delaying them and losing targets to other teams.

He needs to be ruthless in who goes also. None of this jobs for boys. It would simply be inept to keep DDG as No.1 when almost every stat puts him 19th/20th in the league.

 

[UnitedSofa]

Solid.

 

[Crimson King]

Paradoxically I felt better and more optimistic at the end of last season.

It probably is because of the incoming treble.

That's an insane take! At the end of last season I wanted them to burn the club to the ground and start from scratch. If it wasn't for the ownership situation still dragging on I'd feel very confident about next season already.

I don't know why anyone is losing any sleep over City winning the treble. Nothing City accomplish will ever register with me, not like if it was Liverpool about to pull it off. Besides, it was always on the cards they would do it eventually after Abu Dhabi bought them and pumped all that money in.

Even if Inter stop them, I'd feel safe betting on them to come pretty close again next year. The standard of European club football is pretty poor right now. Until Barca and Madrid properly sort themselves out, the winners of the EPL will be favourites for the UCL.

 

[bosnian_red]

Anytime you aren't ready to challenge for the title, top 4 and a trophy has to be the target. We achieved that. Doing it after the state we were in last season, first season with ten hag, with our very big squad issues up front and in goal, makes it that much more impressive IMO. Long way to go, but i don't know how it can be anything but very impressive.

Huge optimism for the future, being able to have the upper level that we can reach while having the horrible striker and goalkeeper situation that we do is a huge plus, as you would think a simple addition to those 2 would see us progress like crazy. Important summer though, we have to push on and address the issue positions. Can't be playing catch up every year and ignore obvious issues. If we address CF, CM and GK, then I'll be happy.

To wrap up, the Glazers really need to hurry up with the sale as it's inevitably going to affect our window. Next season I'd be happy with similar results to this, cup win and top 4, but showing improvement in the process, showing the system consistently, being more dominant, improving as the year goes on and being more "deserving" of a 3rd place finish than this year where many can point to stats that don't have us as the 3rd best side (analytics do matter in terms of future growth, so that side has to catch up for us). Build for title challenge ready in 24/25.

 

[luck&neat]

If you’d offered me 3rd place in league, a domestic cup and another final, European qtr final knocking out Barca over two legs at the start of the season I’d have been utterly delighted.

It’s been a year of progress, we just need to back it up in the transfer market.

This, basically. Definitely feels like proper progress for the first time in a long time.

If the Glazers feck off (looking increasingly unlikely now), and we get in a couple of midfielders and forwards over the summer it would be outstanding progress.

 

[mattunited1978]

Solid season mostly with a few howlers thrown in...But good progress, feeling optimistic about our future for the first time in years

 

[RedRJ]

Top 4 and trophy hasn’t been achieved since Fergie retired, so a good season. My biggest concern is that this squad can very much still be Jekyll and Hyde in some respects. Massive wins at home and making OT a fortress again but then getting absolutely hammered away against city, Liverpool and Sevilla. Perhaps the hectic schedule was the cause of this and we’ll see more consistency we need for a viable title challenge. Starts with ten Hag being back with a budget of at least £200 million this summer.

Totally.

 

[Nicolarra90]

That's an insane take! At the end of last season I wanted them to burn the club to the ground and start from scratch. If it wasn't for the ownership situation still dragging on I'd feel very confident about next season already.

I don't know why anyone is losing any sleep over City winning the treble. Nothing City accomplish will ever register with me, not like if it was Liverpool about to pull it off. Besides, it was always on the cards they would do it eventually after Abu Dhabi bought them and pumped all that money in.

Even if Inter stop them, I'd feel safe betting on them to come pretty close again next year. The standard of European club football is pretty poor right now. Until Barca and Madrid properly sort themselves out, the winners of the EPL will be favourites for the UCL.

I don't know. I also feel I had unreal expectations about ETH. He made some very naive mistakes throughout the season.

I hope it's just his learning curve and that we are better next season.

 

[jimmyb2000]

Reasonable

 

[Crimson King]

I don't know. I also feel I had unreal expectations about ETH. He made some very naive mistakes throughout the season.

I hope it's just his learning curve and that we are better next season.

If you thought he was going to come in and turn us into league winners just like that, then you're the naïve one my friend.

 

[Red in STL]

I don't know. I also feel I had unreal expectations about ETH. He made some very naive mistakes throughout the season.

