If the board wouldn't have waited for so fecking long and pulled the trigger earlier we would be 4th by now. The fact that the gap has decreased from 11 to 3 in such a short amount of time is inspiring but when it comes to the top 4 race I'm not as excited as most of you are. We still have a shit load of tough fixtures left. I also feel like if Pogba gets injured we are going to have big problems. However with the point gap being just 3 at the moment we definitely have a chance. If we could get someone like Koulibaly in I'd say our chances of a top 4 finish would vastly improve.
Top Four Race 2018/19
- Thread starter Damien
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
I'm shitting myself about the Burnley game next. They've not lost at OT in their last two visits (since they've been back in the league) and are unbeaten since Boxing Day and unfortunately Ole's run has to end sooner or later
You're kinda right. Thing is, Ole mentioned they don't expect any transfers this window. Our buts need to be saved by players like Alexis, Tony, Fred and Smalling stepping up.
We need Mike back.
Three points off fourth, four points off third. Plenty of games to play. Of course the other teams have the advantage but we're right back in the mix now. Hats off to Ole and his coaching staff.
Home to Burnley after 6 on the bounce and you are shitting yourself? Where's the swagger man!
5 years of false dawns has me pessimistic
That is a concern.
Ole seems to be set on his first eleven and is only comfortable in changing it for the cup games, but anyone who watched that second half against Brighton will have noticed how tired our players looked. Nobody wants to make changes to a team that has won 7 games on the bounce but it's necessary if we are to avoid burnout.
Martial clearly needs a rest.
We wil beat them. They are pish.
Well, Burnley's run has to end as well at some point.
Something has got to give, for sure. It's a big concern because Ole doesn't fancy his bench, at all, and that will come back to bite us a in a few months, or even earlier if we don't start killing teams off faster than we are at the moment.
Not many needs a rest since half of our side were dropped by Jose anyway.
If anything I think we need more games. It feels a bit pre season like.
Some fans point to tiredness too often on here.
I feel like Chelsea at home is going to be a key game in the top 4 race, honestly cat seem them getting any results away at City or Liverpool so its going to be a tight race
Unfortunately most of our squad players are rubbish, so it's understandable he doesn't want to rotate them.
Neither did I. I'm astonished that we're in this position now. It's going to be an interesting end to the season.
If only Liverpool feck it up somehow.
It's good to watch us challenging for something, tbh I never thought we had a chance getting into that mix for top 4 before Ole, hope really hope that he is backed with a couple of signings this window, we really need few additions, if some of our midfielders got injured or something we will suffer a lot. Now eyes to our game vs Burnley after our cup tie vs Arsenal.
I can't understand how we are tired. We've played the least number of games compared to the other top 6 sides have rotated the most and we were asleep for half a season.
Were used to running the least in the premier league, we now run more than most.
I agree. All the top teams know what their best 11 and every new manager quickly decides on who plays/fits style and who doesn't. We didn't have that. We had no style therefore different players were being asked to do jobs they weren't comfortable with. I'm happy we finally have settled team but we do need to use some options of the bench to keep intensity up but no more than one/two.
I know I am being very optimistic, but I've said it to some people already and I am really believing in it more now.
I think we will earn more points from today's result onward than any other side except City. IMO, even though Liverpool have done the business, the cracks are starting to show and their an injury or two away from getting stuffed with a few bad results. City will go on a run and show their worth, finally retaining a title.
Now that the gap to Chelsea is 3 - and if Spurs fail to win both of their next two - I think we'll finish 3rd or 4th for sure. I can't see Chelsea getting more than 4 points from their remaining games against the top six. Spurs are missing too many key players so I expect them to drop more points than us, particularly in the next couple of months. Arsenal, IMO, aren't good enough, but if Chelsea has a bit of a collapse it's possible Arsenal could end up 5th. What Chelsea would give for Arsenal's strikers.
