Matheus Cunha scored on his first start under Michael Carrick, but the role he played to replace Patrick Dorgu showed a Michael Carrick trait that Ruben Amorim never did.
Everything that Michael Carrick touches seems to be turning into gold at the moment, but those who think this is just “vibes” need to look at Matheus Cunha’s tactical role vs Fulham.
Cunha was called into the starting XI vs Fulham to replace the injured Patrick Dorgu, and the Brazilian’s form merited it.
Matheus Cunha has just become a MUST START under Michael Carrick… Agree?
Cunha is cooking under Carrick!
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However, Cunha and Dorgu are extremely different types of players, but what Carrick did with the Brazilian showed he won’t have the problem that doomed Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
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Michael Carrick’s Matheus Cunha masterclass
Dorgu performed an extremely specific role for Carrick against Arsenal and Man City, as he maintained width and provided defensive cover for Luke Shaw.
Cunha is not adept at either of those things, as he’s a naturally right-footed player with a tendency to cut inside from the left, and he’s not a defensive-minded player like Dorgu.
Therefore, Cunha for Dorgu was not a like-for-like change, even though Shaw still needed protecting, and the width needed to be maintained.
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Carrick executed a tactical masterclass with Cunha, starting him off the left but giving him free rein to move inside as Shaw tucked in to form a back three in possession.
Diogo Dalot advanced down the right since Amad cut inside with regularity, and Bruno Fernandes would go out to the left and regularly swapped positions with Cunha.
The result was Cunha earning a penalty (later turned into a free-kick from which United scored) with a mazy dribble down the right, before scoring from the wing as well.
Fernandes, on the other hand, assisted Sesko’s winner from a cross out wide, as all three United goals showed Carrick’s tactical masterclass in full action.
Carrick has tactical flexibility, unlike Ruben Amorim
United were showing signs of life, at least in the final third, under Ruben Amorim as well, but his tactical rigidity was a problem.
How many wins in a row will Michael Carrick make it now?
Three wins from three… it's a perfect start!
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Amorim had no plan B, and it resulted in ugly results like the loss at home to a ten-man Everton, or the draw at home against Wolves, just to name two.
The changes always seemed to be like-for-like, with no regard for what makes each player different, and any player who didn’t fit his archetype was immediately expendable (see: Kobbie Mainoo).
Having a style, system, and philosophy is all well and good, but falling on the sword of your system when you’re losing matches doesn’t make you a martyr.
It just makes you a rigid and stubborn manager who is limited in his options to do what he’s paid to do – win games of football.
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