Sooo if we win tomorrow it will be between us, Pool and Arse for that 4th spot I guess. Or do you guys think either of Spurs or City will drop off? Can't see it tbh
Top 4 race 2016/17
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
I like Spurs, a good side. Lots of young players coming through and they know how to grind out results when needed.
Definitely the second best team in he league.
Nailed on for them, Arsenal and Chelsea for top 3 in my opinion
(You may laugh at that but don't judge Arsenal on last two matches. When the title is no longer on, they slip into their comfy slippers which is 3rd/4th place aka the Wenger Trophy.)
Definitely the second best team in he league.
Nailed on for them, Arsenal and Chelsea for top 3 in my opinion
(You may laugh at that but don't judge Arsenal on last two matches. When the title is no longer on, they slip into their comfy slippers which is 3rd/4th place aka the Wenger Trophy.)
Think it finishes 1) Chelsea 2) Spurs 3) Arsenal 4) City
Today was just a piss take honestly, Stevie Wonder could see the weaknesses in the squad ffs, why an attmept wasn't made to improve the squad last month is baffling. I might as well get real and admit we have a huge fight for top 4 now and that we might not make it, from where we were a month ago to this... If the club doesn't back the manager next season it's going to be the same old rubbish. If he thinks he can make it in the league without spending then it won't end well. I'm not saying go and pay £70 million for Griezmann or anything but at least improve the numerous positions we are weak in. By the way, most sane, level headed Pool fans sensed this could happen which makes the claims I have read on here about us thinking we were going to win the league ridiculous.
It's tantalising that if we win tomorrow, for seemingly the first time in months we'd just be 1 result off top 4.
Clearly Leicester, as crap as they've been, will suddenly look good tomorrow.
Clearly Leicester, as crap as they've been, will suddenly look good tomorrow.
Anyone over on RAWK that said you weren't in a title race was called a "bedwetter" as late as this past week. Most of your fans (online at least) thought you were going to win the league.
It's between us, Liverpool and Arsenal for that 4th spot. Spurs are 2nd and given last season, it's no fluke - they wont be dropping out of the top 4. City are stacked and with Jesus coming in, they actually look the most dangerous side in the league right now - no way they drop out of the top 4. So yeah, it'll be a scrap to the death between us, Liv and Arse. Everton too have snuck up on us and might also have a slim chance of sneaking it.
Nah, come on. Not every single Liverpool fan is a Rawkite. I can honestly say I don't even go on RAWK at all, nevermind join the site I probably wouldn't read the posts on there. Why should we all be tarnished with the same brush? If a section of a club has very aggressive and racist fans does that mean the whole fan base is aggressive and racist? I know that's an unrelated example but you get my point. Anyway congrats on the title
Yeap,they will probably score an early goal.
Relatively confident that we'll finish in the top four from here to be fair (alongside Chelsea and Spurs), largely because we've played with a back four for a few consecutive weeks now and we look far more balanced for it. It seems Pep has stopped playing the game of changing the side drastically every week.
We've got the added bonus of a fully fit squad less Gundogan for the first time in a long time, and players like Sane and Sterling are in really good form. Then the added talent of Jesus has given the whole club a bit of a lift; lots of talk about the next generation, and the future, and they're buzzing on the pitch.
We've got the added bonus of a fully fit squad less Gundogan for the first time in a long time, and players like Sane and Sterling are in really good form. Then the added talent of Jesus has given the whole club a bit of a lift; lots of talk about the next generation, and the future, and they're buzzing on the pitch.
I think City might edge Arsenal to third, but I definitely agree with you with regards to which four teams make the cut.
Massive chance now, we could be above Liverpool before they play again if we just get our act together, and it's a fixtures they're likely to drop points in aswell.
If we can haul ourselves into fifth then that could just be catalyst we need to finally push on.
If we can haul ourselves into fifth then that could just be catalyst we need to finally push on.
If we don't finish in the top 4 this year it will be because we didn't try hard enough. We can't say that anyone except Chelsea and perhaps Spurs deserve a top 4 finish so far.
One of the most annoying things about our lack of self belief is that I work with a Spurs fan and a Liverpool fan, they both expect us to finish in the top 4 and their teams to drop out. It's like no one fecking wants it.
One of the most annoying things about our lack of self belief is that I work with a Spurs fan and a Liverpool fan, they both expect us to finish in the top 4 and their teams to drop out. It's like no one fecking wants it.
Liverpool will be fine.
Right now they look absolutely jaded, but then look at their fixture list from 27th December until now combined with their squad and see if you're still asking yourself why.
