Expectations for season 2023/2024

All our players playing to their full ability level (constantly) - and a more logical sub policy.

Then I'll take what we deserve/achieve.
 
I would hope for a stronger performance in the league and be much closer to the title this year. Improved style of play and taking more control during games. Score more goals. Avoid the hammerings. Win a greater percentage of the big games. Get through the group stages in CL and a good cup run.

All that said, the lack of takeover and uncertainty hanging over the club could cloud any potential progress or even impact it. It's madness that we are still no closer to having clarity on what is happening.
 
If we get a good striker and Arambat in then the baseline is to be thereabouts in the title race after 30 matches, reach the knockout stages in the CL, and have deep runs in at least one of the domestic cups.
 
I’m supposing that some years in trophy wilderness have served to dampen expectations, so notes of caution might be expected, but this thread reads quite negatively in the main and downright glum elsewhere.

After last seasons results lifted the ante, and with Ten Hag being supported by your club in the kind of reshuffle that can bring about the needed renaissance to Hags brand of modern possession football, I recon that you should be shooting for the stars rather than starring gloomily at you feet.

I honestly think that you’ll be fearsome contenders in all competitions this season and better again the season after. If that can’t be seen then I recon that’s down to the conditioning of the last decade, but you should be looking forwards with positivity because there have been major changes and you’re a much different beast now.
 
Win the Fa cup. Go deep in the CL, finish closer to Man City. Play entertaining football.
 
Suv666 said:
Top 2 nailed on to be City and Arsenal.

Quite hard to predict between Liverpool/Chelsea/Utd/Newcastle who’ll end up where.

A tad annoying we haven’t heavily invested in the squad, had a good season could have built on it by going balls to the walls. Mount, Onana and Rasmus is a decent window but hardly something that’ll push us onto that next level. Still the top four dogfight rather than getting close to the leaders.
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No chance. Arsenal had a Leicester 2016 season. They'll be fighting it out with the rest of us to get top 4 this season.
 
I’m gonna try to avoid judging our season based on how the other top teams perform. If we improve our style and our consistency, that should help us improve our points tally. Key is if we can get enough goals i guess, between Rashford and new striker. For the cups, i’d expect us to get through the group stage of the CL. Knockout stages are more unpredictable, and freak games can happen, not gonna judge the season as a whole based on that.
For other teams, i expect Chelsea to improve, Arsenal to perform about equal,Liverpool should improve, otherwise Klopp might be in trouble. Spurs are hard to predict, but would be very surprised if they get top 4, and Newcastle are not ready for europa and the extra games yet. Also Howe does not have too much experience with squad management with european games in the mix. Expect them to have a hard season.
 
Sign Harry Kane we are looking at a top 2 finish, if we do not sign him then 3rd or 4th.
 
Seems it's pretty clear where we are in terms of transfers (I assume we get Hojlund and Amrabat), so my expectation is top 4 (on the top of my head I think we have about 70% chance to make it) and CL knockout stage.
Most likely we will start the season without a striker and Hojlund will take half a season to bed in (at least), so my expectations aren't that high. For now it seems like Onana is likely to have the most impact on how we play, but a lot of success from last season was our defence anyway so best hope it'll just continue. I am not sure if Rashford will repeat last season amazing goal tally, so as things stand there isn't that much to get excited about at the moment to be honest. I hope for a transition season where we learn how to play with a striker and the team gels together.
 
As it stands 4th or 3rd...

I think we'll have a better idea how things will shape up when we're a few weeks into the season and the transfer window has closed. September ish

A lot will depend on how quickly the new signings bed in too.

Last season we were fortunate Martinez, Eriksen and Casemiro fitted in seamlessly from the get go.
 
I think the movement in the summer market for the club hasn't reinforced the confidence that the team will progress at a rate faster than opposition make improvements. I certainly don't see Liverpool being consistent next year with such a dramatic change to their midfield. I think they'll be a donut team lots of attacking glitz and glamour but teams will cut through the middle into the defence.

The biggest issue is that the wide areas haven't been reinforced. Objectively last season Rashford was the only reason United got top four. So when you consider there's been no significant quality added to the attacking lineup, if Rashford doesn't have the same type of season the team will regress it's standing in the league it's simple logic.

If United had a banner to all the faults last season it would read along the lines of "where does the goals come from". Close to 100 million spent and it seems that banner definition is going to define the campaign this season again.
 
My expectation is always to improve upon the previous season, and with the investment made this summer there is no reason that we shouldn’t.

We need to get back to being a team that regularly finishes 80+ points in the league alongside reaching the knockout rounds of the CL. These were almost a given back in the days of SAF. I’d be happy with that next season as a sign of genuine progress. Anything more is a bonus for me.
 
