What is the absolute minimum that United should achieve next season?

We're Utd, minimum is a title push. The fact that we have fallen so far behind that this is not a genuine aim is nothing but a result of how badly Woodward has managed things since he got the job. How many other managers, coaches, players, staff can be blamed before his head finally rolls?
 
We’ve a lot of ground to make up on City and Liverpool, CL is the minimum expected.
 
I think with Chelsea having the transfer ban and Arsenal not being able to splash the cash we should definitely finish 4th and I think we can beat Spurs to 3rd if we wrap up our summer transfers early and the squad has time to gel before the season kicks off. Its imperative that Ed and his team wrap up our summer business, CB, DM, RCM, and cf if Lukaku leaves, asap to give Ole and his staff the maximum amount of time to get the squad fit and firing on all cylinders.

If we can get Jadon Sancho next summer, keep Pogba, and stabilize our back 4 I think in a perfect world we could compete with City and Liverpool the season after next.
 
Every year its "top 4". Then a circumstantial reason as to why we shouldn't get top 4.

So next year il go with top 6.
 
We were supposed to be better than Arse (only Boomerang stands out), and a "Hazard-less with a green-as-hell manager" Chelsea. That meant Spurs were our only rival left for the 3rd spot (+ the chance of ruining the title for Liverpool by making them drop 3 points at OT). Leicester was Top5-7 at best. Also hopes for a FA Cup + EL double.

Reality has come crashing down, hard. And it's not even mid-October.
 
Staying up, being a nice guy, and scoring more than 1 in a couple of games is enough right?
 
We were supposed to be better than Arse (only Boomerang stands out), and a "Hazard-less with a green-as-hell manager" Chelsea. That meant Spurs were our only rival left for the 3rd spot (+ the chance of ruining the title for Liverpool by making them drop 3 points at OT). Leicester was Top5-7 at best. Also hopes for a FA Cup + EL double.

Reality has come crashing down, hard. And it's not even mid-October.

No, we had the "opportunity" to get ahead of those teams, IF, and that's one shuddering huge IF, we did enough work to our squad.

And we didn't, so it's only due to the sheer averageness of the rivals, that we even have a chance of top 4 still.
 
Absolute minimum, is to remain in the top part of the PL and if Mason Greenwood proves not to be a natural goal-scorer (at the moment he is showing by his positioning and movement in the box, enough to suggest he might become one) then that is number one transfer target for Ole. Our defence is looking better every game, with Axel now making a bid, and we can muddle along with Fred and Pereira in mid-field as McTominay is gaining confidence with every game and that will allow Pogba licence to play ten yards further up the pitch.

Unfortunately my man Matic has had his day in the Sun, his back injury (despite the op) has left him much slower and less mobile and he will leave at the end of the season, maybe even January window, if, as above, either Fred or Pereira are able to step up to the plate.
 
No, we had the "opportunity" to get ahead of those teams, IF, and that's one shuddering huge IF, we did enough work to our squad.

And we didn't, so it's only due to the sheer averageness of the rivals, that we even have a chance of top 4 still.

My point is that many folks correctly predicted a midtable season when Ed didn't bother to sign another CB and at least one MF and a RFW and/or a CF replacement for Lukaku.
 
My point is that many folks correctly predicted a midtable season when Ed didn't bother to sign another CB and at least one MF and a RFW and/or a CF replacement for Lukaku.

True.
Although we at least got a centre back. And a bargain one at that :wenger:
 
Expectations should be top 4, same as every other United manager so far.

Reality is we'll finish around 8th at best and, if Ole stays the entire season, probably closer to 15th. Hopefully not lower.
 
Top 4, what is so special that we have to drop standards for Ole who has no credentials to his managerial CV? we are playing the worse football post fergie where we can barely score a goal to save our lives, we look like a team with no style, patterns, ideas of how to attack, we still look dodgy at the back, no player is getting better under him infact his favourites like lingard and rashford are playing worse under him than they did under either Mourinho or van Gaal.
 
If we invest decently in the next transfer window, which I gave little faith in the board doing. We have a chance of getting 4th, as we are only 3 points away now due to our rivals also not playing to the best if their ability.

I'm doubting that we will get 4th but a few good transfers and some luck with injuries and we may still get it. I'm hoping :)
 
Not because Ole is at the wheel but because we have a seriously imbalanced squad.

It's only in balanced because of the signings Ole made and the formation he uses, had conte took over instead of Ole we would have been just fine with the squad balance.
 
Staying up, being a nice guy, and scoring more than 1 in a couple of games is enough right?
Absolutely. We also need to bring some of the old friends at the club in important roles. Regardless if they have credentials or not.
 
Realistically I would honestly say this...

Year 1: Top 8
Year 2: Top 6
Year 3: Top 4

An improvement of two places per season with a modest goal this season would seem like a realistic plan.

Once we are back in the Champions League we can push on by investing in established talent
 
It'll get progressively worse, Ole will be gone by March at the latest and we'll finish about 8th.
 
Realistically I would honestly say this...

Year 1: Top 8
Year 2: Top 6
Year 3: Top 4

An improvement of two places per season with a modest goal this season would seem like a realistic plan.

Once we are back in the Champions League we can push on by investing in established talent

What gives you any confidence that United will be back in the champions leagues in three years time?
 
Realistically with the squad as it stands 8th would be the minimum expected. I don't see what grounds we've got to expect better from what we have compared to others.

I predicted 6th last season which proved correct but think we've got a bigger threat from the likes of Everton and Leicester now. All depends what we do in the transfer market.
I saw this coming on the 17th June.
 
Realistically I would honestly say this...

Year 1: Top 8
Year 2: Top 6
Year 3: Top 4

An improvement of two places per season with a modest goal this season would seem like a realistic plan.

Once we are back in the Champions League we can push on by investing in established talent

Why don't you start from the bottom 16? Then we can keep him longer and finally satisfy our fetish for a 'long term manager'