Now however they have the week off, will likely do a "what the f*ck is going on?" meeting on Monday followed by some morale-boosting training sessions where time is plentiful before their next match, the kind of big Anfield match against Tottenham that they thrive on. They will then likely jet off to Dubai or wherever nice for some team bonding for a few weeks after which they will be as good as new, no more distractions whatsoever but their weekly Premier League matches. They're a momentum team and with such momentum likely to prove easy to come by from this point onward I would put money on them finishing second.
Arsenal and ourselves will be the ones to miss out (partly because we'll obviously go full throttle to win the Europa League).
Right now they look absolutely jaded, but then look at their fixture list from 27th December until now combined with their squad and see if you're still asking yourself why.
Now however they have the week off, will likely do a "what the f*ck is going on?" meeting on Monday followed by some morale-boosting training sessions where time is plentiful before their next match, the kind of big Anfield match against Tottenham that they thrive on. They will then likely jet off to Dubai or wherever nice for some team bonding for a few weeks after which they will be as good as new, no more distractions whatsoever but their weekly Premier League matches. They're a momentum team and with such momentum likely to prove easy to come by from this point onward I would put money on them finishing second.
Arsenal and ourselves will be the ones to miss out (partly because we'll obviously go full throttle to win the Europa League).
Spurs are a very good side and they are in the title race with Chelsea, I agree.
But Arsenal? Why do you think they will finish third? The way they've been playing, they should be in mid table, and have been really lucky to pick up points against the lower ranked teams thanks to late goals, favourable decisions from refs, and other fortunate events. They have not even deserved to win many of the games they've won. They looked totally limp and flat against Chelsea. The way they allowed Hazard to walk through their midfield and defence was shambolic. No fight, no passion whatsoever. Hazard had it so easy! He barely broke out of a jog! What was the entire Arsenal team thinking? Their so called talisman Ozil, what did he do all game??
I believe that Arsenal's league position flatters them, as does Liverpool's. Both sides are decidedly average and were aided by very fortunate results that followed average performances. Liverpool's melt down seems to have no end in sight. They have beaten no one in 2017 except a narrow win against Plymouth!!
We should have killed Liverpool, we may yet rue wasting that chance - but I still think we will finish above both of them.
And they both have a better attack than us.
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Do Liverpool and Arsenal really have a better attack than us though?
It depends on how you define it really. We create as many chances, if not more chances, than both those teams. Our problem is finishing. In terms of creating chances we are fine. Finishing is clearly a weakness but it is only one aspect of attack.
Though things are of course not ideal - I would prefer to create lots of chances and fail to finish them, than be great at finishing but not create chances at all. The first problem is easier to fix.
We are better and more balanced than Arsenal and Liverpool. We just need to find our finishing touch. We are 1-2 players away from being a title winning side.
All that matters is goals not chances and they have both scored nearly 20 goals more than us.
We have just over 30 goals, and that is utter, utter, shite.
Right, looks like Chelsea (of course), Spurs, City and Arsenal.
If we weren't such idiots and took our chances we'd have been right there. As it stands though, I can't see any of the above from Spurs to Arse losing out on top four.
If we weren't such idiots and took our chances we'd have been right there. As it stands though, I can't see any of the above from Spurs to Arse losing out on top four.
Yes I agree that a return of just over 30 goals is not anywhere near good enough for a team with title aspirations. I concede the point fully.
However if we isolate our problem then it is clear that it is a problem with finishing chances. Few of our players are able to produce "end product" apart from Zlatan. Everyone else, well, they're creative, they hustle, they get into good positions but they don't score enough. That is the problem with UTD.
But I would rather have UTD's problems than Arsenal or Liverpool's problems. Their teams are imbalanced, soft, and mentally weak. We have not gone on any meltdown-style losing streaks, that shows we have at least some resilience about us. We don't crumble completely when the opposition scores. We don't easily blow 2 goal leads. We don't allow any opposition players to dribble past our entire midfield and defence while barely jogging. Those are positives. I would argue that we are overall a more balanced team than they are.
If we win today we are a point behind Liverpool and two points behind Arsenal after being 10 points behind both 8 weeks ago.
The last time we lost in the Premier League was 3 1/2 months ago.
Absolutely crucial for us to win the game against Leicester. Even a scrappy 1-0 win decided by a penalty will do. It is one of those games where the result matters a ton more than the performance. Being a point behind Liverpool would turn the tide in our favour, the momentum would be with us, we are a team on an upward form trajectory whereas Liverpool are experiencing a pretty bad meltdown (zero wins in 2017 apart from a narrow one against Plymouth). We are on the way up, they're on the way down. That will weigh on their minds and help us greatly. We must win at all costs and our finishing has to improve today - we WILL get chances so we just need to take them.
