Good enough for top 4 next season?

Based on rumour Pogba is a gonner. And if he is not that midfield will be overrun in 90 percent of our games. Based on rumours Id more expect

-------------DDG
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw
---Longstaff or Mctominay Matic
-------Fernandez
Lingard Rashford Martial

Good enough for top 4? Who knows. Not enough goals unless Fernandez hits the ground running and the front 3 step up. It's asking alot. If Pogba stays then Fernandez won't be bought. Then top 4 is likely....if we have sorted all the disruptive aspects in the dressing room and the team don't down tools after a couple of losses
 
VanGaalyTime said:
I think if we sell Pogba and Lukaku, we'd be close to Everton's current level. We're not close to being miles better. I'd say we're probably just about better now but if we sell Lukaku without replacing him, that would make it very tight.
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We finished 12 points ahead of them last season how is that not miles better? We'll be far stronger this season and Pogbas not going anywhere I think we're a far better team than people give us credit for
 
Zlatattack said:
I know it's not over until it's over, but it seems were very strongly linked with some players and have signed other players. If rumours are to be believed we might start next season like this;

DDG
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw
Fernandes Longstaff Pogba
Lingard Rashford Martial​

Good enough for top 4? I'm not sure, would want a RW to replace Lingard and then would be confident we'd make it.
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If we aren't selling/loaning Fred then he starts for sure.

------------------- DDG -------------------
AWB | Jones | Maguire | Shaw
---------- Longstaff | Fred -----------
-- Fernandes | Mata | Pogba --
-------------- Ben Yedder --------------

This is what we'll end up with I think.
 
Yes, comfortably so. Chelsea are fecking dreadful and will be considerably weaker without Hazard. They’re barely any creativity left in that side. Arsenal are perennially underwhelming, and they too have little chance to properly improve this summer with such a modest transfer budget. I’d say Leicester are going to be as much of a challenge as the aforementioned duo, and our team is markedly better than theirs.
 
Unless Arsenal up their investment then we should finish above them, Chelsea Lampard may get a tune out of their youth players, but his time at Derby indicates that it will not be an runaway success, so I reckon we have the scope to finish higher than either of them.

I think that Everton, Wolves, Leicester and may be West Ham could flirt with top 6 or higher given a bit of luck and form am almost more concerned by those teams TBH.

I also would not lay my house on it but sneaky feeling Liverpool are not going to be as consistent next season... time will tell, will be Citeh all the way though no doubt in my mind, Spurs hmmm if they get a decent striker in, maybe 2nd place, I reckon we aim for 4th unless Spurs do Spurs and fall away towards the end of the season and then 3rd is possible.

I think Wan Bissaka fixes a whole host of problems at the back, just need either Matic to make a comeback to form or sign a decent replacement and I reckon we will be more solid again.
 
sideshow_bob said:
If we aren't selling/loaning Fred then he starts for sure.

------------------- DDG -------------------
AWB | Jones | Maguire | Shaw
---------- Longstaff | Fred -----------
-- Fernandes | Mata | Pogba --
-------------- Ben Yedder --------------

This is what we'll end up with I think.
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Bizarre. Why would Jones suddenly leap into the 1st team ahead of Lindelof and Smalling?

I don't think Ben Yedder would start over Rashford even if we do sign him. And surely Martial starts over Mata?
 
sincher said:
Bizarre. Why would Jones suddenly leap into the 1st team ahead of Lindelof and Smalling?

I don't think Ben Yedder would start over Rashford even if we do sign him. And surely Martial starts over Mata?
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Time will tell I guess
 
Assuming we do make those signings, and that one or both of Greenwood/James can provide something on the right if Lingard can’t, it hinges upon getting the incumbent lads to play at, or close to, their level - last season they all fell short. If Ole is able to coax some consistency out of them then we should be fine for top 4.
 
We finished second with Fellaini, Young, Valencia, Smalling and Jones in the side. We will be much better this coming season. AWB and James will provide much more balance down the right. Shaw and Martial down the other side will be pretty solid too. A new central defensive partner for Lindelof, some extra creativity in midfield and we should should be much improved. If Lukaku goes, we need a like for like replacement. He wasn't first choice, but a decent plan B. If Ben Yedder joins and starts scoring for fun, then we will see him and Rashford fighting for that spot, although Ben Yedder could also push Martial out of the starting line up. If Fernandes joins, I can't see Lingard getting much game time. It looks like these deals will eventually happen, so we just need to stay positive and support Ole and his team.
 
How is Chelsea or Arsenal finishing above us? Really?
 
Wheato said:
We finished second with Fellaini, Young, Valencia, Smalling and Jones in the side. We will be much better this coming season. AWB and James will provide much more balance down the right. Shaw and Martial down the other side will be pretty solid too. A new central defensive partner for Lindelof, some extra creativity in midfield and we should should be much improved. If Lukaku goes, we need a like for like replacement. He wasn't first choice, but a decent plan B. If Ben Yedder joins and starts scoring for fun, then we will see him and Rashford fighting for that spot, although Ben Yedder could also push Martial out of the starting line up. If Fernandes joins, I can't see Lingard getting much game time. It looks like these deals will eventually happen, so we just need to stay positive and support Ole and his team.
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We finished 2nd because everyone else was worse than us and we had a storming start of that season. The whole team was regressing after January and it continued into the 3rd season under Mourinho.

