Carrick, Injuries, and United's Bigger Mess

A look at why Manchester United’s problems go beyond Carrick, with injuries, squad rebuild issues and limited depth all playing a part, plus concerns about the club’s decision-making above the manager.

While I think the current situation at Manchester United has highlighted Carrick's limitations as manager, I think it would be incredibly unfair to lay even the majority of the issues at his door. Which ultimately means that any replacement manager, while likely a better manager, will also have limited overall impact on the team performances.

Putting everything in context, we have an injury crisis in defence (not entirely unexpected), which is limiting both the quality of players we can put out, as well as the tactics we can use with the players we have available.

We have an entirely new midfield that have also had niggling injuries, making it difficult to play anyone consistently to allow them to settle into the team. Given that midfield is where a team's identity is formed, that makes it very challenging to give the side a consistent and clear identity. To be fair, even without the injuries it was going to take some time to get the midfield to settle.

Then finally, in the forward line, we have also had a key injury to Sesko (again not entirely unexpected), and to Amad, along with Rashford coming back and complicating things and the balance in the forward line.

Given that we are in the middle of a whole squad rebuild, with limited squad depth, and the additional games to play, having injuries to key players like MdL, Mazraoui, Dalot, Dorgu, Shaw, Yoro, Heaven, Martinez, Mainoo, Baleba, Sesko, Amad, and Mount, who have all missed multiple games this year due to injury. That makes it very difficult to get any sort of momentum or form.

The injuries and the inconsistency, lack of quality squad depth, along with the fact that we have a weak defence (even when all are fit and available), and the settling in of the new midfield, are issues that any new manager will have to battle with.

These are all issues that are playing a massive part in our poor form this season that are mostly beyond Carrick's control.

The things we can blame on Carrick are the changes to the training that appear to have reduced the levels of fitness amongst our squad, as well as the apparent change in the dynamics of the dressing room (poor attitudes, lack of cohesion, etc).

I would say he is partially responsible for Rashford's return and the issues that he seems to be having (while the club couldn't find a buyer, maybe Carrick should have been firmer and refused to have him back as part of the squad and insisted on a loan if a sale couldn't be found). I would also say he is partially responsible for the apparent tactical limitations and a plan B. Again, not wholly responsible in this regard, as the injuries and the unsettled nature of the midfield isn't his fault, but will severely limit what options are available to him.

Ultimately, I think the situation has gotten away from him and exposed his limitations as a young manager. Which is the issue when you hire a younger, less experienced manager. They will make more errors, and you need to make sure you've got a really good team around them to help them through those mistakes. We definitely don't have that right now.

My personal view is that Wilcox is a big problem (but not the only one). He seems to want to micro-manage everyone, and seems like someone who doesn't collaborate well with others. It probably doesn't help that he has an existing professional and maybe even personal relationship with Barrada. Which will undermine any decision Barrada makes that favours Wilcox. People will struggle to accept a decision that goes against them and in favour of someone else made by someone who is close to that other person, even if it's the right decision.

This is a big mess that the club needs to clean up, and in hindsight maybe when the issues between Ashworth and Wilcox clashed the club backed the wrong man.

To be fair, it goes back even further than that, when the club sulked and threw their toys out the pram because Rangnick held the mirror up to them.

The issue we really have now is that we need to replace the manager, but before we can do that we need to replace the guy who will select the new manager.

I think we need to be patient here. I'd rather put up with poor performances for the rest of this season if that means we ultimately make the right decisions for the club moving forward.

Personally, I think Emery is the right man for the job, but I'm not sure if we are in the right place to make that appointment work right now. He could be a case of right man, wrong time. I wonder if we sacked off Wilcox and went crawling back cap in hand to Ashworth, whether he'd take the job back, or whether that ship has sailed. We need to find the right man to head up the project before we hire a new manager.

Yet if that can't be the case and we have to hire a new manager first, then maybe a short-term deal for Howe might be a good middle-ground option. Someone who knows the league, and has a track record of putting in the basics really well, who can start immediately. But maybe only give him a two-year deal, giving us the option to replace him in the near future when we have the right DoF in place.

Written by Shappy October 27 2026 10:10:48