Manchester United Banter 2

14 Sep 2026 08:13:11
I missed the game yesterday but the start of the season has been massively underwhelming.

Losing to Hull wasn't great, irrespective of how well they have started, we would expect to beat them. Losing a lead twice to Everton was criminal, and then losing to 10 men yesterday was embarrassing. Let's not use the offside as an excuse, we should have beaten 10 men.

Even when we won a league game, it was down to a short spell, other than that the play has been slow and ponderous throughout.



Then there is the team selection. Sesko needs to start, but that means dropping someone, one from that would be Cunha, or move Cunha wide and drop Rashford, but there seems to be a reluctance to do that. The same with Heaven who isn't getting a look in despite his obvious potential.

It's early days but right now this team and Manager need a Futa.

14 Sep 2026 09:18:51
Agreed, Ajh.

Everything after the game seemed to focus on the goal and the red card. The reality is that even if the red card hadn't happened, we probably still would have conceded three or four based on that performance. Pro Ref don't need to be apologising; the club and players should be apologising to the fans for putting in such a poor display.

Carrick has started the season with very little positivity and is already showing some of the traits that frustrated supporters under previous managers. He sits on the touchline looking completely detached, shows little urgency, and his in-game management has been poor. The 74,000 people inside Old Trafford could see that Sesko needed to be introduced at half-time, yet he waited until there were 20 minutes left and then took off the wrong player.

Cunha needs taking out of the starting XI. So far, he hasn't shown anything to justify keeping his place.

And, before anyone says he's being played out of position, those same people are usually suggesting he should be playing on the left, which isn't his position either. He's a No. 10, and right now he's not doing enough wherever he's playing.

Dorgu is a waste of space at left back. Luke Shaw hasn't exactly been pulling up trees, but Dorgu is making him look like prime Evra. While we're at it, I'd be culling three of the back four. Mazraoui, Yoro, and Amass should all be starting in midweek.

Most importantly, Carrick needs to grow a spine. Stop being a yes man, make the difficult decisions, and drop players who aren't performing. The squad needs fresh energy, accountability, and a few bold calls. If we get another stubborn, one-dimensional team selection in midweek, then serious questions will start to be asked. Early days or not, fans need to see signs that lessons are being learned and changes are being made.

14 Sep 2026 10:05:18
We have missed a real opportunity to hit the start of the season hard. Results have not been as hoped, especially with the opportunity that yesterday gave us.

Hard to know whether it is early season malaise following the World Cup, yet other teams are performing better. It can't be new players bedding in, as only Tielmans is in as a starter.

Whilst we look good on the ball and Tielmans/Mainoo are controlling it well, we seem to lack the transition to the attackers to offer a large, continued threat.

The false 9 works in some games, but we need an actual 9, so hopefully Sesko will start soon.

I would like Carrick to also be brave and give Yoro a go alongside Martinez. We need to see how he can perform. Dorgu at left back is getting exposed. He is a forward option, and we should give Amass (or Mazouri) some time. Sesko in from the start and have Cunha coming on when the game is opening up a bit. None of this is ideal, but none of the current options is working at the minute, so why not try something different.

14 Sep 2026 11:25:51
I just don't get how slow and regimented our play is. There is no expression or creativity in anything we do, other than fleeting Bruno moments. When we move forward, you can predict pretty much every action we're going to attempt.

I don't understand how it's been this way with pretty much every manager post-Fergie. Then, you pluck out a 'smaller' team like Hull or Brighton, and every player is playing out their skin in a formation they've bought into.

14 Sep 2026 12:44:57
Honestly, I found yesterday completely embarrassing. Even more than the 6-1. At least in that game we were battered by a top-class side. Yesterday, we simply rolled over against an opposition that seemed genuinely confused at how bad we were.



It almost felt that we were the ones disrupted by the sending off, that the team was only prepared to counterattack and had zero idea what to do with the advantage of an extra man.

14 Sep 2026 12:51:18
No point in starting Sesko to be fair, because not one of those idiots is able to put in a decent cross. Every cross yesterday (when there was one) was either over hit or hit the front man at the front post.