Assuming Maguire out is essentially a done deal, and that Amrabat and Pavard are likely to be coming in:

A good season will be 3rd in the league with 70 goals scored, making it to the final 8 of Champions League, and winning one of the domestic cups.

The season I currently expect, however, is 4th in the league with 60 goals scored, making it to the final 16 of CL, and not winning any trophies.
 
Top six ….might scrape top 4

Arse, Liverpool, Chelsea look good
 
The expectations should always be simple, to noticeably improve from previous season. If you keep improving then you'll get back to the top eventually.

More points, more goals scored, less goals conceded, better performance metrics in terms of xG, xGA, xPTS, more comfortable victories rather than hanging on for a 1-0 every week.

80+ points whilst actually implement a progressive style of play I'd be happy.

I don't think our signings are enough to win the league realistically.
 
This season more then ever is about having a deep squad filled with quality on key positions.

Can we get Amrabat and Pavard and always have one of Martial and Højlund healthy we have a good chance of improve from last season.

I fully expect a breakout season from Mainoo and Garnacho.

Top 3
QF in the CL
One cup final

If both our strikers gets injured then I’m less optimistic
 
1. More points, ideally break 80 point barrier, which of course gets us top 4;

2. FA Cup win; and

3. Make it to the QFs of the Champions League.

Achieve this and it would be another step in the right direction.
 
I am feeling weirdly optimistic (usually never do). We have lots of good players across the team and much less deadwood than usual. Probably not enough depth or serious firepower but I hope for a fun season.
 
Offside said:
Does 5th not get a CL place next year?
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Not guaranteed, it depends how English teams do in this years CL.

So if they all get battered and don't get past the group stages then England might not get the extra place...but common sense says England will have 5 teams qualifying in the CL next season.
 
- More constistency on the playing style
- More goals
- No surpise meltdowns during games resulting on heavy defeats
- A cup, a good run in the ChL and comfortable top 4 finish. Title challenge a bonus
- Continue giving youth a chance on the first team
 
Top 3
A trophy
Score way more goals
Play like big team (more in control) in away games

Ultimately giving optimism that we'll be challenging for League title in 24/25 season.
 
Our current midfield isn't good enough to compete with the teams around us IMO. 4th at best if we don't get Amrabat in.
 
We don't have the goals up front or the midfield depth to be in a title challenge, but I hope that despite teams around us strengthening far more significantly, EtH can get us CL footy again. And maybe a cup run.

And please can we for once thrash Liverpool for a change?
 
Offside said:
I am feeling weirdly optimistic (usually never do). We have lots of good players across the team and much less deadwood than usual. Probably not enough depth or serious firepower but I hope for a fun season.
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Yep I feel the same. Especially if we get Pavard and Amrabat in. I have two main questions:

1. Can Antony show more? I'm on record as not being a fan and don't think he offers us much, but if he can take a big step forward and offer either a more consistent threat in front of goal OR better creativity then that will be a big boost to the attack as well as mean we aren't in the market for a RW next summer.
2. Will the Mount/Bruno experiment work? Again I'm skeptical on Mount in that position as I feel like him and Bruno tend to get pushed too far forward and neither is particularly prudent in retaining possession. It's an interesting choice for sure from ETH and a big risk given how hard he pushed for Mount from the jump. If it works we should be far more dangerous going forward this year and should be able to press like demons, but if it doesn't' we'll be stuck watching our midfielders treat the ball like a bomb and will have serious trouble controlling games against better opposition.
 
Strong second place in EPL
One cup
Breakthrough of Mainoo or Gore
 
Gandalf Greyhame said:
We don't have the goals up front or the midfield depth to be in a title challenge, but I hope that despite teams around us strengthening far more significantly, EtH can get us CL footy again. And maybe a cup run.

And please can we for once thrash Liverpool for a change?
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"Far more significantly" Yeah how exactly?

Arsenal bought Rice and Timber (who's now out), as well as the weird choice of Havertz. That's an alright window but nothing extraordinary.

City bought another expensive defender but that's largely it.

Liverpool bought two mids after missing out on Mount but are failing to find a DM and also probably need another CB and LB.

Chelsea have bought a ton of players with Caicedo being the crown jewel and Jackson looking very promising, but even so I think our squad is better.

Meanwhile United bought one of the top striker prospects on the market, Mount who was coveted by every big club, one of the best keepers in the world, and are looking at another DM/CM cover player along with a defender to top it off. We most likely went from De Gea, Weghorst, Eriksen, Maguire, Fred/VDB to Onana, Hojlund, Mount, Pavard, Amrabat. That's a monstrous upgrade on a lot of crap.
 
Considering the ins and outs, and us having ETH I hope for:

Top 2 finish having 80+ points.
Winning the FA Cup or the League Cup (possibly both).
UCL quarterfinals.
A more progressive style of football.
 
League Cup and Top 3
A CL run in to quarters would me decent but unlikely considering squad depth
 
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