New season optimism

Optimism for the new season is easy if you go into the season with reasonable expectations.

My expectation is that we're going to be competing for 5th with the likes of Villa, Newcastle, and Spurs. I see City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea as a level above us.

I fully expect we'll have the same problems as last season- we'll struggle to score goals, we'll concede too many, and we'll deal with more injuries than normal- but I don't expect the severity of these issues to match last season.

Being around 5th place with 65-75 goals scored and differential of +15 or better would be a good sign that this new direction is working.
 
Todd said:
Optimism for the new season is easy if you go into the season with reasonable expectations.

My expectation is that we're going to be competing for 5th with the likes of Villa, Newcastle, and Spurs. I see City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea as a level above us.

I fully expect we'll have the same problems as last season- we'll struggle to score goals, we'll concede too many, and we'll deal with more injuries than normal- but I don't expect the severity of these issues to match last season.

Being around 5th place with 65-75 goals scored and differential of +15 or better would be a good sign that this new direction is working.
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Agree with a lot of this though defensively think we will be much better. Bissaka and Dalot both missed fair periods of last season, let alone the likes of SHaw/Martinez.

I do think we still struggle going forward in terms of creating goals though as Rashford/ANtony wouldnt bet on either consistently performing to the quality there abilities should allow and as much as Im rooting for him....it says a lot many are pinning hopes on Amad being our star winger when he has ,iterally played a handful of games....I dont see the only addition of Zirkzee as a link up player (and probably from the bench) changes that enough. Gutted we dont seem to have gone in for WIlliams/Doue....and a feeling a wide player will be our big priority next summer
 
No optimism at all. We still have the same shite players and the same weak midfield that will constantly get over run like always. We aren't going to improve with a young CB and a meh striker like Zirkee. I hope the coaches are actually teaching the players how to play football.

Rashford will keep on running into defenders. Anthony will keep on making the worst decisions. Sancho will be ineffective. McTominay will be only OK and bail us out. Rasmus might keep on getting ignored. I honestly feel like it'll be exactly like last season, hoping the injuries don't absolutely kill us this time.
 
AaronRedDevil said:
No optimism at all. We still have the same shite players and the same weak midfield that will constantly get over run like always. We aren't going to improve with a young CB and a meh striker like Zirkee. I hope the coaches are actually teaching the players how to play football.

Rashford will keep on running into defenders. Anthony will keep on making the worst decisions. Sancho will be ineffective. McTominay will be only OK and bail us out. Rasmus might keep on getting ignored. I honestly feel like it'll be exactly like last season, hoping the injuries don't absolutely kill us this time.
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Totally agree with you. The optimist in me died after Pogback season. But at least let's get positive goal difference this time.
 
For me the optimism isn't so much the team and players, but rather the change of who's running the club, INEOS and the people they've brought in, tasked with the job of returning the club to winning ways.

I'm intrigued by what they can bring to the club, how they'll work together, the impact that has on the team and coaching staff. It does feel like the club are being run properly, for the first team in many many years.

So whilst optimism for the season ahead isn't exactly high, I think we'll see quite early on if we're heading in the right direction, and I'm hoping that's the case. If everyone is pulling in the same direction then you'd have to say there is enough quality to finish top 4, that should be the goal this season.
 
For me there's some level of optimism as we finished 8th last season so we should hopefully better that this season.
 
Cause for optimism: we finished 3rd with largely the same squad.

Cause for pessimism: one injury in one of several key positions (CM, DM, RB, LB) and we're back to crisis mode.
 
Denis79 said:
Hojlund doesn't score many either.
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He scored 10 PL goals in goals in 31 games in his first season. 16 overall including 5 in 6 champions league games. To put this in context Wayne Rooney our top scorer ever scored 11 PL goals in 31 and 17 overall in his first season. Granted that Rooney was a little younger but he also was part of an amazing team.
 
The way things are shaping up let's throw all of our eggs into the EL basket, feck the league.
 
jesperjaap said:
Agree with a lot of this though defensively think we will be much better. Bissaka and Dalot both missed fair periods of last season, let alone the likes of SHaw/Martinez.
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Eh? Did you mean someone else? Dalot played 36 league games and 50 in all comps, only Onana played in more, no outfield player did.
 
I have zero expectations and no optimism. I don't believe much will change. Too many players are still at the club that don't belong here. Our transfers so far are underwhelming at best.

