Michael Carrick Has To Make This Manchester United Squad Work

Michael Carrick Must Learn How To Control Games

Manchester United have shown that we can create chances, score goals and compete, but every time we get ourselves into a winning position, we seem to lose control far too easily.

We saw it against Everton. Things were going well, United had the lead twice, but we let Everton back into the game both times and completely lost control of possession.

Michael Carrick's decision-making has a lot to do with that.

Taking Kobbie Mainoo off completely changed the game. Mainoo is one of those players you do not always fully notice until he is not there anymore.

The moment he came off, United missed him.

He brought composure and control in midfield, kept possession well and gave United someone who could actually calm things down and help manage the game.

United only needed to see the final minutes out, but once Carrick removed that type of player, the control disappeared.

Carrick's Changes Made United Weaker

Carrick's changes were very weak.

Bringing on Leny Yoro, who was giving the ball away in dangerous areas, did not help. Andrey Santos came on for Mainoo, but he is a completely different player and did not bring anywhere near the same level of control.

Patrick Dorgu was also pushed high up the pitch again, which is something United fans constantly complain about.

Marcus Rashford did not have the greatest game, but when he came off, something was clearly missing.

The spark was gone. The creativity was gone. United became much less threatening.

That is the issue.

When Carrick made his changes, the team got weaker instead of stronger.

United Simply Do Not Have Enough Quality In Depth

This is not all on Michael Carrick.

A big part of the problem is the board simply did not back him enough.

United needed three or four more signings in the summer and did not get them.

We have backup players, but the squad depth in terms of actual quality simply is not there.

That is already costing United games and it could become even worse as more injuries happen.

United now have Champions League football, Carabao Cup games and Premier League matches every weekend.

That is a huge overload.

Last season, Carrick did well because United did not have the same level of competition to deal with. This season is completely different.

Chelsea are likely to benefit from having less European pressure, while United have more games and still did not strengthen enough.

Youri Tielemans is settling in and getting better, but one good signing is not enough.

Andrey Santos is not a starting player right now and, at the moment, he is not a strong enough backup option either.

Even in attack, United could still do with more depth.

Benjamin Sesko has shown he can be dangerous, but right now he arguably looks more effective as a super sub than someone you fully trust for 90 minutes every week.

Carrick Has To Find A Solution

Over 38 Premier League games, United cannot keep throwing away winning positions like this.

Carrick has been put in a very poor position by the board, and that has to be acknowledged.

He has not been backed properly.

But at the same time, he still has to find a way to get the best out of what he has.

United have quality in the starting XI, but when players come off or are unavailable, the level drops far too much.

That is why United struggle to kill games.

It is not all on Carrick, but he now has to figure out how to manage games better with the squad he has been given.

If he cannot, then there is a real risk he ends up going the same way as managers before him, with the same problems above him continuing to drag the team backwards.