The best we can hope for is 4th with the current ins and outs - that's if we actually start employing a proper system and get the whole squad in proper physical shape so that teams at the bottom of the table do not consistently outrun us during matches.
 
We could have signed no one and finished top 4, people like to rewrite history and say we finished miles off of it last season whereas we missed out by a nats whisker. All we have to do is be less shit than Chelsea and Arsenal something any Man Utd side should be capable of doing
 
Anywhere from 4th to 9th seems eminently possible and would not be especially surprising.

Given that we can't buy a whole new XI, the season largely depends on Solskjaer getting a load of players he couldn't get to perform for nearly three months, to suddenly perform. Who knows whether he can manage that or not.
 
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Infra-red said:
Anywhere from 4th to 9th seems eminently possible and would not be especially surprising.

Given that we can't buy a whole new XI, the season largely depends on Solskjaer getting a load of players he couldn't get to perform for nearly three months, to suddenly perform. Who knows whether he can manage that it not.
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My thoughts too. If Pogba, Martial, Rashford perform at their best even 3rd is a real possibility. But if they don't...Much depends on whether Ole will be able to reinvigorate the team after the bad end to last season.
 
Pogba will be here. If we can score some goals and our defense is sorted, we will get 4th...
 
charlenefan said:
We could have signed no one and finished top 4, people like to rewrite history and say we finished miles off of it last season whereas we missed out by a nats whisker. All we have to do is be less shit than Chelsea and Arsenal something any Man Utd side should be capable of doing
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Think one out of Wolves, Leicester and Everton might surprise next season. They will play without pressure.
 
Reading the comments 4th seems do-able, but I definitely think we need a first choice RW to be within single digits of the top 3.

The gap between us and city is huge. If we finish within single digits, it'd take a big window next summer too, to be able to challenge.
 
Liverpool and City should be top 2 again. Think Spurs will put some distance between them and the rest as well. So I reckon we are battling for 4th with Chelsea, Arsenal and maybe one or two of Wolves, Everton and Leicester.

Hard to call who wins that mini league.
 
Drop JLingz and we should comfortably make top 4. Play him, and we'll battle Arsenal and Chelsea for 6th spot.
 
I don't get the Lingard hatred TBH not sure I want him as 1st 11 but as a squad player he is decent, at least until we build back up
 
So difficult to guess at this stage as all we have done so far is upgrade our right full back and buy a young inexperienced squad player . We haven’t replaced Herrera or even Fellaini.
We should have a clearer picture in 2/3 weeks time . The quality of the next couple of signings is crucial , even if we get a top CB we still look woefully short of goals .
 
You could say that if DDG recaptures his best form, Shaw and Lindelof continue to improve, Bailly makes a comeback from his injury troubles and gets into form and Wan-Bissaka and Tuanzebe hit the ground running our defensive issues could be a thing of the past. Alot of ifs there and the only one I'm reasonably sure of is De Gea getting back to his best. Smalling, Jones, Young and Darmian arent good enough for us at this point and I wouldn't be against any of them leaving. I don't think Harry Maguire improves us defensively though he would help our ball retention.

Still big issues in midfield. Fellaini and Herrera are gone and no real replacements have been announced though we could see more of Scott Mctominay, Andreas Pereira and Joel Garner though I'm not really convinced by the latter two. Maybe Fred improves in his second season? He's shown enough to be worthy of the benefit of the doubt but I'm not expecting much from him. Pogba will be quality if he stays. Matic's form was a real concern last season, he was so poor defensively down the stretch. We're still crying out for a midfield playmaker and based on the transfer rumours it doesn't look like any are coming. Might see more of Mata and Lingard in central midfield which I think would be a good move.

Alot of question marks in attack as well. Lukaku is the only proven goalscorer in the team and he was so poor at times last year but let's hope it was due to his fitness issues and that he will be better. Rashford really tailed off at the end of last season after a good start but he seemed to be struggling with niggles, let's hope the new contract will galvinise him to improve and deliver on a more consistent basis. Sanchez needs to get fit, we're not going to be able to get rid of him so we're best served giving him the time to sort out his fitness issues and hopefully be a kind of impact player we can rotate in or bring off the bench form time to time. Not what you'd expect from a player on the wages he's on but we have to try and make the best of the situation. If Mata and Lingard do move to more central roles then hopefully one of Chong and Greenwood will be allowed to stay and compete with James for the right wing berth. With Europa LEague games and cup games one or even both would add depth to the squad. Martial is Martial I guess.

All in all I'm not that optimistic. I think Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool and City are all in better shape than we are. The key will be sorting out the defensive issues and getting either Lukaku or Rashford scoring consistently. We badly need someone in midfield like Rabiot but I don't think the club are looking in that sort of direction. I expect us to finish 5th or 6th and to be around in the latter stages of Europa. I think that competition gives us a better chance of a route back into the CL than the league.
 
