Season summary
Overall league position was sub-standard, especially given the pre-season expectations. The impact of the past three seasons have been underestimated. But the has been a clear improvement in the quality of football being played, as it was disjointed under Moyes and pedestrian under Van Gaal.
However, there is one glaring statistic which, for me, has caused / restricted our league position. United were ranked 17th in goal conversion, with only 13% of shots being scored from. This meant United were ranked 12th in goals scored at home this season. and 6th equal away from home. This is clearly the problem, and it unfortunately is not one you can coach. This comes down to individual decisions.
In contrast, United had the 2nd least goals conceded at home and 3rd away. So defensively, they were pretty good. But the defense focus, somewhat hindered the goal scoring, but the fact is that creating chances was not a problem, ranked 4th in the league.
Maybe, that's why United have done well in the cup competitions, because solid defending gets you further in these competitions. It will be a disaster if they lose the final this week. It was a calculated gamble going for it, and it needs to pay off. Big time.
United were better to watch than previous years, as the nil all draws used to be games with 5 shots each. The signs are there for a positive future, but individuals need to step up, particularily in the final third.