What should be the realistic expectations for 2020-21?

SungSam7

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Well it all depends on who we bring in. Chelsea have brought in 3 good players now before the window even opened meanwhile we still are twiddling our thumbs and "United" tax is no longer a legit excuse. Chelsea are known to have as much money as we do and still get the players they want. Pulisc was a steal last season and now Werner and Ziyech.

I see another wasteful transfer window which will easily translate into another scraping into the top 4 and somehow feel it's not down to OGS either and more so Eddy!
 

fastwalker

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Liverpool team have hit their peak and probably have one more season before their front 3 start to decline, so its theirs to lose.
City can now rebuild without fear of any kind of sanctions against them so expect some new shiney toys there too to make up for their poor showing this season
Chelsea have improved significantly over the season and have already secured Ziyech and Werner. Havertz and a keeper will likely be added too.

All things considered we need to be looking at comfortably top 4 (i.e. not leaving it to chance on the final day), close the gap on the winners, league cup or FA Cup would be good and knock outs of the champions league.
I absolutely agree in-principle with this. The fact that Liverpool are not grooming natural successors to replace or seriously challenge their front three will be their undoing and will play into our hands. Unlike our front three, who still have their best years ahead of them, theirs are all at their very peak right now and unlike us (predicated on the arrival of Sancho and possibly Grealish) they have zero squad depth in those positions. The problem for us is if Klopp, who has shown himself to be an exceptional developer of talent, sees what everyone else can see and actively starts to groom new talent to replace his front three.

Everyone predicted that Liverpool would spiral into decline when Coutinho left and they actually got better, off the back of shrewd investment. It is a sad state of affairs that I am hoping for our success off the back of our rivals failures than believing that we can achieve ultimate success off the back of our own improvement.

As a United fan I fear Klopp far more than I fear Guardiola.
 

fastwalker

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good post and sums up how i feel more or less. you could argue that this thread is a little premature since our season isn't officially ended yet with the EL still left to play for but despite the yoyo-ing of both opinions and the bile levels in them at differing points of the season, we still knew more or less what we expected of this season and where we wanted to finish, what we would have considered a success,etc. this is less obvious the following season and like you said, despite objectively performing well we may actually be more polarised as a fanbase if certain events come to pass ie getting 80 points and finishing 4th while going trophyless and being beaten comfortably by one of the creme de la creme in Europe. If that happens how many of us will still sit patiently and say he deserves another year because our ppg and xg are good, our front 3 have scored 25+ goals while our defence conceded less than 25 in the league, team spirit is good, football seems entertaining, etc rather than throwing our collective toys out of our pram? What metrics we have will decide much imo.
Good points. I would add one other variable and that would be Liverpool matching our 20 top flight titles.
 

OleTheGreat

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Let's get real here. Signing Sancho will consume most of our funds. I hope we manage to get Henderson behind De Gea but don't get rid of De Gea because I still believe he's one of the best out there. We desperately need a defensive midfielder and a centre back to rotate. I wouldn't mind adding a striker to the mix as well but we can make do without that. Finishing close to the top 2 is not an improvement but getting to 75-80 points is. From there on, we can decide on the position depending on the table. We should never hold off for 3rd or 4th because I've had enough of us chasing just the top4. It's crazy because we are a huge club. We can get what we want to actually go on and win the title. Trophyless seasons suck. We need to go for anything we can get hold of. I'm thinking of any kind of double next season and adding to the squad is a must for that. Come on Ed, make it happen or we'll be unhappy again and you may have to go, not Ole.
 

TheLord

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No more than 12 points off the Champions and a cup will do it for me.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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Get within 10pts of the Champions and that would be a great improvement and not an impossible task.
Like this year we have to go for all trophies but hard to predict due to the nature of them. A deep CL run would be nice to get us back into the thick of it and provide some good experience to the younger players.

We also need to keep the style of play we are developing going, it’s been great to watch bar the last couple of games when the players were understandably tiring due to the same first 11 having to carry us through. This is were getting the right transfers through the door will help us get closer to the City and Liverpool.

Get Sancho for the added goals to turn draws into wins, possible Grealish as well, try and develop one of McT and Fred into a pure DM if we can’t add anyone there and possibly a CB for depth as we only have 2 that can stay fit, ideally Tuanzebe will prove he can and push for a start through the season.
 

cyril C

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With Bruno we can add another 10 points, 76 pt. What is 76 pt? Average 2 points per game, which is what is required for Top 4 finish, but not good enough to win the title.