We have a 6 foot 5 striker who makes runs into the box and he never gets any service. I have to say that Dalot just seems to get worse every game, we are going to be in serious stuff if we don't buy two new full backs in January.

Dorgu was very poor, but to be fair, isn't a full back. The whole game was poor, the build up play was so slow and pedestrian, nobody looked like they had any hunger to get the game by the scruff of the neck. Awful display, this is going to be a very long season.

14 Sep 2026 12:58:29
Utd are a counter-attacking side. Both OGs and Carrick have tried to copy Fergie's football style. Football has progressed. Utd are still stuck in the past.

14 Sep 2026 13:03:17
We are now regimented because Carrick is at the wheel. That was his whole ethos as a player. What do you expect.

14 Sep 2026 13:16:22
But it was regimented and slow with Ten Hag, who was bought in on the strength of his Ajax team. Did he seriously have better players at Ajax? Debatable.
Did Ole have better players at Molde? Actually, don't answer that one...

14 Sep 2026 14:33:13
But Dorgu was bought as a left back. I said at the time, he is an athlete not a footballer, no point him playing left wing either cos he can't cross a ball.
I say again, Tielemans is far too slow and not what's required; at best a squad player. Santos, same, not good enough.
All our CBs are poor.
Both full backs need an upgrade.
Cunha or Mbuemo can't play through the middle. It's quite clear Carrick did not push for a CF because he doesn't really want to play one, so he's happy with Sesko as back up.
One saviour is Mainoo, as he's kicked on.
But if Bruno is off his game, this team is nothing.

Carrick's in-game management is shocking; no plan B and pedestrian paced football.



I said before the season kicked off this team is weaker than last season. I know we only spent 150m, but to spend 150m and go backwards takes some doing... but they managed it.

I was never happy with Carrick, but he is worse than I imagined he would be. I honestly don't know what he watches. Why not rest Bruno on Thursday night against Saba, even if only for 45 mins, when you got City 3 days later? He could have played Cunha in that position. Why not try Lacey yesterday too, run at 10 men? Why leave Sesko on the bench till 65 mins plus? Why not change approach after the sending off? Some poor decisions in that game. Carrick personally had a terrible start to this season.

14 Sep 2026 15:51:43
We dominated City last year from start to finish. We went to Arsenal and were awesome.

Why are we so slow and lethargic? It's very odd.

14 Sep 2026 16:40:37
Carrick been found out, that's why... Last year was a surprise to teams. This year nothing changed, he trying same ol crap, but we slowed play even further by adding Tielemans. Our CBs have no pace at all and are another year older with more injuries.

Carrick seems void OG anything new, and as for his in game management, it's a joke.

That's the 2nd game out of 4 this season; the in game management has been diabolical, as has the team selection.

Still everything rely solely on Bruno, it's a joke. Like the win title by 2028, it's an April fools.

14 Sep 2026 18:57:28
Dorgu was bought as a LWB, was he not?

15 Sep 2026 00:11:45
I assume Dorgu's versatility was seen as his strength. Amorim played him everywhere on the right, and Carrick has stuck with the left.
I'm not opposed to players who can play various positions. I think Lewis-Skelley would have been a good shout.


A few fans asked why we'd buy square pegs for round holes, instead of specialist players for each position.
Arteta solves his RB and CB problems by signing Konsa, and it's ingenious. Bizarre.

14 Sep 2026 07:15:58
So, who is everyone's next choice for manager? I can't see Carrick lasting past Xmas on current showing.

14 Sep 2026 09:06:52
I'd like to think we'll see an ownership change before a new manager change now.

It's not working, and the decks need to be cleared.

No way they can sack Carrick this season, whatever happens, surely?

14 Sep 2026 10:26:32
The owners leaving, and the club being taken over by someone very rich on a debt-free, cash-free basis, would be a dream. I just can't see it happening. The 370-Acre Regeneration Scheme seems to be Ineos and the Glazers' main target, unfortunately.