Chelsea has Bournemouth away and City away in their next three, while Arsenal has City away in the same period as well. City should give them both a hiding at the moment and I expect a good portion of the London teams attention to go on the Europa League from that point. I see them both falling away and thinking their better option might be the Europa League route.
Looking at things like this though has made me realise how bad our start really was. We could win every remaining match and I'd still put us at third place as I think Liverpool and City will earn more points than the maximum we can attain. Mad.
I think we will earn more points from today's result onward than any other side except City. IMO, even though Liverpool have done the business, the cracks are starting to show and their an injury or two away from getting stuffed with a few bad results. City will go on a run and show their worth, finally retaining a title.
Now that the gap to Chelsea is 3 - and if Spurs fail to win both of their next two - I think we'll finish 3rd or 4th for sure. I can't see Chelsea getting more than 4 points from their remaining games against the top six. Spurs are missing too many key players so I expect them to drop more points than us, particularly in the next couple of months. Arsenal, IMO, aren't good enough, but if Chelsea has a bit of a collapse it's possible Arsenal could end up 5th. What Chelsea would give for Arsenal's strikers.
Chelsea has Bournemouth away and City away in their next three, while Arsenal has City away in the same period as well. City should give them both a hiding at the moment and I expect a good portion of the London teams attention to go on the Europa League from that point. I see them both falling away and thinking their better option might be the Europa League route.
Looking at things like this though has made me realise how bad our start really was. We could win every remaining match and I'd still put us at third place as I think Liverpool and City will earn more points than the maximum we can attain. Mad.
Spurs play their next five games over a couple of weeks without two of their best players. Granted, two are Cup games but I reckon it's going to take its toll on them and they will end up dropping unexpected points, probably in home games against teams outside the top 6.
Safe to say united are nailed on for 3rd.
Spurs have kane, son and moura out.
Where are their goals coming from? Be surprised if they maintain their top 4 trophy this year.
Spurs have kane, son and moura out.
Where are their goals coming from? Be surprised if they maintain their top 4 trophy this year.
I don't think we will be bringing in anyone.
Everything to play for now.
Spurs have Kane and Son out so it's safe to say they might be in the mix as well.
Just a feeling but I reckon Chelsea could bubble up big time in this half of the season. If I was betting man i'd say that it'll be same top four from last season. City, Liverpool, Spurs and United.
Spurs have Kane and Son out so it's safe to say they might be in the mix as well.
Just a feeling but I reckon Chelsea could bubble up big time in this half of the season. If I was betting man i'd say that it'll be same top four from last season. City, Liverpool, Spurs and United.
It seems really simple now isn't it?
Beat Arsenal we go above them, beat Chelsea we go above them too. This is very possible. Let's rally behind the team.
Beat Arsenal we go above them, beat Chelsea we go above them too. This is very possible. Let's rally behind the team.
Cruel day for us. We beat Chelsea reasonably comfortably, a result that puts us back on the map to a top 4 finish, and then we lose Bellerin for what looks like at least the rest of this season. He makes our offense flow so much better. It's no fluke that we've struggled for goals as of late. Huge loss...hoping it is just something relatively minor.
I’d love to see what the stats look like but I agree.
In Oles first few games a lot of outnumbered players were on a high but now, after a quick succession of games, our players tire as soon as we hit the 60 min mark. It’s a concern but I have faith we’ll come through it.
I think many of our first team players are still adapting to Ole's high-press system. Take Martial, for example, he started brilliantly under Ole but has tailed off in recent games due to fatigue. Others such as Rashford, Pogba and Lingard, all hard-working grafters, seem to be unaffected by the recent strategical change and they are in fact flourishing.
So they need minutes in their legs to adapt
Resting is the worst thing they can do. Its no different than pre season, you need high intensity games to get back into shape and it could be one of the reason Ole took them away to Dubai.
Their body don't adapt if they're rested everytime they feel fatigued.
They need conditioning more than a rest IMO.
