We're not the same team that started the season. You can never take anything for granted. You won't always get the better over rivals but in terms of dealing with other teams we are in a better place for sure.
We're comfortably the third best team in the league
- Thread starter Moby
- Start date
That's something I'm leaning towards as well, and let's see what happens with City in a few days which might implode them along with their performance in the CL. Depending on the transfers United make, could be the second best team, might be able to compete for first as well with a Sancho on the wings.
Agreed. Right now Chelsea and Leicester are dead food and I love it!
You ask a team who would they least like to play: us, Chelsea or Leicester; you know they'd pick us every time.
Let's just get the job done vs Southampton on Monday and then we can relax a bit more. I think that could be a really tough game.
If we are in third place when the league finishes we can say we are third best.
But so what?
When did being third become an achievement for us?
But so what?
When did being third become an achievement for us?
We're playing much more cohesively, have a better (younger) squad and are improving on last year. If we came third each year three years running I could see your point, but coming sixth -> third -> second/first is what we're aiming for.
If Everton were to improve their squad and finish third next year, would you say it was all for nothing?
Let's hope Bournemouth get a win also.
It's not much as an achievement, but rather us being on the right track of getting back to the top.
Considering all the heartache that we've been through these past years (post Fergie), it's a very welcomed change of pace.
One step at a time, but a lot of positives to look forward to.
It's not being applauded for being 3rd itself, but more as a stepping stone the right direction.
We now have a platform in the right circumstances to gate crash that top 2. Depending on game changing signings and injury luck at our end, and the top 2 dropping a gear.
It’s still too soon to be claiming with confidence we are the third best. I believe we have the edge at the moment over Leicester and possibly Chelsea but they will have Ziyech and Werner next season which is likely to improve them and given how close we both are in terms of points it would be naive to claim outright we are comfortably the third best.
- Liverpool
- City
- United & Chelsea
- Leicester
- Arsenal & Wolves
- Spurs
since we only achieved third or better once in the last seven years
If we could pick our best XI every game next season we would finish within 10pts of first
On the other hand, one or two key injuries and we could end up in another fight for top four
Sancho is a must, Henderson is a must.
If we want to win it, I also feel we need a CB in the Terry, Vidic, Ferdinand bracket
On the other hand, one or two key injuries and we could end up in another fight for top four
Sancho is a must, Henderson is a must.
If we want to win it, I also feel we need a CB in the Terry, Vidic, Ferdinand bracket
I like our top talent a lot more than Chelsea's top talent. They have better attacking depth, but I'd take our current 3 plus Sancho over their projected attack next year pretty happily.
Love how shortsighted this attitude is, you must be in fecking pieces when the season kicks off and we’re 11th in the league.
Because we looked like we would be lucky to finish in the top half at the start of the season.
It's a measure of progress, and shows we may be good enough to challenge for the title in a couple of years. We can't expect to win the title straight away, especially with how strong Liverpool and City are.
I don’t class third as an achievement but definitely a foundation to build on, it’ll be the third time in however many seasons we’d have got into the Champions League and they’ll be no qualifying rounds either.
Third means we can have as normal a pre season as possible post COVID-19 and we become a much more attractive proposition to potential signings i.e Sancho, those potential signings can turn us into title contenders going forward and we’ve definitely got a solid foundation in our current starting eleven to match anyone in the league so it’s about improving where we can and building towards getting back to where we were which is easier to from third and in the Champions League than it is fifth and in Europa.
Why do some fans get offended when we’re pleased with finishing 3rd? We’re building foundations for a better future, one step at a time.
I am not offended.
I just ain't happy with third.
I am happy with our progress though and believe we are going in the right direction.
At last.
Third place = progress. You being happy with signs of progress is exactly the same thing as everyone else being happy with third.
It must be why Arsenal fans are so optimistic each year!
Meh. Semantics. If we had been challengers and just missed out after a good effort I wouldn't be too down.
For most of this season we have been dire though. I also have reservations about these games being played in empty stadiums. False and misleading games in my opinion.
Time will tell but its hard to be happy with 3rd when we are over 30 points behind first. Especially given who's 1st and 2nd.
