Would you be ok with finishing outside the top 4

[cfkane]

No, because we need to finish in the top 4 to have a chance at signing top tier, or potential top tier talent. You can miss out on it once and recover, but two seasons out of top 4 will hurt us financially and recruitment wise.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

I wasn't saying the competition will be bad next year. Just pointing out that our top 4 finishes in recent seasons have been unimpressive in terms of overall performances during those seasons. Our league placings often reflected more on how bad everyone else was rather than how good we were. I don't see why another one of those seasons would be preferable to seeing signs of things actually coming together, regardless of our final league position. We have a young team, we might start the season slowly. If it all looks like it's really clicking in the 2nd half of the season, but we fall a couple of points short of whatever arbitrary number of points the 4 placed team finishes on, I'd be delighted.

I totally understand the sentiment as we've been served some absolute crap in the post-Ferguson era. But the truth is that it's not shaping up to be a much stronger PL next season. Nothing much happens in the market: Poch moaned about the lack of activity, Chelsea find themselves in a tough spot and Arsenal... well they're Arsenal. So, when the OP asks me the question "more attacking football+youngsters but no top-four, take it or leave it", i'm not taking it. Because there's nothing that suggests that our main rivals in the top-four race should be so far ahead of us that any clear progress on our behalf should not be reflected in our final position on the table.

 

[NoLogo]

I will consider this season a failure if we don't make top 4. Maybe a bit less of a failure if we really don't sign anyone anymore but imo for a club like Manchester United there can be no excuse of not getting into the CL every year.

And yes seeing progress in the way we play would be a large bonus in lessening the disappointment of missing out on CL football again.

 

[Regalia]

None of our youth players are good enough right now. Greenwood has some hope just due to the sheer lack of quality in our frontline. Please stop overhyping and overrating our youth based on a few meaningless preseason games.

If we finish outside the top 4, that would mean zero improvement. Doesn't matter if we play slightly 'better' and 'attacking' football (whatever that means because last I saw, Leicester plays better football than us).
In some ways, that is worse, because it would mean we have probably regressed in a bunch of other ways (consistency, defensive solidity, mentality etc.).

 

[wolvored]

We have strengthened in only one position and our weak midfield has lost our only consistent player.
If lukaku goes we will be depending on a 17 year old to score the goals for us, second place you think??

Herrera I take it you mean? No way was he consistent. In fact McTominay will be more than ample to cover what he did.

 

[RyRy11]

No. If we play the right exciting attacking football we will get top four regardless.

 

[edgar allan]

Herrera I take it you mean? No way was he consistent. In fact McTominay will be more than ample to cover what he did.

That is a long shot on McTominay after a handful of decent games

 

[Jack-C20]

Had we not lost form at the end of last year I thought top four was looking really likely. Helped by everyone else slipping up. Personally top four is essential. I don’t think we can afford to finish out of the top four many more times, especially with the teams just below it seemingly strengthening. I’m actually really looking forward to this season even with the lack of signings so far. I know it’s only pre season but I’ve liked the way we’ve set up so far and hope it carries on into the new season!

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Had we not lost form at the end of last year I thought top four was looking really likely. Helped by everyone else slipping up. Personally top four is essential. I don’t think we can afford to finish out of the top four many more times, especially with the teams just below it seemingly strengthening. I’m actually really looking forward to this season even with the lack of signings so far. I know it’s only pre season but I’ve liked the way we’ve set up so far and hope it carries on into the new season!

Think we were actually in touch of Top 3 at one stage, then we went all to pot.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Go for Europa Glory. Feels so much better earning your way in then finishing 4th. A trophy too of course.

 

[Jack-C20]

Think we were actually in touch of Top 3 at one stage, then we went all to pot.

Made it all the more gutting. Felt like the players literally just gave up, or at least a certain few.

 

[Hammondo]

Herrera I take it you mean? No way was he consistent. In fact McTominay will be more than ample to cover what he did.

Herrera was easily our most consistent player. Mctominay isn't close to Herrera's level yet.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Made it all the more gutting. Felt like the players literally just gave up, or at least a certain few.