Definitely, but how do we do that mid-season?
Ole really has no choice, he's gonna have to make do with the squad players for the time being and then, as you say, set about working on their conditioning.,
Question - is top 4 still impossible like most of the forum said a month ago? Personally I don't think it is impossible now to close a 3 point gap over the rest of the season.
Why do people under estimate the possibility these things so often?
Why do people under estimate the possibility these things so often?
Going to be a very exciting race. We need to see how United reacts after one or two bad results. Hopefuly Higuain doesn't bring anything and Chelsea continues to crumble.We really need to go back to hammering smaller teams. We have a good run of 5 games with City away before a very though month of March : going to Spurs (wherever the feck they feel like playing), United at home and Wolves away.
I feel a lot more confident after Sarri's meltdown.
We only need to get 1 point more than a mentally weak Arsenal and 4 points more than a Chelsea side under attack from their own manager.
Hell, 5 points more than a Tottenham side minus its two biggest goal threats for the next month or two and we're third.
We only need to get 1 point more than a mentally weak Arsenal and 4 points more than a Chelsea side under attack from their own manager.
Hell, 5 points more than a Tottenham side minus its two biggest goal threats for the next month or two and we're third.
I think it's all a crapshoot at this point. Spurs have injury issues, Chelsea can't score, Arsenal are Arsenal, and our squad looks insanely thin because I'm not sure we have much wiggle room with injuries/fatigue to certain players unless the likes of Lukaku, Fred, and Sanchez can sort things out. If we lose Rashford or any of the midfielders right now I think the wheels could come off.
Higuain still fat? Lets hope he gets hooked on Fish and Chips.
The worst thing your club did was hire Mourinho. I said to many united supporters when Van Gaal left, I could not understand for the life of me why so many of you wanted Mourinho, you complained endlessly about the boring football Van Gaal brought to the club, and when he left many of you were crying out for another boring bastard!
In fairness to the supporters I said that to, they agreed with me and didnt want Mourinho anywhere near the club. That guy has set united back a hell of a lot, he is a fraud, at united he has been utterly and truly found out, he isnt a great manager, he is a chequebook manager, it worked for him in the past, the present however not so much. It was fun in a way watching him fail with his awful tactics, his awful man management and his utter desire to get sacked to make easy money. He is a parasite in the game today.
Solskjaer has come in and done the most basic things, he has told the players, play to your strengths, in which they have. He has changed the tactics, no more sit back and try to steal a winning goal go out there and bloody take the victory!
You should be excited, the players you lot have are brilliant, I have always said this, and Solksjaer is getting the best out of them. They are enjoying the game again, they are enjoying working hard for the club and they are enjoying showing the skills they have, under Mourinho, they were stifled, he killed the spirit of the game, the players passion pretty much everything that used to be fun with football.
Now I know you think, huh why is a Liverpool supporter saying this? to me its as simple as this, should we win the league, we have beaten one major team to get it in Man City. For me, if we won the league beating Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea, all at full strength, then that would be a fantastic league win, as we would have beaten not just one great team, but many, in a most competetive league in world football.
To me United have a manager now who understands the club, why not give him the job now? Solskjaer knows the club, he is idolised by the fans, he is respected by the players, for what reason do you have not to give him the job?
It's not out of reach that both Arsenal and United finish in the top 4, as Chelsea badly need a striker and Tottenham have some key players out injured. It's gonna be interesting though.
After 17 games under Mourinho we were 6th with 26 points, 11 points after top four. Here are some numbers I'd looked up back then and quoted in another post.
What Ole is doing right now is phenomenal.
My friend is offering me 2/1 we don’t get top four. Shite odds but I’ve taken it for a laugh. I think we can definitely get there.
Most people were ruling it out under Jose. Him leaving changed everything, I think most sensible people thought there was a good chance we could close the gap with him gone.
Well I know I thought it was possible! It was laughable how many people were writing off the season in December, even when Jose was sacked.