Can we get 86 points - think about all the goals that we conceded, our weak right wing.

86 points will challenge, may or may not win you the title, but a good start.
 

wolvored

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The aim or expectation has to be cut out the stupid losses to 'lesser' teams. We lost 8 so if we cut out 50% were already 12 points better off. 12 draws if we can turn 50% of those into wins thats another 12 points. Thats potentially 84 points.
80 points minimum would be a big step forward and its achievable as well. If we could win a cup as well, then that would be the icing on the cake. The push for the title then should be expected the season after.
 

Coxy

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Finishing third but developing our squad / first team so we present a real challenge to city / Liverpool over the season

really depends who we sign.
 

MadDogg

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The main priority is to close the gap on the top two (maybe even sneak into 2nd if one of them have a bad year) and have a decent CL run. In theory a 'decent' run would be getting to the quarters, but it really depends on the opposition so it's more about not losing to a team we should be beating. A good FA Cup run would be great as well, but it's a distant third priority.

Next season is about putting in place the platform to then really challenge for the title in 21/22. We need to be solid, we need to not drop too many stupid points, and there needs to be an obvious plan moving forward that will take us back to the top.

Of course, Chelsea are going to have identical goals to us and are likely going to be a pain in the arse. There's a real chance that one of us improves significantly and still end up 4th as the other also did the same.
 

maximus419

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I think realistically I believe this is a team with the ability for a title challenge but question marks over consistency and mentality hang over too many players and the manager himself.

The first 11 is as good as anyone in Europe and the forwards are probably the most exciting potential we've ever had. The problem is the squad and bench options aren't great and to compete over a season involved in 2 cups and league is going to show frailties because of lack of depth.

My main concern is more the mental resilience and consistency of the players though. De gea is a huge concern right now, form over the last 2 seasons has been poor and cost utd many points. Also the team has a problem with confidence and mentality when they lose or go behind. Some games I've watched over the past 18 months I can tell from the start if they are up for the battle. At times they can look like relegation candidates and that is a huge concern.

Finally OGS as manager is not really proven at the highest level. Even his successes back in Norway were mixed. His team's have a history of inconsistent results. They tend to go on good runs of winning matches and being unbeaten for a run, but also have many periods where they struggle to win games, that form is similar to where utd are under him now. Personally I don't feel he's a good enough manager to manage a side with title ambitions, if we fail to get a good start again next season I think we have to look to someone else.
 

MrEarl

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We are told United have limited funds available for this transfer market. So what are the team's weaknesses?

When we had no competent number 10 in the beginning of the season our offense was limited to counterattacks. We are one serious injury to Bruno Fernandez away from reverting to that one-dimensional shell of a team. There is no one capable of backing up the number 10 position. Grealish could fill that role as well as providing backup to the attackers.

There are questions about the defensive midfielder position and the central defender partner for Maguire. During the latest round of games it became apparent that the United defense has serious problems getting the ball out of its own and when faced with an effective press. United needs to add speed to their defense to get the ball out and move it up to the attackers.

Goalkeeper is also a serious problem. DDG has been in a state of decline for two years now with no sign of remission. Is Henderson the answer or is it necessary to buy?

The strongest part of the team are there three young developing attackers with seemingly unlimited potential. Nevertheless, it appears that United will spend the bulk of its available funds strengthening the strongest part of the team while stifling the development of one of their three attackers. Four players for three positions mean one will have to sit.

If United buy Sancho, will they have sufficient funds to address the clubs weaknesses? There is a potential to repeat the Suarez fiasco of going after a big name Galactico or potential Galactico while ignoring the club's actual needs..
 

Grande

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My expectations for next season is getting 76 points, fighting for the third place and bridgeing the gap to the front two. I expect us to go through the group stages in the CL, depending on the draw.
 

RashyForPM

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We ought to finally win the league again now. Don’t wanna wait anymore.
 

Untd55

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I have changed my mind, actually. I think we should be challenging for the title next season if we sign Sancho. We would have spent over £300m by that point, and, considering the team we would have, I would not accept much less than a title challenge.

The team will be good enough to challenge next season. I think the points total of the Champions will drop next season, but the top four minimum will increase. I think we should get 20 more points next season. This one was a very poor season remember. We need to start increasing our expectations.
 

slored1

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75-80 points in the league.
Quarterfinal in the CL.
Getting far in the cups.
More than 100 goals in all competitions.
 