I think it will all depend on how we actually play.
 
With that team, on paper, I'd say yes.

Fernandes would help in creativity and goals department.

Maguire would allow us to build play a lot better.

Longstaff, although I don't think he'd start, from what I've seen, like Maguire, would allow us to build play better and allow the likes of Fernandes and Pogba to play in between the lines.

Wan-Bissaka would not only bring energy up and down the line, but the ability to recover and defend any potential counters.

The four players, including James to come from the bench, would be an upgrade on previous players.
 
If DDG didn't feck up at end to last season we could easily in top 4.
So I think if DDG sort him self out I can see us in top 4 this coming season.
 
Against lesser team at home.

—————-DDG——————
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw
Fernandes Longstaff Pogba
Greenwood Rashford Martial

Against top team.

—————-DDG——————
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw
McT —- Longstaff -—Pogba
———- Fernandes ————
——-Rashford Martial———

If Longstaff turns up to be a similar style of player to Carrick, I think it’s good enough.
 
Nah, not optimistic to be honest. I can see our starting 11 being more functional in some ways bt weaker in terms of quality. We will finish around 6th again I reckon at best. Around 10th if the worst comes to pass and Ole gets fired sooner rather than later.
 
Schmeichel - De gea
Pereira - Wan Bissaka
Maguire - Lindelof
Evans - Smalling
Chillwell - Shaw
Ndidi - Matic
Tielemans - McTominay
Maddison - Pogba
Perez - Martial
Barnes - Lingard
Vardy - Rashford


Looks about even to me. No wonder Leicester don't want to sell their best CB, if we're challenging top 4 so are they.
 
Tyinde said:
Chelsea lost Hazard and got transfer ban.
Arsenal will do nothing like always.
I dont really see a problem for us getting top 4.
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Top four next season should be an absolute minimum.
However, it is going to be very interesting to see how Lampard manages Chelsea. I thought that Sari actually did extremely well and hopefully he will be a big loss.
I also believe that we are better than Arsenal as long as our players get their collective heads down and play to their ability.
Bit concerned about Wolverhampton though. They can easily challenge for top four.
 
We are not closing the gap to Liverpool and City, but then neither is Chelsea, Arsenal or Spurs. Lets see how Chelsea get on losing Hazard and Spurs get on losing Eriksen. Spurs are not on an xfer ban and will bring in a replacement for Eriksen but it generally takes a year for a player to adjust his game to the EPL. Spurs will have a new main creative force and Ndombele who will both take some time to settle.

Arsenal will be Arsenal, they need to move Ozil on and reinvest that money. Probably time to revamp their CB's as well and move Xhaka on, they dont have the money to do all of this so they need to focus on what is critical.

I feel it will be Liverpool, City fighting it out again, a large gap to Spurs, a small gap to us, small gap to Arsenal and Chelsea.
 
Buster15 said:
Top four next season should be an absolute minimum.
However, it is going to be very interesting to see how Lampard manages Chelsea. I thought that Sari actually did extremely well and hopefully he will be a big loss.
I also believe that we are better than Arsenal as long as our players get their collective heads down and play to their ability.
Bit concerned about Wolverhampton though. They can easily challenge for top four.
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Chelsea changing manager doesn’t seem to affect them at all - it doesn’t matter who is in charge, difference is no Hazard.

Can’t see why we wouldn’t get at least 4th to be honest. If we click early enough, finishing above Spurs is more than achievable - clearly the top 2 is unlikely to change next season.
 
Zlatattack said:
I know it's not over until it's over, but it seems were very strongly linked with some players and have signed other players. If rumours are to be believed we might start next season like this;

DDG
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw
Fernandes Longstaff Pogba
Lingard Rashford Martial​

Good enough for top 4? I'm not sure, would want a RW to replace Lingard and then would be confident we'd make it.
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You were doing well until you mentioned Lingard.

Also we need a REAL striker. Rashford (new contract or not) and Martial are simply not good enough...... yet (maybe never - new contract or not). But to start competing again, we need a striker who actually knows how to score at the top level, as well as hold the ball well.
 
ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg said:
Chelsea changing manager doesn’t seem to affect them at all - it doesn’t matter who is in charge, difference is no Hazard.

Can’t see why we wouldn’t get at least 4th to be honest. If we click early enough, finishing above Spurs is more than achievable - clearly the top 2 is unlikely to change next season.
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Completely agree with you about Hazard. He carried a very average squad last season although I do believe that Sari made them quite resilient.
 
Zlatattack said:
I know it's not over until it's over, but it seems were very strongly linked with some players and have signed other players. If rumours are to be believed we might start next season like this;

DDG
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw
Fernandes Longstaff Pogba
Lingard Rashford Martial​

Good enough for top 4? I'm not sure, would want a RW to replace Lingard and then would be confident we'd make it.
Click to expand...

Im sure we would do better with James/Greenwood than Lingard on the RW.
 
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