What should our expectations be for the rest of the season?

sullydnl

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Assuming a new manager takes over imminently, they are inheriting a team in 14th place, 7 points off top four, and still in all cup competitions.

What should our expecations be from that manager this season?
 
Become competitive. Score goals. Recover and make a run in Europe and hope we can string together enough results to get back into Europa via the league.
 
Hopefully a new manager bounce will restore confidence and we take it from there. Both the league and Europa League campaigns have started poorly but I think we're 7 points off top 4 which is in no way insurmountable, and we should still progress in Europe.

All depends on how the new manager does, if the squad get on board with his ideas etc. Could still be a decent season.
 
Start playing football again, top 4 and cup final(s)
 
This will probably be the first time in a lot of Utd fans lifetime where a new manager will be appointed at this stage of the season. So it'll be interesting to see how this works out, with the new manager bounce and all that.

I posted this in the other thread.

I looked at it like this when Ragnick was appointed. At that point I thought Utd needed to win around 18 or make around 54 points out of the remaining games to make top 4 a guarantee. He had 24 games and won 10, drew 7 and lost 7. Utd finished 13 points off 4th with 37 points gained. So I wasn't too far off.

There's 29 games left, that's 87 points to play for. Utd are on 11 points, 70-75 points usually guarantees top 4 or has done in most seasons.

So the reality is Utd need to pick up 60-64 points to make top 4, regardless of what anyone else does. That's essentially winning 20 out of 29 games. Anything less than 20 wins and you need more draws and less losses. While not impossible It's highly improbable.

If you look at the top 6 sides Utd have to play and how many points you might get in those games.

Arsenal x 2 = 1
Chelsea x 2 = 3
City x 2 = 0
Liverpool x 1 = 1
Villa x 1 = 3
Spurs x 1 = 3

W3, D2, L4

For arguments sake, lets say that's a rather optimistic outlook of 11 points from those 9 games. That leaves you needing around 50 points from the remaining 20 games. That's expecting 14/15/16 wins and a few draws.

Bournemouth x 2 = 4
Newcastle x 2 = 1
Brighton x 1 = 3
Forest x 2 = 3
Everton x 2 = 4
Leicester x 2 = 4
Wolves x 2 = 4
Palace x 1 = 3
Ipswich x 2 = 6
Southampton x 1 = 3
Brentford x 1 = 3
West Ham x 1 = 3
Fulham x 1 = 3

W13, D5, L2

I think that's 44 points from those + the 11 above & that'd be 55 points leaving Utd on 66 points. Overall even with this record W16, D7, L6. It's probably still not enough.

Finish as high in the league as possible and try to win the EL, FA Cup and League Cup. That should be the target for the season.
 
Some watchable football, a few comfortable wins against smaller teams, competitive against the bigger teams- not a 3-0 walkover, and improvements in a few players. Most of all a style that is implemented and also isn't stupid.

Don't care about a specific target of points or cup runs - that's for next season.
 
sullydnl said:
Assuming a new manager takes over imminently, they are inheriting a team in 14th place, 7 points off top four, and still in all cup competitions.

What should our expecations be from that manager this season?
Click to expand...
Also 7 points from bottom 3, I would be happy with watchable football and some decent wins, I would be happy with 1-0 / 2-1 wins if we are playing decent football, but I think most of all we need to turn OT back in to fortress, at the moment clubs delight in coming to OT , because they think they can get something, this has to be changed.
 
Start to show some signs of a style of play. A good run in the Europa. Get us closer to top 4 and see where we are in the last few weeks of the season.
 
It’s gotta be the style of play, look like we have a plan and a style we’re working towards. Where we finish at this point is irrelevant.
 
Trust the process. Trust that Berrada, Wilcox and Ashworth are continuously working to put the club back where it needs to be.
 
Try to play an entertaining & winning style of football.
Don’t get relegated.
Get the players to play as a team.
 
