21 Sep 2026 15:06:13
Carrick isn't getting sacked over the international break, so let's not go down that route and I'd be surprised if he goes before Christmas unless things completely fall apart. He earned some time after getting United back into the Champions League last season.

If he does eventually go, I really can't see Berrada and Wilcox going for Conte. Remember what happened at Spurs? He publicly called out the players, questioned the club's culture and ownership, and was gone. United have made a point of wanting a head coach who works within their football structure. Can you really see them appointing someone with Conte's history of publicly challenging a club's leadership when things go wrong?

Carrick and Holland now have three weeks to figure out how to get this team working again.

Firstly, Baleba should make a difference. He's still coming back from injury, but I think he and Mainoo could be the first green shoots of a midfield partnership that serves us well for the next few years. Baleba can provide the defensive cover and energy we've been missing since Casemiro left, allowing Mainoo to concentrate on controlling possession and progressing the ball.

Bruno has been out of sorts, and when he's off his game, the whole team seems to suffer. We need him to find his form again and get back to doing what he does best, creating chances further up the pitch rather than constantly having to drop deep.

Then there's Rashford. He's been good since coming back, but he still feels a bit like an outsider, playing as an individual rather than being fully integrated into the team. I'd rather go back to what worked last season, with Cunha, Bruno, Mbeumo and Sesko as our attacking four. Rashford could then come on later in the game and use his pace against tiring defenders.

There's also been a lot of talk about fitness, but for me it's the intensity and application that matter. Opta's stats show we're joint-bottom in the league for high-speed runs so far this season, while our out of possession figures are even more concerning. We're bottom for sprints and time spent running at high intensity when we don't have the ball. That's the pressing, closing down, tracking back and chasing opponents that we're not doing enough of as a team.

Whether it's fitness, application or the way we're being set up, something needs to change. We need to start working harder as a unit and make it much more difficult for teams to play through us.

We don't need to reinvent the wheel. Carrick and Holland need to find the right balance, get the players working together again and build on what was already working last season.

1.) 21 Sep 2026
21 Sep 2026 16:36:42
Grim,

It really should be a case of Carrick and Holland have three weeks to sort it out. Clearly neither have a plan B. It is a simple 4231, followed by left to centre to right and back again, with no overlapping fullbacks.

Teams who play low block, know United will just pass it around and try to ping it in. The coaching staff have know idea to overcome low block teams, even teams that play a pressing game. Fortunately, United have been quite lucky that their counter attacking football works quite well against pressing teams.

Rashford, is working his socks off. But his end product is dreadful. All he needs to do is lift his head up and look for a teammate.

A couple more bad results and Carrick will be gone.

I do think the club need to sell Bruno, to allow the team to develop a new style, similar to when when RvN was sold and Saha played up front. The team played better football, as they played as a team. Overiliance on individual players will become detrimental to a clubs success over a period of time. Bruno will be 33 next September, you can't continue to build or rebuild a team around older players.