Paul Merson does not think Michael Carrick is the problem at Manchester United. As the club’s hierarchy prepare to decide the head coach’s future, the Sky Sports pundit has put the blame on the way United have spent their money, and says he would be “quite surprised” if Carrick was let go now.
What Merson said
United go into the international break in the relegation zone, with eight points from their first 10 Premier League games, one win in 11 matches and 30 goals conceded in all competitions. Carrick’s position is under review, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada are due to meet in Monaco on Wednesday to discuss it.
Merson’s view, speaking to Sky Sports, is that changing the man in the dugout will not change the results. “I just can’t blame the manager. They change managers left, right and centre all the time and it’s the same results,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you have Arsene Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho sitting on the bench. The mistakes they are making are down to the players.”
He also saw evidence that the squad is still playing for Carrick. “If they weren’t running around for the manager, they’d have been ripped to shreds by Roma and Aston Villa and they didn’t. They came back in both of those games.”
“You can’t build a house on a puddle”
The heart of Merson’s argument is the order in which United have rebuilt. “They got it the wrong way around with their transfer policy,” he said. “The first window they went for buying forwards. The next window, they started bringing in midfield players and now at the end of the season, they’re probably going to go and buy defenders.”
“They should have gone with defenders first. You can’t build a house on a puddle. You’ve got to have a strong defence and they haven’t done that.” His conclusion was aimed squarely at the people above Carrick: “They’ve got to look at themselves upstairs and think that they got this horribly wrong, not Michael Carrick.”
It is a consistent position. Last month Merson argued that a sacking would change nothing, and the four-goal concession against Villa at the weekend has only sharpened his point about the back line. Gary Neville made a similar complaint about the defence after that game, as we reported on Tuesday.
A cheap alternative, and a reality check
Merson did not dismiss the main name linked with the job. Mauricio Pochettino, now head coach of the United States, is reportedly open to talks if approached. “He’s got experience, major experience,” Merson said. “I don’t think Carrick could go, but if they could get Pochettino for £7m, that’s a cheap deal. He’s a good manager, but I think Michael Carrick can be a very good manager.”
He also offered a blunt assessment of where United stand. “I think Man United are, and this is no disrespect, a mid-table team,” he said, adding that the expectations around the club are part of what “sometimes puts managers off”.
The counter-view: change is needed
Not every former United player agrees that patience is the answer. Rio Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, has already picked his successor. “I look at that group of names and think Pochettino is the one that jumps off the list as someone who has more of the things we’re looking for to save and build a group of players,” he said, in comments reported by Metro. Ferdinand’s diagnosis overlaps with Merson’s in one respect: he believes United have “far too many broken individuals”, and that rebuilding their confidence is the first job.
Wayne Rooney went further on Stick to United, naming Jose Mourinho, now at Real Madrid. “He’s probably exactly what Man United need now, if I’m being honest,” Rooney said, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, describing him as “ruthless” and “selfish”. Mourinho is under contract in Madrid until 2028, so that is more wish than plan.
Our verdict
Merson and Ferdinand are not as far apart as the headlines suggest. Both describe a squad that was assembled in the wrong order and lacks belief. Where they differ is on whether a new voice can fix that before the January window. Merson’s point about recruitment is hard to dispute: three windows of spending have produced a team that concedes too easily. Whether Carrick is still the right man to fix it is the question Monaco has to answer, and United’s first game after the break, at Anfield on 22 November, leaves little room for a slow start under anyone.
Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!
