Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is preparing for his first full season in charge after overseeing a blockbuster start to his Old Trafford tenure. The Englishman arrived at the Theatre of Dreams in January to take over a team that had struggled to secure results under former head coach Ruben Amorim.
Carrick abandoned the Portuguese’s controversial 3-4-3 system and implemented his 4-2-3-1 formation. The Red Devils subsequently went on a dazzling run, winning 12 of their 17 games under the Englishman and securing third place in the Premier League table.
MIchael Carrick Managerial Career Stats
Source: Wikipedia.
The former midfielder was initially appointed on a caretaker basis, but the team’s form under his tutelage prompted INEOS to hand him the full-time job last month. With United set to compete in the Champions League, Carrick is now preparing to upgrade his squad over the summer.
The Englishman recently sat down for a chat where he discussed his Old Trafford tenure and how he expects his team to play.
The secret to breaking down low blocks
Speaking to journalist Andy Mitten for The Athletic, Carrick explained his approach against sides that defend deep. He said: “There are different ways of scoring goals, different ways of playing in certain games.
“Our best teams came up against teams defending in a lot of numbers. More recently, teams have won the league in the last few years and found it hard to score against low blocks or whatever.”
When asked what the solution was to the problem, he added: “Potent players in certain positions, different ideas and a lot of it’s mentality. About being positive, going for it and looking for the goal with the fans behind you.”
“Looking to be quite aggressive in a football sense and always looking for the solution and what can happen instead of worrying about what the problem is. I think there’s a big difference in your mind of how you approach that.”
How Carrick wants United to play
Carrick also touched on how football has changed since he retired, with the emphasis now more on analysis and data. While he acknowledges the need for the technological advances, the Englishman still believes that there is a need to allow players to express themselves.
He said: “There are more details in the game now. There was a lot more individual problem-solving before. The game went almost too far, where there were too many answers given and it became a bit sterile. Like ‘coach, coach, coach’, too detailed and taking that freedom and that expression away from players. That’s just my opinion.”
“You need a structure, responsibilities, principles, discipline — of course you do — but giving that freedom for expression to then go and do what you’re good at, I think that’s a big part of the game.”
Final Thoughts
Since arriving at Old Trafford, Carrick has gifted United fans with an exciting brand of football reminiscent of the good old days. Should INEOS manage to add the right players to his squad this summer, the Red Devils could be even stronger next season.
Featured image Steve Bardens via Getty Images
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