Michael Carrick must heed Freds words or risk repeating past failures – opinion

Former Manchester United man Fred recently compared Erik ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reigns, stating that the Dutchman was brilliant tactically but struggled with player management, whereas he suggested the Norwegian was the opposite.

The difference was, according to the Brazilian, Solskjaer had tacticians on his staff to make up for his shortcomings in this area, which contributed to the success the club experienced at the time.

Fred’s comments make for interesting reading, but they also point Michael Carrick towards a path where he may experience more success and potentially be able to turn around the poor start Manchester United have had so far this season.

He has clearly sacrificed some of that this season in order to build towards his long-term tactics and goals of dominant possession and fluid attacking football.

While the principles have been solid, the execution has not; the Red Devils have looked lost in possession, often losing momentum in attacks and lacking ideas as the players struggle to be at their creative best. It is clear some guidance is needed here.

Carrick’s men have also been exposed out of possession, with their press easily beaten and having conceded so many goals already this season. It is a recipe for disaster and is bound to lead to his downfall if it continues.

If Carrick heeds Fred’s words, he will bring in a tactician to his staff, similar to Kieran McKenna, and allow them to whip the players into shape.

He should give them some structure in attack without removing their freedom for fluidity, so they have something to fall back on when they are lacking creativity or ideas of their own.

Tightening up the press so it is not easily played through, or even reverting to last season’s mid-block, would make Manchester United more solid again.

Sir Alex Ferguson was not exactly known for being a tactician, but he always had a group of staff who could contribute to this area of coaching; there is no shame in it.

Solskjaer had the same but was let down by squad building, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival and lack of investment both resulting in a spanner being thrown in the works regarding the momentum that was being built.

Carrick now has a little more structure above him and, granted, Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrarda have question marks over them, but it should at least mean major errors in the market are avoided.

The former midfielder still has time to turn things around, but he must act fast or else his reign will end in the same way as it did for his predecessors.

It is actually also Wilcox’s job to give Carrick better staff support – he should have noticed the tactical issues that even amateur Twitter analysts have pointed out this season and brought in someone who can boost Carrick if he believes in him so much.

In the meantime, the English manager might have to go back to basics, as Ferguson often did in times of peril – sacrificing some long-term vision by focusing on player dynamics, playing them in their preferred roles, and keeping things simple tactically.

If it means a star player has to sit on the bench, then so be it. Wilcox and company will need to build the squad better to avoid throwing another manager under the bus. If Carrick goes, that will be three managerial failures under them, with Ten Hag and Ruben Amorim being the other two. It is not a good look.