Not a single person on here is saying they're happy with being over 30pts behind the champions or being behind City and Liverpool.
But celebrating being 3rd this season? Why not? As you have said, we've been dire at times this season and there was a point where we were worried about finishing mid-table. We've also been disappointing pretty much since Fergie left. There's been very few high points in that time.
We currently have a team that seems a lot more confident and is playing better than at most points since Fergie left and certainly more consistently. If we finish third I will celebrate that. Not because 3rd is an achievement in and of itself, but because of what it represents at this time - progress from what has come before it and the hope that it's a step towards something better.
It's this kind of arrogance that will never see us progressing.
Fans and the management refused to recognise this and take suitable next steps after Mourinho came 2nd, which was idiotic arrogance, and look what happened after.
Given where we are coming from 3rd would be a massive achievement, if we pull it off it should be recognised and celebrated by fans and players, albeit as a milestone on the journey to No 1. And it should serve as a message to owners that we need more reinforcements if we are to continue our upward trajectory.
We have a lot of these 'customers' (as opposed to supporters) who have attached themselves to the club. It's purely entitlement and delusion.
But then again, the club is also guilty of building such a model.
Form-wise, over the last 8 league games, we are the best. Depth-wise, we're certainly behind Pool and City.
But by Tuesday morning, we should be the 3rd best team in the league, period. Maybe not comfortably, but we'll be in the #3 slot.
But by Tuesday morning, we should be the 3rd best team in the league, period. Maybe not comfortably, but we'll be in the #3 slot.
Finishing third will be a huge achievement considering the disastrous first half of the season we were having.
It would mean we really turned on the corners in the second half and proved that we're really one of the top 3 in the league and hopefully will be a challenger next season.
Imaging finishing 3rd then winning Fa Cup and Europe League. Now that will be a dream season.
It would mean we really turned on the corners in the second half and proved that we're really one of the top 3 in the league and hopefully will be a challenger next season.
Imaging finishing 3rd then winning Fa Cup and Europe League. Now that will be a dream season.
What tripe.
Labelling fans negatively because they don’t support the way you do is the real delusion.
I’m the type of fan that cherihes winning the League Cup & would be pleased finishing third, I understand others don’t but labelling fellow fans as ‘customers’, ‘arrogant’ et al. because their expectations don’t align with yours is foolish.
We all support the club in our own way so stop being sanctimonious & enjoy the run we’re on/the improvement. This fanbase can be divisive enough without having a p*ssing contest over being satisfied/dissatisfied with 3rd place.
Totally agree it was a very poor post.
You cant be more red than the next person, people have opinion and perhaps this person is talking from the view point that we should not rest on our laurels after coming third. You should apologise for this post, its distasteful. It can only foster disunity.
Look at you sitting on your throne looking down at the rest of us.
Needless to say I disagree.
Its not arrogance by the way. We should be better given our resources and fan base.
Our starting XI is better but I would say they have better depth. There's less of a drop-off in quality if they can't play a couple if their top players.
I'd assume around 2014 we just didn't know it then.
As hard as it was for the fans to go from being 1st to 7th, as hard is it for the club to go from 7th to 1st. You don't do that over night, just because it's expected, and you throw money at the problem. Leicester managed to do it but it's widely recognised to be insane and a highly unlikely event, and the reason for them doing it wasn't rooted in expectations or money. Not in the slightest.
And we have not been. So how do we get better?
And what have you done as a supporter to help achieve that?
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We should and we will if we follow the progress we are making for the last 17 games or so.
And, some fans are happy with it.
Exactly. Qualifying for Champions League is not an accomplishment but it's freaking vital to help United move forward faster.
What sort of question is that?
Makes little or no difference what I or any other supporter does.
I agree we have less decent squad depth then City but not liverpool, as what happen if two of their front 3 go out at the same time, as Origi has proven he cant be relied on, their MF back up is not really trusted as in shaqiri, Ox and the other one with those two ( lallana) rumoured to be sold in the summer, their back up defense is no better than what we have, so what depth are you talking about ?
I personally dont see where Liverpool out match us in squad depth.