Manchester United have been labelled a sluggish side in recent fixtures, lacking the energy to break down a Fulham defence on Sunday, but how can Michael Carrick fix this?
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Michael Carrick's Manchester United have succumbed to an underwhelming start to their campaign. Carrick's inaugural permanent season at the Reds has started with just two wins from seven, and they sit in twelfth place.
United fans expected a relatively easy start to the season, a chance to continue the form gained towards the end of last year and set the precedent for what should be a succesful season, but that could not be further from the truth.
The Reds kicked off the season with a 2-0 loss away to newly promoted side Hull, who have been a surprisingly challenging team to face, that was followed by a 5-1 thumping win at Ipswich, and then a 2-2 loss at Everton thanks to a Mainsley Aitland-Niles last-minute screamer, and then a 1-0 loss to ten-man Manchester City, possibly the most embarrassing of them all.
But the real issues have surfaced in the two latest games: a strong start to the League Cup tie against Brighton ended in a crestfallen 3-2 loss and a 42-year record being broken; that game was followed by a mundane and frustrating 1-1 draw with Fulham. So what exactly is going wrong at United?
"Walking" football costs United
Fans knew going into this season that the congested schedule would be an issue, especially since insufficient funds prevented United from bolstering the squad's depth in areas that needed reinforcement.
But this issue seems to have taken its toll much earlier than expected, costing United in recent games. Carrick's team seems to operate at a slower tempo than last season, as expected, since the 44-year-old wanted the Reds to dominate games and therefore tweaked the tactical setup.
But the slower tempo may be causing a lull during games, as Fulham outran United, and convincingly so. Gary Neville pointed out during commentary on the Fulham game, "The two midfield players are walking, the two front players are walking, the back four are walking. Do we think that's right?"
The Athletic noted that United operated in a 4-4-2 out of possession and largely pressed man-to-man, pointing out that the Reds focused on a compact defensive shape and congregated into a zonal defensive setup; it was also stated that 'United aren't doing much wrong' in the clip Neville is referencing. I want to debate that.
Having seen the defensive setup fail several times this season, it is obvious something is wrong, and while there is an element of passiveness in the United press, due to either tiredness or plain laziness, it seems teams are finding gaps between the lines playing through the press through easily.
An instance in the first half stood out to me: Cunha initiated the press on the left side of the two forward players, and defender David Affengruber was forced down the left flank; Rashford held position in his zone, but then two Fulham players found space between Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, and Luke Shaw and progressed the ball into the final third with excruciating ease.
This happened multiple times during this match and allowed Fulham to build attacks in United's half. Whether this is a tactical issue remains unclear for now, but how can they fix this after the international break?
Michael Carrick’s attacking options dwindle as the Slovenian striker faces a prolonged absence, with chronic shin issues threatening to derail the Red Devils' already stuttering season.roundtable.io"Doesn't Look Good..." Man Utd Dealt Massive Benjamin Šeško Injury Blow With Tests To Follow
Michael Carrick’s attacking options dwindle as the Slovenian striker faces a prolonged absence, with chronic shin issues threatening to derail the Red Devils' already stuttering season.
Positional sense and pressing understanding need focus in training
United now have three weeks off during the Autumn international break, though some players will report to their nations for their fixtures. Three United players recently pulled out of their international duty: Karl Darlow will miss Wales' national league fixtures, as will two of last game's starters, Rashford and Mainoo, who won't travel with England.
The Reds will also see several first-team players return from injury. Carlos Baleba was chosen for the bench in the last fixture but was not brought on; Matthijs de Ligt also travelled to London but was not chosen for the squad. Benjamin Šeško missed the last game after re-aggravating a shin injury but is expected to return soon, and Mason Mount has been involved in matchday proceedings in recent games.
This break from domestic games will be a fantastic opportunity to work on Carrick's tactical preferences in training, with most of the senior squad available. United have not had this amount of time without a game, nor have they had the squad available since preseason.
Carrick's pressing and zonal defensive shape needs work; the Fulham game highlighted its weaknesses, but United's attack also needs a clearer structure, as Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Rashford have been forced into different areas of the pitch.
After last season's performance, Cunha was expected to be the left winger heading into the season, but Rashford's reintegration into the squad has seen him picked ahead of Cunha in that role.
Though Rashford has been fantastic, I believe Cunha operates better as a left winger, as his press and determination when tracking back are exceptional, as shown by his 4.57 recoveries per 90, which put him in the 70th percentile. I'd like to see how Rashford fares as United's number nine, having played there before. This would also hide his poor defensive abilities.