#07
makes new threads with tweets in the OP
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2010
- Messages
- 23,651
The league is in a very poor state indeed.
But we are fairly big contributors to that in the sense that we set such a high bar that winning the league usually meant 87 plus points. We havent gotten close to 80 since Sir Alex left, and we probably wont this season either.
My main gripe with Van Gaal is he has not even been able to set the pace in an average league. Even now we are just seven points off the top and could still win it, if we get ourselves sorted and really go for it.
After 2004/05, when Mourinho's Chelsea recorded 95 points, Sir Alex explicitly targeted 90 points at the start of every season.
You are totally correct that the league this year is terrible, and the fact nobody looks like they will get close to 90 points shows that. The 2012/13 United team, which pundits like to claim was weak, would walk the title this year.
The fact English teams, ourselves included, have struggled in European competition shows how much weaker the league has become. On the last day of the Champions League group stages, three English teams were on the verge of exit. A few years ago that would have been inconceivable. English teams have also struggled in the Europa league. While many like to claim its because they do not care, just look at how West Ham performed in the Europa League. West Ham are just two points behind us, in sixth place, and got knocked out of the Europa league by Astra Giurgiu! Amazing how Spain, which many caftards will tell you is a weak league, dominates the Champions League and the Europa League...
In this league, with the backing he has had, Van Gaal should be challenging for the title. That should be the minimum expectation.