I think he doesn't disagree with you that much and neither did I. I think the prediction of 5th and 6th is pretty fair considering they came 8th last season. They aren't close to City or Arsenal in league terms at the moment and likely worse than Liverpool, so they would fight for the 4th place along with the other teams such as Tottenham and Chelsea.
The difference is the perception and whether you think finishing 5th or fighting for top4 is positive or not. I think it is positive as long as they're trying to institutionally change and build foundations for the future, you also keep saying how they fluked an FA Cup but in reality major finals are often won by teams who spend a lot of time defending and that doesn't mean it was a fluke. Where you disagree is that you think defensive football doesn't win leagues which I agree it usually doesn't, but it can win cups, and Ten Hag has shown he's a good cup manager so far at the least.
The point is loads of teams can be cup teams and fail in the league, United know that themselves from the 80s. True that counter-attack wins cup finals often. That's why counter-attack teams do well in cups and often beat Pep teams.
Where we disagree is that they're on a 'positive trajectory'. Ratcliffe and his buddies have it all to prove and I remain unconvinced it isn't another clown show, and the transfers made reinforce that view in me,
I am sure if I said this stuff on Arsenal Mania, Bluemoon, RAWK, Newcastle forums, Villa Talk etc most would agree with me and 'like' my posts. But United have a few sympathisers on here bizarrely enough.
I think it's because none of you are English so you see United as more 'entitled' to success than Newcastle or Aston Villa. To you Man United are English football royalty. They 'should' be at the top of the English game, so you tie yourself in knots to proclaim them 'on the way back'
But they're most likely not.