It is when you wonder who we may have got with CL football. The amount of money we have paid for some players and the amount of money we pay most of our players, they should be capable of competing for a league title and be competitive in the CL. They aren't though and that is all down to how badly this club has been run.

 

[Rista]

Unfortunately there are 6 teams that can say the same thing and 3 others (Wolves, Leicester, Everton) with a similar quality to our best 11 who won't be far behind.

Do they really have similar quality? We had a terrible start and equally shambolic end of the season and finished comfortably above all of them. There is absolutely no reason we shouldn't finish above everyone bar Liverpool and City.

 

[Needham]

We need a new Pearl Harbour.

 

[Leftback99]

Do they really have similar quality? We had a terrible start and equally shambolic end of the season and finished comfortably above all of them. There is absolutely no reason we shouldn't finish above everyone bar Liverpool and City.

We have more depth but first 11 wise there's really not much in it.

Chelsea are being written off because they haven't bought any players but lost Hazard, when actually they've brought in Pulisic as well as others like Zouma, Batshuayi, Abraham and Mount returning from loan.
Arsenal have made signings after finishing above us, so have Spurs. Let's see what we do in the next week or so but as it stands we could end up anywhere between 4th-8th in my opinion.

 

[Moriarty]

I think we'll have to be OK with it. I don't think we've got a choice as things stand.

 

[dogwithabone]

We have strengthened in only one position and our weak midfield has lost our only consistent player.
If lukaku goes we will be depending on a 17 year old to score the goals for us, second place you think??

Why not 3rd or 4th ?

We will be stronger than Chelsea and I already think our squad is superior to Arsenal and not that far behind Spurs, if at all.

 

[Tony247]

Why not 3rd or 4th ?

We will be stronger than Chelsea and I already think our squad is superior to Arsenal and not that far behind Spurs, if at all.

What happens in second half of the season is key. Lot of football, pressure builds up as there bound to be few losses, body starts getting tired and that time a lot is depend upon player's experience and not just talent. What Matic said is right. It looks difficult, but not impossible if we run away with lot of wins early on and absorb some beating later.

 

[ManchesterYoda]

I'll be okay if we challenge for the title with the team playing exciting, attacking football. I don't care which players make up that team playing exciting, attacking football as long as they are playing exciting, attacking football. I'm not okay with anything less than that.

Would you be okay if all the players you prefer to see are on the pitch and the team is playing garbage football?

 

[Buster15]

Yeah, we did kind of blow up toward the end of the season. I think the stress of playing under Mourinho and his eventual sacking took its toll on the players - at least that's what I'm telling myself.

Possibly but the terrible finish after that very good start for Ole was a real concern.
However, he needs to be afforded the opportunity to correct those problems and get a reasonable pre season.
Don't really know why but I am more optimistic this season.
A few key additions are still needed and I am hopeful that Pogba will stay and show his fans consistently good performances.

 

[passing-wind]

If Solskjaer doesn't finish in the top 4 he needs to be sacked. Development doesn't mean you must go backwards to progress, Ole's had half a season, we can call last year his pre season.

This season is now where the judgement comes into effect, Mourinho's aura is long gone into the shadows. You either sink or swim from here on out, Ole should be kicking up a storm behind the scenes because he said himself last year the squad wasn't good enough.

 

[Leftback99]

If Solskjaer doesn't finish in the top 4 he needs to be sacked. Development doesn't mean you must go backwards to progress, Ole's had half a season, we can call last year his pre season.

This season is now where the judgement comes into effect, Mourinho's aura is long gone into the shadows. You either sink or swim from here on out, Ole should be kicking up a storm behind the scenes because he said himself last year the squad wasn't good enough.

We can't complain that the squad isn't good enough but at the same time want him sacked if he doesn't get top 4. At least 2 of the top 6 have to miss out so should at least 2 managers be sacked every season?

 

[edgar allan]

Why not 3rd or 4th ?

We will be stronger than Chelsea and I already think our squad is superior to Arsenal and not that far behind Spurs, if at all.

I do like your optimism but other than a short dead cat bounce after Jose left we were awful last year and I would say we are weaker now.
We have no goal scorer and the worst centre backs in the top half. Our " star" midfielder can down tools at any time and most of the rest have under-performed for many seasons now.

We needed a serious investment and we haven't done it.