I dont think we'll make top 4, although top 6 is still more than possble. I also still don't see any reason why we couldn't win the Europa League.
 
I Cant see any turnaround in our play being instant or if it is not being consistent for long periods, so if we can just finish higher than last season will be decent progress, is a positive goal difference to much to ask.
 
Some sort of team identity and consistent, entertaining style of football. Something that indicates real tangible progress, not false dawns built on blind faith and excuses
 
"Van Nistelrooy" is a caretaker. But what they didnt realize was Sir Alex is also no longer the clubs ambassador. Ruud wears a headphone everyday of the week with Sir Alex whispering every details of what he should be doing. We win all games and win the league. Fergie to reveal himself "jedi in a hoodie" style by the end of season during players awards. Then he reintroduces Moyes as the new manager and how we should stand by him this time.
 
Without reinforcement, this squad can't make top 4 or any trophies, under any manager. Appointing new manager forces INEOS to spend something in January, but who knows how much they have to spend or are willing to.

December will be tough. Arsenal and City games in quick succession, unlikely to get any points from either of those
 
Whilst EtH has ultimately failed, I fear the players simply don't have what it takes to get top 4. Top 6 maybe.
 
A clear progression in performances and a proactive style of play.

I don't want to see us resembling relegation fodder vs the big teams in like March/April.
 
Win the europa league is number 1 priority.

Number 2 priority is get into a league position that isn't completely humiliating (6th or higher).
 
Show a clear style of play, develop the squad around that style of play, get to at least a top 8 finish but ideally top 6.

Prioritise getting as high up the Europa table as possible, should really be 5 wins from 5 given the opposition which should be enough to bypass the playoff game, and then focus on those cup games in the second half of the season, because there's no reason we cant win the Europa league.
 
5th or 6th should be doable in the Premier League. In the Europa League, it really is only Spurs and maybe Bilbao who should be on a similar level to us. I'm confident we can win it if the new manager's approach works.
 
We aren't that far off in the league but depends how we settle with the new manager. I'd like to think the league season isn't lost from a CL perspective but definitely a big disadvantage in terms of top 4 race, especially given we've had a relatively kind fixture run and have been garbage in it.
 
I just hope that he will have the same effects like when Pep and Klopp was appointed. Works in progress but can clearly see the distinct identity of the team straight away. Clear style of play and direction we are trying to go. It will takes time but there must be clear identity and progress.

Not like ETH after 3 years no one knows what's the style of play he was trying to implement.

I would expect we can still challenge for CL places 4/5th and have outside chance of winning the EL.
 
Personally, I don't care how we do in either the league or cups specifically.

But what I'd like to see is whatever the style of play for the next several years is supposed to be getting implemented straight away. No compromising on that for the sake of short term results, just start doing what we want to do and get better at it.

And hopefully in doing so do well enough to underline that ETH was underperforming with this squad.
 
Well, Nistelrooy is a coach with little experience, there's still players like Zirkzee, Antony, Rashford in the squad so as long as we don't get rid of these we won't be able to fight for a top4 finish. What i expect is to see a team which plays with energy, momentum, confidence and tactics. This would be a serious progress regardless of the results anyway.
 
The focus has to be on performances. Establishing a style of play that will take us places. Under ETH, we never really saw the kind of performance that you looked at and could believe was title winning quality. The bigger wins against Barca and City were more reactive performances, not exactly underdog games, but closer to it. We need performances where a dominant style of play emerges against big teams, even if the results don't quite go our way.
 
Get a style of play in the team is most important I think so we are ready for next year, finish top 6 and maybe do well in a cup, especially Europa league is interesting because winning it brings CL football and we definitely won’t get that in the league.
 
If they take over in November, the thing I want to see after the christmas break is a team playing with a visible structure, some recognisable patterns of play that make the most of the talent on the pitch.

You know, like a football team should be. If wrexham can have that, why can't we? And we haven't, not with ten hag, and not with the last few months of ole either.
 
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