14 Sep 2026 13:03:39
Amorim. 😁

14 Sep 2026 15:52:55
It will obviously be Ole until the end of the season. :D

14 Sep 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - HAJI has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool's Midfield Pivot Is Starving the Front Four

14 Sep 2026 00:16:33
Meanwhile Man Utd women hammered at home by Chelsea for their second loss at the beginning of the season. Arsenal next up so a 0-3 start is almost certain.

The club is in disarray right now. It looks like penny wise pound foolish to me.

13 Sep 2026 22:22:09
It's impossible to understand the rules of this game anymore.

13 Sep 2026 22:57:40
Ridiculous decision, but so was the one in 2023 when Bruno scored in the same fixture.

Also, 75 minutes against 10 men. I'm worried so much of the post-match reaction is focused on the decision for their goal.

13 Sep 2026 23:40:57
That decision aside, it was mind boggling.

1. Take off the tinted glasses, and Bruno was perhaps lucky to be on the park. Silly of Foden to react.

2. We had our first shot on target against 10 men at 70 minutes.

3. We bring on Sesko (too late), and don't give him any service.

4. We are far, far too slow playing it through the midfield, and City had two well disciplined banks of four set up before we were in position to even think about creating any chances.



We never really looked like scoring, and another concerning stat is the goals on target to attempts ratio. The stat that counts is goals for versus goals against. Possession, the ridiculous Xg, touches in the opposition box, et al, mean zip if the ball is not in the net. To be in the net, it needs to be on target. It seems we have nobody that can put it in the net with the minimal number of chances. Haaland had one clear chance and put it in the bag.

Shocking watch.

13 Sep 2026 23:46:13
Yep. Ridiculous. But we have had many that have gone our way. The more worrying aspect is that we were in a position where it mattered.

Against 10 men, we did not open them up at all.

Look at the City defence. By the time we had moved the ball past half way, they had a double four player bank defending. Too slow and pedestrian, and, decision aside, probably deserved to lose.

14 Sep 2026 00:08:02
Hit the post twice and Mbeumo maybe might have equalized at the death, but you always felt that no one would take the bull by the horns and actually put it in the goal.

The game reminded me of the one against Everton last season when we were a man up from the 13th minute and lost. We are a team that cannot score against a low block. Too slow, too tight, too predictable, and, ultimately, too many mistakes. Their goal came from a failure to address a bouncing ball, a loss of possession in a dangerous position, and that's all it took.

Dalot was awful. Dorgu is not really a left back, and has yet to show any of the ability he was starting to show last season. Mainoo had some very good moments, but also tired badly at the end, and started making errors.

Rashford had some good moments, looked enthusiastic, and gave it his all, but the reality is that we're not getting enough from too many players. Cunha was poor. Bruno created nothing against top quality midfielders. The fact that he wasn't taken off with maybe 1/2 an hour to play in midweek was criminally poor management.

I thought Bruno deserved at least a card for kicking Foden. And I don't see how the offside player wasn't interfering with play when he tries to head the ball in front of Martinez.

That game put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

We're still so far behind the top two teams, it's depressing, and if this continues, and we fail to stay in the Champions League places, there's no way we'll ever have the money to get back to the top.

14 Sep 2026 07:13:24
I'm not complaining about the result. They got what they deserved, but I honestly don't understand the rules anymore.

14 Sep 2026 11:22:25
I don't think the rule in this case is difficult to understand, but VAR's interpretation of it was.
Was Fernandez affecting both Martinez's and Lammens' positioning? Of course he was. Without him, Martinez sticks with Haaland at the near post, and Lammens doesn't dive to make the first save.
How VAR can decide otherwise is a shocker.

13 Sep 2026 19:31:27
The last time we played City, people were talking about the birth of Carrick-Ball. Fast paced, incisive and direct attacking football. I appreciate it was largely a joke, but at the time I viewed it more as the result of Amorim leaving than anything Carrick had done.

Since then I've been continuously asking the same question: What is Carrick's style of football?

Defensively, there seems to be some sort of answer. Deep and compact. It hasn't been particularly inspiring, or effective for that matter. But it's something that we can say Carrick has implemented.

