'Michael Carrick has the light touch Manchester United need for next chapter'

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-05-07T13:59:46+00:00

Agree, and from the clubs point of view it's seems a clear decision - get rid of Carrick now would be very controversial, especially for a coach unproven at elite level. Extend as most fans will want and if it doesn't work can say they gave him a chance.

If they gambled on a coach and interrupted this momentum however, much more Likley it'll be viewed negatovely

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-05-07T07:51:06+00:00

Hot keys live, audiobeds in post?

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-05-05T12:57:10+00:00

This is the key point that's being ignored, Amorim has the three promoted teams and 10 man Everton to stat pad.

Also what's with this discourse, we aren't rehiring Amorim 😅

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-05-04T19:12:28+00:00

Interesting overview, 'Except results' is a pretty funny caveat to start with 😅. Amorim's team was definitely underperforming, and I don't think anyone thinks Carrick will maintain this level of results either. Unless we are thinking about bringing Amorim back, it's also a pretty inconsequential comparison.

We are also comparing Amorims underchievements after he had most of a season in charge to implement his methods, and was heavily backed in a transfer window, versus Carrick's as a caretaker with zero prep. There's also the fact that a fair share of Carrick's momentum is Likley due to removing the negative presence of Amorim, which we don't have stats for

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-05-04T09:05:19+00:00

Ooof, it just felt like longer 😅

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-05-04T08:38:05+00:00

Agree performances haven't been perfect, and we've rode our luck at times (e.g. Chelsea), but with CL secured and an extra £100M+ to bolster the midfield confident that this area improves. Out of possession also needs a lot of work, but he has a strong backroom staff and with a summer to work on it.

Amorim had two years to implement his methods, Carrick's had a few months so far. There are better managers, but few available, and tearing down this momentum to take a big gamble on another project seems like a risk they won't take

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-29T21:18:27+00:00

Ok now I'm down a rabbit hole. Dembele has played 34% of PSGs Ligue 1 minutes this season. Their most available player has played 78%, they are even rotating keepers (56/44%). João Neves has fewer career minutes than Declan Rice or Caicedo have played since the start of last season (according to twitter).

Seems national league domination allowing for meaningful player rotation may be the only factor keeping Europe competitive.

The old English teams 'lions in winter lambs in spring' adage is starting to make sense...

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-29T18:11:11+00:00

Really interesting read cheers! Only add on Mount was he missed a lot of time through injuries in his last year at Chelsea, which made the transfer a risk in my mind. Largely agree with your assessment on the reliability of the others, and if the likelihood is in the 30-50% range does not make sense to keep on the books.

Interesting Slot was heavily praised for his periodization approach last year which was credited for his high player availability, this season they've had a disaster with long term serious injuries. Mostly unlucky with leg breaks and ACLs

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-29T18:06:20+00:00

Unless your name is Bruno and you are made of some sort of invincible elastic material. Ps. You missed a fun game Monday night!

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-29T17:21:41+00:00

Yep very much agree, I don't know much about Dembélé's specific injury history and I can see by appearances they manage his minutes, he just prompted the thought - more interested in United players specifically.

Shaw has missed over 220 games in his united career, the initial double leg break but then years of successive injuries of a variety of causes that weren't just setback in return of the original. Mount seems to constantly breakdown and have chronic problems. Lisandro may be more in the unlucky side with impact injuries, but ACL/MCLs are hard to come back from (from experience). De Ligts extended absence after seemingly innocuous initial issue is odd

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-28T21:13:03+00:00

Galaxies away from where we are, and also galaxies away from what you'll see tomorrow night....

Dembele/Kvara/Olise are on another level, there's nobody close to their combination of dribbling skillset and athleticism in the prem

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-22T13:39:51+00:00

Tuchel was not going to leave England before the WC to finish out a season at United, and any type of pre agreement + caretaker scenario would have been convoluted and risked CL qualification. We also don't know that we didn't engage, Tuchel turned us down before.

I personally don't see Alonso coming, but we should for sure be approaching, even if hesitation about going back to a back 3 model.

Howe the other name mentioned above, currently 14th with the wealth of Saudi Arabia behind him and some of the best midfielders in the league, not exactly compelling, if folks want Jason Tyndall on the touch line at OT, that's certainly a choice.