I hope it's just his learning curve and that we are better next season.

What do you consider to be naive mistakes?

 

[Terry Chango]

Good.

FA cup would have made it very good.

BuzzIng for pre-season and our champions league return and to see if ETH can progress us even more.

Shame we didn’t have a proper striker for what feels like all of the season.

 

[Nicolarra90]

If you thought he was going to come in and turn us into league winners just like that, then you're the naïve one my friend.

What do you consider to be naive mistakes?

Not league winners but better in-game management. Don't remember specifically the games now but there were a few where the subs were very questionable.
His persistence of bringing Maguire for the last 5-10 mins, I'm sure it took points from us in some games.
His naivety with WW despite knowing he couldn't cut it in the PL with Burnley, and his persistence in using him and not trying other options like Bruno or Sancho as a false 9, using pellistri more or whatever.
Then also yesterday, most said that we should not use Eriksen as these intense games often bypass him. If we weren't going to have the ball to create then try mctominay who at least can run and kick more and has that "pashun" that was needed for a game like that. Bring Eriksen for the last 30 with tired legs and more space.

I don't know, little things like those. But I totally back him and hope we have a good summer and a better season next year.

 

[Piskin]

Better than the last 10 years for sure, need 6 players at least to win the big trophies. Hopefully after next season Ten Hags team will be up and running.

 

[Red in STL]

Not league winners but better in-game management. Don't remember specifically the games now but there were a few where the subs were very questionable.
His persistence of bringing Maguire for the last 5-10 mins, I'm sure it took points from us in some games.
His naivety with WW despite knowing he couldn't cut it in the PL with Burnley, and his persistence in using him and not trying other options like Bruno or Sancho as a false 9, using pellistri more or whatever.
Then also yesterday, most said that we should not use Eriksen as these intense games often bypass him. If we weren't going to have the ball to create then try mctominay who at least can run and kick more and has that "pashun" that was needed for a game like that. Bring Eriksen for the last 30 with tired legs and more space.

I don't know, little things like those. But I totally back him and hope we have a good summer and a better season next year.

Some of those points are fair and others not so much, regarding subs, didn't we have the most goals scored by subs are something like that

Maguire was brought on to win the ball in the air when teams were pumping the ball in the area, that's someting he's relatively good at

Don't disagree about Eriksen yesterday he shouldn't have started, but I'm sure he had a plan and that went out the window after 13 seconds!

 

[norm87cro]

F... City F... Liverpool...

Oh and F... Leeds

 

[Red in STL]

F... City F... Liverpool...

Oh and F... Leeds

No need for the latter, they f****d themselves!

 

[Nicolarra90]

Some of those points are fair and others not so much, regarding subs, didn't we have the most goals scored by subs are something like that

Maguire was brought on to win the ball in the air when teams were pumping the ball in the area, that's someting he's relatively good at

Don't disagree about Eriksen yesterday he shouldn't have started, but I'm sure he had a plan and that went out the window after 13 seconds!

That's true tbf

 

[CodeRed]

Better than expected to be honest. We've been in Limbo for over a decade and only this season have we finally moved forward and have a future.

It certainly hasn't been easy for the gaffer. He has done great buys and is slowly getting rid of the crap. Also so much pressure when you don't know what the people above you are doing. Fair play to the guy.

 

[Jeppers7]

On the back of where the club was last season, what Ten Hag was given to prepare and start the season and a squad that carried over from 4/5 managers…I’m delighted with the season. In addition to the above ETH has had the Ronaldo situation, Maguire, takeover etc to deal with. Even to yesterday. You’re up against a club so corrupt that they have 115 charges, a bench better than most first teams, a smaller wage bill than us and a higher commercial income. Yeah right. 1-0 down after 11 seconds. Just don’t get humiliated. Even yesterday was a positive. Give ETH time, at least 4 more positions in the team to replace and the squad will improve also.

 

[nickm]

Paradoxically I felt better and more optimistic at the end of last season.

It probably is because of the incoming treble.

Who cares about City?

I can't wait for CL football next season again. I've missed it and it's going to be great.

 

[JagUTD]

Bang average for a club our size. Many improvements needed. 2/3 of the squad still needs replacing. New owners to come. We’re miles off being a solid outfit yet.

Average is harsh. We've basically gone all the way in 3 cup competitions and finished 3rd in the league.