Attacking wise, I don't see any plan other than, give the ball to Bruno. This many months into the job and Carrick's side has no attacking identity. Bruno plays well, we create chances. He doesn't, we don't. A good team can't be entirely dependent on one player, and that's down to the manager and his team.

Today, Carrick's game management was appalling. With City down a player, he should have been proactively looking to control the game. Instead, he reacted to going a goal down, and reacted in a baffling way.

Given that the club promise has been to bring in the best possible people to win titles: Was Carrick the best possible manager they could have appointed? Or simply the easiest decision?

13 Sep 2026 19:53:05
We just weren't at the races today. Bruno was non-existent. If he isn't running the show, we struggle.

I think it's because they aren't used to playing two games a week. It feels like it will be a long season already.

13 Sep 2026 19:59:39
We have been poor for ages, even after Carrick the interim.

We had two good games in City and Arsenal; the rest we scrapped a win, the football is boring, the tempo is non-existent.

Rashford has walked back into the club and been given a starting spot straight away.

We’ve moved Cunha to a false 9 that does not work.

The club failed to improve a defence that’s seen Shaw be there for 10 years, Dalot his 9th, and Maguire his 8th.

They should never have given the job to Carrick, he is way out of his depth. The starting 11 is baffling, and his substitutions are even worse.

Some on here called Amorim clueless for his substitutions, what have you got to say about Carrick?

He will not last the season, and wouldn’t surprise me if they appoint Howe, given he is the cheap and easy option.



They should have gone all out for Emery or the PSG manager.

I don’t mind losing, but the way we lose is worrying, we look worse than we did last season.

Ten Hag was slated on here and in the media for having no style of play, but I’m yet to see a style or identity under Carrick.

We are way off it, and it’s worrying, top 5 is a must, and as it stands it will be a long hard season.

13 Sep 2026 20:02:26
Danny,

I agree with your post. Carrick didn't even try to change formation.

City say back, deep, and defended well. Utd play it left, back to the middle, to the right, and vice versa until someone plucked up the courage to cross the ball in.

Predictable football.

Utd moved the ball around quickly, it was neat, quite entertaining at times. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Carrick doesn't have a Plan B.

13 Sep 2026 20:14:36
Mad Hatter, I expected Sesko to be brought on at halftime because it would put their centre backs under more pressure. But the worst decision by far was to take off Tielemans for Sesko.

To break City down, we needed to increase the passing tempo to drag them out of shape.

Taking Tielemans off left us with 4 players running into a well-drilled defence, and our most creative player playing deep. I honestly couldn't believe it.

Cunha was having a stinker to boot.

13 Sep 2026 20:57:49
Danny,

I was surprised too. I thought Lacey might get 10 minutes or so, a bright spark, enthusiastic, willing to take players on... but, sadly, no.


More often than not, Utd lack that killer instinct.

13 Sep 2026 21:04:02
Bang on, Danny. I thought Tielemans was quietly ticking our midfield along. Cunha had another poor game and had to be the one taken off for Sesko.

13 Sep 2026 22:34:08
Outplayed, out-thought on the pitch. Outplayed, out-thought on the bench. Outplayed, out-thought in the boardroom.

14 Sep 2026 04:52:31
That Carrick ball was Amorim ball with a new anger bounce affixed to it.
Carrick is so bad as a manager, it isn't funny.

14 Sep 2026 08:08:57
Carrick prefers his mates, favoritism will cost him.
Ineos went cheap, wanted a puppet, and Carrick was the perfect yes man.

13 Sep 2026 19:21:23
After being in hospital a few weeks back I’ve learned not to get too wound up about football anymore, I’m not angry about today, just disappointed and tbh I want surprised. Seems like Ole 2.0 is under way and the deficiencies of the squad are being exposed. Honestly I’m just tired of the repeating cycle that the club is in and sadly it won’t change unless the decision makers do.