Obviously we can't expect miracles from the "new structure", but so far all is hype with very little substance.
 
Pughnichi said:
In recent years, despite who we sign I’ve found myself flat. Just fed up with the state of the club, how we’ve seemingly mismanaged transfers, contracts, the stadium in a state of disrepair. Just the whole package generally made me concede that we just weren’t an elite team/club

this summer just feels different. I am feeling very positive about the future. Not just the rumours to Branthwaite, Yoro, DeLigt, Ugarte and Zirkzee….but the sense that we seem capable of handling multiple transfers.

not just those coming in but I am also optimistic about the leavers. There seems to be a lot of noise of people that shouldn’t be at the club and dont appear likely to be for much longer.

the commitment to investing heavily at Carrington

the speculation of a new stadium

the completely restructure of the back staff and importantly having people who know and understand the role and have a wealth of experience

truly exciting times comparable to the previous 10 years.

I just desperately hope we win our first game to keep this positive bounce I’m feeling

good times again

now let’s get some of those transfers over the line
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I'm not optimist. Doesn't mean I will be calling for ETH's sacking. Let's say that I will be very surprised if the football improves or if the new players turn out to be instant or even delayed hits.
 
How many teams in PL history have gone from very lucky to finish 8th one season to challenging for top 4 the next?

It's very optimistic to expect much different to last season with the same manager and pretty much the same players.
 
Leftback99 said:
How many teams in PL history have gone from very lucky to finish 8th one season to challenging for top 4 the next?

It's very optimistic to expect much different to last season with the same manager and pretty much the same players.
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Was it unlucky then that we finished 3rd the season before with the same manager and pretty much the same players?
 
Leftback99 said:
How many teams in PL history have gone from very lucky to finish 8th one season to challenging for top 4 the next?

It's very optimistic to expect much different to last season with the same manager and pretty much the same players.
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Leicester finished 14th and won the league the following year.

Chelsea finished 10th and then 1st as well in 16/17.
 
Fugeeface said:
I have zero expectations and no optimism. I don't believe much will change. Too many players are still at the club that don't belong here. Our transfers so far are underwhelming at best.

Obviously we can't expect miracles from the "new structure", but so far all is hype with very little substance.
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You must be fun to be around. What substance are you talking about? The season hasn’t started yet. Underwhelming transfers? Seems Real Madrid sees it in a different way.

I am also not predicting wonders but I think there is something positive growing with the new structure.
 
In all honesty, I'm more optimistic for the future than I am this upcoming season. I think good decisions are being made for the long term, but just with how last season went, it's hard to feel all that positive. But we shall see, especially with plenty more business hopefully to be done in this window.

I 100% believe this season will be better though, so I guess I am optimistic on some level.
 
For me we're Luke Shaw and Licha playing 32-35 league games away from being top 4. With them 2 both fit for most of the season i can really see us having a decent season year (ie top 4). Appreciate that's a big ask, especially with Shaw.

Mainoo makes a big difference in CM, i expect Rashford to be better this season, Amad looks strong and Garancho is brilliant, I think Hojlund will kick on again and am expecting a lot more from Mount. Massively cliche of course, but feels like we have the equivalent of 3 or 4 new signings there! There's also more stability in the background, the stuff going on with the ownership and fan unrest is massive, the psychological element for everyone on the pitch will be better im sure.

I'd really like to see us bring in another CM but, dare i say it, im swaying towards optimism and a substantial improvement on last season!
 
M Bison said:
For me we're Luke Shaw and Licha playing 32-35 league games away from being top 4. With them 2 both fit for most of the season i can really see us having a decent season year (ie top 4). Appreciate that's a big ask, especially with Shaw.
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Martinez has never played more than 27 league games in a season, Shaw has managed 32 once. If they both manage 32 or more it next season, your medical team deserve a Nobel prize!
 
City and Arsenal are rightly ahead of United, no fan would argue with that.

But Chelsea are getting way too much credit. They could easily have a diabolical season.

Villa will have the added pressure/distraction of CL football which could take it’s toll.

Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle are all a little unknown in terms of can they repeat/improve on last seasons form.

It makes the race for 3rd-6th very tight. If the league began tomorrow then United would be at the lower end of that mini race.

But let’s see what INEOS can do in the next few weeks to improve the odds.
 
Top 4 shouldn't be beyond us by any means.

That depends on arguably our best 2 defenders actually playing more than 25% of the games this season.
Plus it needs Rashford and other wingers to produce more than last year.
Plus Hojlund to improve on his first season.