 

[edgar allan]

If Solskjaer doesn't finish in the top 4 he needs to be sacked. Development doesn't mean you must go backwards to progress, Ole's had half a season, we can call last year his pre season.

This season is now where the judgement comes into effect, Mourinho's aura is long gone into the shadows. You either sink or swim from here on out, Ole should be kicking up a storm behind the scenes because he said himself last year the squad wasn't good enough.

No manager in the world could make a winning team out of the players we have, we are hamstrung by mediocrity in key positions.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Depends what we do for the rest of the summer, at the moment we seem to be in limbo.

• We arn't really making the big cuts the squad needs(and the financial ramifications of that) to generally be turned over.
• Neither are we really recruiting in away that will add to the squad so we can compete for the top 4 and still seem to be handing out more and more massive contracts.

So at the moment no, with our wage budget we should be top 4, and if you arn't going to address the problem of the wage budget then anything less then that is a failure.

Having said that if we had a season of playing fun attacking football and our younger players generally seemed to be progressing, but we finished out side the top 4, then i'd probably be ok with it, just becuase it has been a decade since United had a team that played free flowing attacking football regularly.

 

[wolvored]

That is a long shot on McTominay after a handful of decent games

Just on the last few games I think he has shown he can handle it imo

 

[Nytram Shakes]

No manager in the world could make a winning team out of the players we have, we are hamstrung by mediocrity in key positions.

but equally we arn't doing anything to change the mediocity. We have the second higest wage bill in world football and a europa league quality of squad.

I don't really see what the plan is going forward, we keep offering players like Darmain, Jones, Rojo Smalling new contracts that make it impossible to sell them, when we obviously don't rate them high enough for them to be first choice, and keep spending money to buy more players in there positions. (if we signed Maguire we would have 7 first team centre backs, none of whom seem to be leaving... 7 thats mental!!)

Wev'e signed Martial and Rashford to contracts that basically mean they have to become world class or they are unsellable.

We are planning on offering De Gea a insane contract for a goalkeeper that means he is unsellable.

We have the Sanchez debacle, im still in shock so many people thought that deal was a bargain.

Just how badly this team is been run is mind boggling!!! but the bottom line is we go down the route you are saying that no team could winning team out of this squad, then you have to start stripping it back and dismantling it(even if it costs you in the short term), which we clearly arn't with the contracts we are handing out. So it falls to reason that the people in charge think this squad is worthy of the second highest wage bill in world football and therefore should be a winning team, so if a manger fails to make them a winning team the will get fired.

 

[wolvored]

If Solskjaer doesn't finish in the top 4 he needs to be sacked. Development doesn't mean you must go backwards to progress, Ole's had half a season, we can call last year his pre season.

This season is now where the judgement comes into effect, Mourinho's aura is long gone into the shadows. You either sink or swim from here on out, Ole should be kicking up a storm behind the scenes because he said himself last year the squad wasn't good enough.

I disagree. We have had 2 'big name' managers and given them both at least 2 full seasons to get it right. Ole should be afforded this and next season to see if he can push us in the right direction. Hes up against the owners seeming not want to spend heavily, unlike they did for VG and Mourinho as well.

 

[Irwin99]

I remember on the old United season reviews where the voice over would say 'to go one season without the title was unacceptable, to go two was unthinkable' or Keane and Neville talking about how losing the league was not acceptable. Obviously that's not sustainable these days but it's crazy to think how the expectations have dropped.

United have to be in the champions league. Top 4 has to be the minimum for such a massive football club.

 

[edgar allan]

but equally we arn't doing anything to change the mediocity. We have the second higest wage bill in world football and a europa league quality of squad.

I don't really see what the plan is going forward, we keep offering players like Darmain, Jones, Rojo Smalling new contracts that make it impossible to sell them, when we obviously don't rate them high enough for them to be first choice, and keep spending money to buy more players in there positions. (if we signed Maguire we would have 7 first team centre backs, none of whom seem to be leaving... 7 thats mental!!)

Wev'e signed Martial and Rashford to contracts that basically mean they have to become world class or they are unsellable.

We are planning on offering De Gea a insane contract for a goalkeeper that means he is unsellable.