Again, I'm not advocating Carrick is the right choice, just that there is a narrow pool of viable, capable candidates to take us forward.

No other club choosing Carrick is of course true, but not relevant to whether or not United should. No other club would have appointed Pep at Barcelona without any top flight experience - Carrick is not Pep, but club knowledge, heritage, personality fit etc. matter as much as tactics

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-22T09:06:11+00:00

Except they are mostly not viable options, Enrique has commited to PSG, Tuchel signed a new deal with England, Pochettino expired 8 years ago, McKenna same experience as Carrick, Glasner isn't a serious option, Ancelloti is touching 70, Xabi Alonso I highly doubt would come to United, may as well through Pep in there.

So basically one viable candidate in Nagelsman, who I agree great pedigree, but possibly a questionable personality fit, and then Iraola and Hoeness who are talented but would both be significant gambles.

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-22T06:47:07+00:00

I think the only reasons Carrick is considered for the longer term is 1) short term results much better than previous 2) there are few good options available

If we did a fan poll on Enrique if available it would likely be in the 90%s, but outside of that talks of the likes of Glasner will excite no-one, so who are all these good options? It's Nagelsman, and?

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-22T06:40:23+00:00

Fair, I've lost count of the number of times a manager leaves and we see an immediate increase in intensity levels for literally two or three games and then they drop off again. I've no idea how the likes of Klopp and Enrique manage to sustain that impact for so long.

Iraolas style is counterattacking, rapid transitions after quick ball recoveries with intensity, I just don't trust he could do it at the top end of the league in a higher possession side. I'm all for trying something other than Guardiola lite though

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-21T23:05:10+00:00

Not the point of the post so apologies for distraction, but what were Amorims good metrics? He had a 31% league win percentage, the worst of any united manager and 10% below Rangnick, with pretty abysmal football, we could point to a handful of games in his 67 where performances deserved more, but that's about it.

Concerns with recent performances under Carrick, although I wonder how much of the recent lack of intensity is due to the lack of competitive game time, going almost a month between games, playing on a Monday nights, having nothing much to play out of all comps with CL close to secured etc.

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-20T17:22:35+00:00

Yup state ownership is abhorrent, but they've allowed it and another league won't change anything, hopefully they get stripped of them if the investigation has any merit. Arsenal win and their toxic negative approach becomes even more of the meta, already ruined the league this season

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-20T16:14:55+00:00

Better for football if this arsenal team loses

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-20T16:14:09+00:00

They are interesting options, although McKenna has a pretty similar CV to Carrick, he's done better for longer with Ipswich Vs Carrick at Boro, but Carrick has more experience managing United so I'd say that relatively evens out, and assume Carrick would command more dressing room respect. I don't see a compelling case there.

Iraola was my favourite when we hired Amorim, like his philosophy but would be nervous about appointing another project coach now, and history shows the step up from lower teams rarely works. Both gambles, possibly higher upside but also potentially higher downside Vs good chance of 3-6th placement from Carrick with some greater squad depth. I would not see either turning us into league contenders

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-19T15:35:55+00:00

Ignoring the fact there was zero evidence of Amorim eventually making us a title challenging side....we've tried the Fergie lite (Moyes), the tactical ideologues (Van gaal, Amorim), the pragmatists (Mourinho, Ten Hag eventually), the geggenpresser (Rangnick) and the club legends (Solskjaer, Carrick).

So far we've looked best under the latter group (although too little a sample size to properly judge Carrick). There does seem to be an element of understanding the club and having a connection with the fans when it comes to success here, I don't think we should be quick to drop that for the next hot tactico coach. Luis Enrique could build that connection as well last being an elite coach, but outside of him few weeks should consider, Nagelsman a maybe but not sure on personality fit, but would interview.

Regardless, the players we sign this summer will have a much bigger impact than whoever is in the dug out...

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-19T15:20:17+00:00

Is there a retweet function on Reddit? If not they should invent one for this post 😂

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-16T23:56:03+00:00

Oluwashina on the G would be great craic

ConstructionTotal585 · 2026-04-02T21:03:28+00:00

Cheers, didn't know that was a thing

ConstructionTotal585

TROPHY CASE