It would probably rank as one of our best 30 or 40 seasons ever, which I would say is above average.

 

[JagUTD]

A special mention for Erik Ten Hag who came to the Premier League last summer into an absolute cluster feck of a club and has out performed both Pep and Klopps first seasons in England.

I think some underestimate what he has done in just one season, possibly because he has still had to turn to those who failed us so badly on the past when we've been stretched due to injury and suspension. I know City and Liverpool weren't at the peak of their powers when Pep and Klopp joined but they also weren't a circus like United. It took them time and given time, ETH will be the man to bring an end to the darkest eras in English football

 

[Robertd0803]

7 out of 10.

Plus.
Top 3 with a game to spare and a trophy in the bag to get that monkey off our backs. We actually have a style of playing and a plan before most games now.
Recruitment has been very good with who came in the summer and we actually acted on bringing in people in January as well (loans but whatever).
Rashfords back scoring.
Garnacho coming through and resigning.
The Ronaldo situation being handled correctly.
Phasing Maguire out.
Having a great record at Old Trafford.
The home and away games vs Barca having more hype and being better than anything in the CL itself this season.

Negative.
Yesterday can go fcuk itself.
Our away form ranged from poor to abysmal.
The Empihad and Anfield results. (Although Ill stand by Anfield being a total freak result).
The Sevilla games. Christ what a disaster.
Our mentality in away games when we have a setback is a worry.
Our rotation options being a shadow of the first choice.
De Gea.
The fact that theres still a long road ahead of us and the worry the owners wont follow through and back ETH.

Still to end on a positive note the celebrations post Carabao Cup will be something Ill always remember.

 

[fezzerUTD]

Average is harsh. We've basically gone all the way in 3 cup competitions and finished 3rd in the league.

It would probably rank as one of our best 30 or 40 seasons ever, which I would say is above average.

There is many games we were dominated by much smaller clubs on a smaller budget. My assessment is nothing to knock the lord and saviour EtH as he is the bright spark in this dull season. We were nowhere near 1st place and we almost let Liverpool sneak into the CL place. We were totally outclassed by Sevilla in the 1/4 final so thats not going close is it. League Cup is nothing in our history but a good start to get EtH feet under the table, and the FA cup final we were huge outsiders, no one would have backed us to beat City, we went through on pens against Brighton….
It’s average based on our resources and club size. Mangers of the other 3 biggest clubs in the world would have been sacked if they had had our season. Again im not advocating sacking EtH.

 

[jesperjaap]

We have had two managers started early in there careers finising second after poor seasons for the club. We also spent an absoltue fortune last summer, bought virtually no money in from sales and were very short in certain areas and were forced to make several loan signings, that didnt really work out, Wieghorst for example was dreadful. We also got absoltuely battered a few times this season.....so its been far from perfect and with what we spent we should have been aiming for the top four, not as big an achievement as some are making out and the trophy was good as a taste of success....but it is the Caranoa cup.

Its 6.5/10 for me as we had good achievement and good cup runs. The two big things for me are the manager actually though its too early to judge as more pressure on his second season as progression from this has to be challenging for the bigger trophies....but he seems to have control of the dression room, a clear vision and intelligence, the frist manager after his first season that all round I think can be a success. Moyes was never working, Van Gaal could have been great but was soon apparent he wouldnt, Mourinho always a short term fix and SOlkjear did well to start with but was never really a manager....Ten Hag cautiously I feel is different.

The other huge positive for me is Martinez, again too early....but he looks the first genuine top top player ability, performance and leadership wise that we have signed since Fergie retired that can have a long career here and successful one. Nevr quite felt that with Pogba, Fernandes or others atfer there first seasons even though they all did well.

Garnacho is a positive too, early days but I had high hopes of Mainoo or Hannibal doing something too this season and sitll do next.A take over is also only a good thing.

But this summer I think gives us a really good idea of Ten Hags vision and possible success. ALl the managers before seemed to have had a poor second window, were not ruthless enough selling either and seemed to lose the dressing room they had after there first season.

We have been pretty much where we are now before a couple of times, it does feel possibly different this time, but I think that optimism is also being looked at by many through rose tinted glasses as the season wasnt as hugely over achieved as made out and this squad is still possibly too far away in one window to get on to the next level even in a perfect window