We had a chance to kick on but don’t look like we will do that, instead be right back where we started, with Carrick another sacrificial lamb to appease the masses. I see Ratcliffe the rat and Berrada all there today… sadly they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

13 Sep 2026 19:54:14
Hope you're okay now, Tim.

13 Sep 2026 20:38:54
I'm grand, thanks. Have a few tests and scans coming up, so hopefully those are all clear. 👍

13 Sep 2026 22:33:27
Wish you a speedy recovery.

14 Sep 2026 08:20:23
All of the United level quality players are at City.
They have better mentality as well.

13 Sep 2026 19:05:41
I do believe there will be more than murmurings on Carrick's future when we bow out of the EFL Cup on Wednesday. 4 points after 4 matches and sat in 13th and that's when we had a relatively easier start than most teams. Manchester United will not succeed till the time we let emotions run the club.

Carrick should never have gotten the job in the first place but the emotions of a few lucky results got him in and here we are. To compound the misery, the leadership did a 4/10 transfer window.

13 Sep 2026 20:02:21
Not sure Carrick is the issue. Do we have squad depth to compete on multiple fronts? Probably not.

I was hopeful we would be okay this season, but the intensity wasn't there today. Maybe the quick turnaround was the issue. Who knows.

13 Sep 2026 22:57:55
It was a derby. Utd hardly broke a sweat on Thurs. The most basic requirement is for passion in such matches, and intensity.

Also, it seems to me that Utd play far, far too deliberately and slowly. Is that under direction from Carrick or the players themselves? When they attack with pace, they create chances.

Lastly, Rashford has generally played well, but moving Cunha centrally is not working. I would move him back to the left wing and put Rashford more centrally.

13 Sep 2026 18:58:44
I've had enough of watching this walking pace football. Watching the two centre backs and goalkeeper hold onto the ball for what seems like an eternity. And when they finally do decide they should probably pass it, they pass it to the other centre back and we start all over again.

Also getting sick of Carrick. He is so out of his depth it would be funny if you're not a United fan.

Don't get me wrong, the board and recruitment team haven't helped him much. Leaving him with that back 4 for the season should see the recruitment team and board sacked.

However, when you see a teams like Hull, Brighton or Brentford with lesser players doing a better job, it's shows it's not always about having big names on the team sheet. If you have a good manager you can get average players performing well. And that's where United fail, they have same bang average players, but sadly the head coach is below average.

13 Sep 2026 19:57:40
Fallguy, it was a terrible watch. Very little sense of urgency. Some of the worst full-back play I've ever seen. No composure after they scored. Really strange substitution, imo, that totally backfired: Tielemans for Sesko. No zip in our play, no confidence to take a man on. All too slow and safe.
Dorgu was shocking and Dalot the same.

Maguire falling for their gamesmanship was silly.
I can't understand how the goal was allowed, but you could argue we got what we deserved from the game. Terrible decision; it should not even need 10 seconds to decide. Enzo made a play for the ball that prevented Martinez from playing it.
A very poor show altogether.

13 Sep 2026 20:32:25
Appointing Carrick was a huge mistake, which a lot of people predicted at the time. You either need experience to coach at this level, or be an up and coming genius. Carrick is neither.

He's a manager that failed at Middlesbrough and walked into the United job.

Nice work if you can get it!

Someone said it above, it's got Eddie Howe in by Xmas written all over it. He's better than Carrick, but still not the right person.

13 Sep 2026 22:56:41
I'd struggle to argue we got what we deserved from the game. You don't deserve to lose a football match in which you don't concede a legitimate goal in my opinion.

13 Sep 2026 23:43:07
Agree, GDS, but those decisions come and go. You can only play what is in front of you. Against 10 men, we should not have been in a position where it mattered.

13 Sep 2026 18:45:28
After the Everton game where I predicted I think that we would finish between 10th and 7, someone asked me to suggest 9 better teams. Here they are (in no particular order):
City
Arsenal
Brighton
Chelsea
Liverpool
Newcastle
Brentford

I think all of these will finish ahead of us if we keep Carrick.



I also think Leeds, Villa and Spurs all could. I think Spurs will come good and Villa had a slow start last year too and have an excellent manager and if Leeds remain relatively injury free they could.

13 Sep 2026 18:50:52
There's only 7 there, mate...

13 Sep 2026 20:47:49
Read the rest of the post.