Denis79

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Consistent decent performances is what I expect next season. This year we progressed the same way my wife drives the car: Heavy acceleration, abrupt breaking, a bit of panicking and no guarantees the destination will be reached. I'm expecting to reach top 4 without whiplash injuries, anything less is a failure.
 
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Mercurial

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Fortunes may turn our way and we could win the league if we break points north of 80, stranger things have happened before. Quality is there for all to see.

On a more realistic note given how narrowly we entered the top 4 and look drained for it. My prediction is that apart from a well rested first 11 and lot of individual brilliance from Bruno added that we are still lacking in quality-depth and some positions are dragging, Matic shows signs of milage if pushed and need regular rest. Lindelof got severely destroyed and brute forced by physical 2nd tier forwards, type of points Mufc should not drop to win league. Without significant and impacting quality upgrades I believe we would retain a narrow top 4 but run out of steam fighting all fronts. I dont rate Fred all that much either so far, and neither Lindelöf to go all the way based on above. We need a versatile CM preferably good at defending. Sancho hopefully and down the line an impregnable physically strong, dominating CB.

Id be happy if we got DVDB, Sancho and Pau Torres or similar profile, and maybe some lesser known rotational player. And in wich case anything could happen and somewhere league position 3-2 or 1 on luck of draw, and serious headway into CL.
 

Dirty Schwein

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A good run in the league. Don't expect us to challenge Liverpool or City yet but us and Chelsea should be miles ahead of everyone else.

A trophy would be nice as always.

Good football.

Competitive in the Champions League.
 

MalcolmTucker

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More comfortable top 4 finish and a lot closer to Liverpool and City.

Maybe a domestic cup.

QF of the Champions League.

General improvement in our all-round play.
 

Rojofiam

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Get the right players this summer

80+ pts in the league

Get top 16 in the Champions League

Keep playing attacking football

Give chances to 1-2 new lads from the academy if they're worthy like Williams & Greenwood

I have no doubts that Ole is able to do / maintain all these things going into next season.
 

hmchan

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Depends very much on the transfer budget. If the board decides to close the checkbook (just like previous years when we managed to get into top 4), consolidating our CL spot will be good enough for me. However if Ole is given another 100m to spend, there will be no excuse and we'll have to be a lot closer to the title challenge.

As for the cups I guess winning a domestic cup is a very realistic expectation, either FA Cup or the EFL Cup. We managed to get into the quarter finals of CL last season and I think we'll have to at least accomplish the same next season.
 

eltigreFalcao

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- Comfortable top four position (there's always some kind of chance of being crowned, ask Leicester)
- Improvement in key players: Rashford, Martial, Wan Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw, Pogba. Not necessarily in an individual level -but why not also?-, but definitely in the connection, understanding between them and also the consistency
- Exciting CL run. I would hate to go out loosing easily to a mid table spanish club
- Key additions to the squad, whatever their names are, and game time for youngsters
 

Goku23

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Top 4 but closer to the top 2 quaters of the CL a good run in the FA cup I would say
 

Tony247

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Time to reassess. If we don't strengthen our squad then top 4 looks really tough. I also don't think we will go beyond QF of CL. Domestic cups too will be unachievable.

Back to where we ended 2018-19.
 

JJ12

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Time to reassess. If we don't strengthen our squad then top 4 looks really tough. I also don't think we will go beyond QF of CL. Domestic cups too will be unachievable.

Back to where we ended 2018-19.
Not sure about that. The rest seems about right though.
 

youmeletsfly

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Realistic expectations for me:
- board gives Ole next full season - if he gets top3 again , I'd expect serious investment next summer
- board fires Ole if he doesn't get top3 and hires a fecken decent manager

Other than that, any expectation would be pretty unrealistic, given we have no idea what transfers we have lined up.
 

Nou_Camp99

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As things stand it's City or Liverpool for the title again, Chelsea comfortably in 3rd and us, Arsenal, Spurs, Leicester and maybe Wolves too going for 4th.
 

KevinJoh

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- Top 4 in the league to secure CL
- 1/8 final of CL
- 75+ points in the league

depending on signings we can change this as it is not the same if we add 3 top players, or if we add 3 youngsters who can become stars in the future.
 

Amerifan

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3rd or 4th in PL
Quick elimination in CL

We’re still a work in progress and I can accept that.