We have the Sanchez debacle, im still in shock so many people thought that deal was a bargain.

Just how badly this team is been run is mind boggling!!! but the bottom line is we go down the route you are saying that no team could winning team out of this squad, then you have to start stripping it back and dismantling it(even if it costs you in the short term), which we clearly arn't with the contracts we are handing out. So it falls to reason that the people in charge think this squad is worthy of the second highest wage bill in world football and therefore should be a winning team, so if a manger fails to make them a winning team the will get fired.

I agree with most of that only that De Gea is the only one that deserves the money he is on.

Ole will take the fall next year but sadly all the problems lie with the ownership so nothing is going to change until they do.

 

[edgar allan]

Just on the last few games I think he has shown he can handle it imo

He has shown good improvement but it is a stretch to imagine that a world class player is going to emerge this year.

 

[wolvored]

but equally we arn't doing anything to change the mediocity. We have the second higest wage bill in world football and a europa league quality of squad.

I don't really see what the plan is going forward, we keep offering players like Darmain, Jones, Rojo Smalling new contracts that make it impossible to sell them, when we obviously don't rate them high enough for them to be first choice, and keep spending money to buy more players in there positions. (if we signed Maguire we would have 7 first team centre backs, none of whom seem to be leaving... 7 thats mental!!)

Wev'e signed Martial and Rashford to contracts that basically mean they have to become world class or they are unsellable.

We are planning on offering De Gea a insane contract for a goalkeeper that means he is unsellable.

We have the Sanchez debacle, im still in shock so many people thought that deal was a bargain.

Just how badly this team is been run is mind boggling!!! but the bottom line is we go down the route you are saying that no team could winning team out of this squad, then you have to start stripping it back and dismantling it(even if it costs you in the short term), which we clearly arn't with the contracts we are handing out. So it falls to reason that the people in charge think this squad is worthy of the second highest wage bill in world football and therefore should be a winning team, so if a manger fails to make them a winning team the will get fired.

I agree with this. The owners seem quite keen to give out massive contracts willy nilly and hardly move anyone on. Jones for example; why give a 5 year contract to a bloke who could trip over a blade of grass and injure himself for 3 months. Got to be the most injury prone player we have, yet is massively rewarded. When is the clear out ever going to happen?

 

[wolvored]

He has shown good improvement but it is a stretch to imagine that a world class player is going to emerge this year.

At the level we are at at the moment we dont need a WC player, just a good one. Lets hope he improves gradually over the season to a really good one.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

I agree with this. The owners seem quite keen to give out massive contracts willy nilly and hardly move anyone on. Jones for example; why give a 5 year contract to a bloke who could trip over a blade of grass and injure himself for 3 months. Got to be the most injury prone player we have, yet is massively rewarded. When is the clear out ever going to happen?

Well realistically we are at the stage where we have so many players in contracts that other clubs will never match, that if we truely want to have rebuild, we basically will have to use a few windows transfer budget to pay players off.

Other wise we are basically stuck with this squad with and ever shrinking transfer budget due to our rising wage budget.

 

[Raven96__]

In my opinion, a club as big as Manchester United should aim to do both.

If you aim for top 4 you could finish outside the top 4, Ole needs to convince the squad that they can actually challenge for the league and try to win every game, that way its more likely you will finish top 4.

One game at a time.

 

[sunama]

So basically the question is "Would you be ok being Arsenal?".

We already are.
We have been competing for 4th place since SAF left and Woodward is masterminding our decline.
The plan is to spend as a little as possible, while getting top 4, so we get CL money the following season.
We are business who use football to earn money. Money always comes first.

Unfortunately, many fans don't want to come to terms with this.

 

[Lennon7]

Nah, seeing the Europa League badge makes me despise life. Top 4 is a must this season, if only just to keep any good players. Guarantee the main reason Pogba wants out is due to the lack of CL.

 

[SirAnderson]

I've never understood the argument of attacking football that doesn't breed success. It's just so contradictory. One would assume, the one creates the other. Sure, there can be 6 very attacking football teams, then its just a case of who's lovely attacking team is more defensively solid.

So no, I will not be okay with it at all.

 

[RedFish]

Yeah sure, why not? Everyone should get a chance.