I can't imagine anyone thinks that even the above, combined with a fairly unknown forward and a young defender being signed will propel us any higher than 4th
 
theklr said:
There is a reason why the club havent set top 4 as an absolute demand, and that is that this is very clearly a transition season.

They have bought two promising youngsters while having Amad, Garno, Højlund snd Mainoo already part of the main 11 , and quite a few outgoings of the older guard this or next season.

This season is going to be all about letting the youngsters play and gel, then be ready for ‘25-‘26 with a few more additons where needed.
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I don’t mind that as long as we start to see a clear style of football being imbedded.
 
My gut feeling is this team's closer to falling apart than it is to resurge. Ten Hag gone by Christmas, leaving half a squad of players bought for largely the wrong reasons. Hope I'm wrong.
 
RuudTom83 said:
City and Arsenal are rightly ahead of United, no fan would argue with that.

But Chelsea are getting way too much credit. They could easily have a diabolical season.

Villa will have the added pressure/distraction of CL football which could take it’s toll.

Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle are all a little unknown in terms of can they repeat/improve on last seasons form.

It makes the race for 3rd-6th very tight. If the league began tomorrow then United would be at the lower end of that mini race.

But let’s see what INEOS can do in the next few weeks to improve the odds.
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The problem is they may not be able to do enough in next few weeks due to the financial mess caused by the previous regime. However I do have optimism for the next few windows IF Erik can show some ruthlessness with players not good enough for Utd
 
RuudTom83 said:
City and Arsenal are rightly ahead of United, no fan would argue with that.

But Chelsea are getting way too much credit. They could easily have a diabolical season.

Villa will have the added pressure/distraction of CL football which could take it’s toll.

Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle are all a little unknown in terms of can they repeat/improve on last seasons form.

It makes the race for 3rd-6th very tight. If the league began tomorrow then United would be at the lower end of that mini race.

But let’s see what INEOS can do in the next few weeks to improve the odds.
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I would say the chances of them having a worse season than last season are very high. I'm not convinced by Maresca.
 
I'll be optimistic if we sign a few more players - another CB, full backs and especially a new DM. So far way too little has changed squad wise and with the same manager at the help you cannot expect any miracles otherwise we'd face the harsh reality in a couple of weeks.
 
justsomebloke said:
My gut feeling is this team's closer to falling apart than it is to resurge. Ten Hag gone by Christmas, leaving half a squad of players bought for largely the wrong reasons. Hope I'm wrong.
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The optimists still refuse to heed the lessons of the past decade. We're always closer to a collapse than to a resurgence.
 
I think we will be a bit better defensively as surely the injury record has to be better than last year. I just can't see us scoring enough goals and the way ETH sets up is so open in midfield.

I predict some slightly better results than last year but with really poor football and we will finish 6th or 7th behind City, Arsenal, Villa, Liverpool and one of 2 of Spurs / Chelsea. I think we will have a different manager before the start of the 2025/2026 season.
 
I'm optimistic. I think if we have a normal season from an injury standpoint we will get top 4. Depending on the signings we make I could see us pushing for 3rd/2nd. I think the norm for this team is more the first season than the second season. The main thing is to get a good squad together this season. One where if we do have injuries to the likes of Martinez, Shaw, Mainoo, Bruno, Rasmus, Garnacho then the drop off isn't as severe as it was last season. Zirkzee and Yoro help to address that. If we can get in Ugarte, De Ligt/Branthwaite, Mazraoui then the squad will have some good depth to it. Add Mount hopefully being available I can see us being more consistent this season.

If we can get to the end of the season with trust in this squad that they can comfortably make top 4, then next summer is where we then need to add the final jigsaw pieces aka those 2 or 3 world class players that get us challenging for the league/Champs league.
 
I want to be optimistic but injuries are killing it. We signed Mount, injured most of the season, Hojlund had his injury problems in hist first season too....Shaw, Martinez, Varane....I could go on.

We sign Yoro and he goes off injured in his 3rd preseason game. Hojlund goes off, same game.

What the Hell is going on? How often do we ever see our best XI?

Just can't be optimistic with the injury records we have. It's sickening, how can you positively look forward to a new season, and new signings when you can hardly rely on them being available.

Footballs changed, its all about the physical and flair players seem to be a thing of the past. This maybe has an impact on things.

But can't we get a handle on this as we seem to suffer more than most.
 
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