I would like to see UTD go all out and start with an aggressive formation, with Mhkitaryan, Martial and Mata all in the starting lineup. Herrera and Pogba in midfield with Schweinsteiger, Rooney and Rashford ready to come on. We have to go for it.
I got a feeling Liverpool are gonna beat Spurs so the battle from 2nd to 6th would become very tight again.
Top 7 is going to be tight. We have gotten used to the tactics Koeman wants now and our midfield depth now is excellent. Barkley/Davies/Gana/Morgan/McCarthy/Besic all fighting for the CM positions is a very nice position to be in.
Lose to Liverpool at Anfield? Impossible! They haven't won all year!
Well, on a more serious note, I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar game as we saw away to Manchester City. Our away form isn't the best, and they will raise their game. I'm still confident in a result though as I believe we will be determined to not see a repeat of the Man C game.
I know, but honestly, I've been losing faith as we seem so mentally frail. What's more frustrating is that we do put ourselves in good positions (even if we play shit), but then we snatch at chances and can't put the ball in the back of the net. That suggests a serious problem with handling the pressure and expectations. This is why I'm not confident.
I'm actually astonished that an institution like ManUtd isn't utilising sports psychology. They can't really be addressing this as it's been happening season after season with different managers.
I want to believe, but it's really hard.
Find one post from one LFC fan on here.
I think you are favourites. It's just the fact Liverpool are due a win.
Can't see it tbh. Spurs look really really good atm. Pool are just shit at this point.
So out the top 6, following 'harder' fixtures to play:
Spurs: Liverpool (a), Arsenal (h), United (h)...........also West Ham (a),
Arsenal: Liverpool (a), Spurs (a), City (h), United (h)....also everton (h), Stoke (a), Southampton (a)
Liverpool: Spurs(h), Arsenal (h), City (a).....Stoke (a), West Ham (a), Leicester (a), everton (h)
City: United (h), Liverpool (h), Arsenal (a), Chelsea (a) .....Southampton (a)
United: Arsenal (a), Spurs (a), City (a), Chelsea (h)......Southampton (a), Leicester (a)
Spurs look like the easier run in, they should finish second but they are Spurs. Liverpool have probably the second easier run in. Cities is a little easier than Arsenal's. But it boils down to consistency. United's looks to have the hardest away games and would need to play out of their skin to get the results needed.
Spurs: Liverpool (a), Arsenal (h), United (h)...........also West Ham (a),
Arsenal: Liverpool (a), Spurs (a), City (h), United (h)....also everton (h), Stoke (a), Southampton (a)
Liverpool: Spurs(h), Arsenal (h), City (a).....Stoke (a), West Ham (a), Leicester (a), everton (h)
City: United (h), Liverpool (h), Arsenal (a), Chelsea (a) .....Southampton (a)
United: Arsenal (a), Spurs (a), City (a), Chelsea (h)......Southampton (a), Leicester (a)
Spurs look like the easier run in, they should finish second but they are Spurs. Liverpool have probably the second easier run in. Cities is a little easier than Arsenal's. But it boils down to consistency. United's looks to have the hardest away games and would need to play out of their skin to get the results needed.
Not sure about that, Liverpool have been great against the top 6 this season, especially at Anfield. I think it could be a nervy game for both sides.
Liverpool don't have the players that City do and so Spurs will get a result either a draw or Spurs win.
City probably currently have the highest ceiling of all the teams but have failed to consistently bring it and in some cases (Spurs, Chelsea, Everton-h) have failed to get the results when they have.
Liverpool aren't capable of doing to Spurs what City did.
Which teams are we realistically trying to overhaul for 4th spot?
At the moment you'd have to say arsenal and liverpool. But a few weeks ago it looked like it would be city and spurs so it can all change very quickly.
As Leicester are gonna concede more in the second half, you are back in the race. It's gonna be very tight.
United will go one point behind Klopp's Liverpool today and the silence is deafening. No articles, no headlines, no loaded questions in interviews, nothing.
Until it's impossible to do so, anyone above us.
The later into the season it gets, the more pointless this sort of analysis becomes.
Liverpool have just lost to Swansea and Hull, United couldn't beat Hull. Arsenal lost to Watford, and City needed a 92nd min goal to beat Swansea.
It'll get even more fraught.
So many What ifs this season..
We really should be in the top 4...
We really should be in the top 4...
Other than us I think Arsenal should be the most concerned at the moment.
Obviously it might all look different in a couple of months.
Obviously it might all look different in a couple of months.