Are we now seeing the Carrick-McKenna influence?

[Inigo Montoya]

Promised so much at the start when they were appointed especially the way McKenna had the u18s set up to play as well as Carrick's obvious strength in getting the ball forward quickly.

It seemed we just went backwards with long ball punt to Lukaku and a defensive set up. Now the speed of press and counter seems to reflect their philosophy.

 

[youngrell]

I've noticed a lot of the players seem to gravitate towards Carrick on the sideline, whether that is because most of them played with him and are familiar I'm not sure, but he seems to have their respect and he has their ear.

Matic has been playing a lot of Carrick-esque passes through the lines recently, too.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

The Ole influence.

 

[red thru&thru]

They have definitely contributed to the recent results. Ole had said himself that he hadn’t much time to put across his own ideas and Carrick and McKenna had been working with the squad.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Hard to say. We played great counter attacking football at the start of last season too. More likely a lift in the mood and boost in confidence and atmosphere. I don't give Carrick or McKenna much credit tbh, they have been in place as the main coaches during one of the worst periods in our history

 

[VeevaVee]

I've noticed a lot of the players seem to gravitate towards Carrick on the sideline, whether that is because most of them played with him and are familiar I'm not sure, but he seems to have their respect and he has their ear.

Matic has been playing a lot of Carrick-esque passes through the lines recently, too.

That makes me wonder if Ole has asked Carrick to work individually with players to get them doing their bit right. I imagine Ole and Carrick are on a very similar wavelength and it wouldn't surprise if that's what's happened.

 

[youngrell]

That makes me wonder if Ole has asked Carrick to work individually with players to get them doing their bit right. I imagine Ole and Carrick are on a very similar wavelength and it wouldn't surprise if that's what's happened.

I agree, you can see him giving instructions clearly to the players and his reaction when it comes together seems to point towards a personal accomplishment.

The coaching staff look just as happy as the players at the moment, which is great to see after the previous 3 regimes.

 

[Volumiza]

I've thought this for a while, certainly with Carrick. He was a really technically sound and intelligent footballer that just went quietly about his business and he just 'looks' right on the bench. He played under the greatest manager ever and you feel he will have a decent career here as a coach before moving into management. Fergie loved him and seemingly so too did Jose so he must have something.

 

[Buchan]

Hard to say. We played great counter attacking football at the start of last season too. More likely a lift in the mood and boost in confidence and atmosphere. I don't give Carrick or McKenna much credit tbh, they have been in place as the main coaches during one of the worst periods in our history

Nonsense. Our dismal start to the season is, in my opinion, down to Mourinho not fully embracing the attacking/pattern play philosophy McKenna and Carrick were trying to instil in our team. Mourinho didn’t fully commit to it, instead relying upon his old, set ways after we conceded open-play goals early in the season and thus, we were in tactical limbo: defensively porous and offensively disjointed. Mourinho appeared incandescent at the goals we were leaking, no doubt blaming the new approach, so he attempted to go back to basics and thus, confusing the players. The result was a complete footballing mish-mash with absolutely no redeeming qualities at all.

We still give up chances at the back under Solskjaer but at least we look like scoring three or four at the other end, every single game. Mourinho should’ve fully embraced this philosophy as I have no doubt he’d be still in a job if he did. I don’t see any place for him in the modern game unless he adapts, either.

 

[Escobar]

Difficult, if not impossible, to judge. However, I believe that they had a proper impact on who should play and where Ole has to start with the team

 

[el3mel]

Well no.

Phelan effect.

 

[kps88]

If the bad stuff was due to Mourinho, then the good stuff is thanks to Ole.

 

[Smores]

It's more or less impossible to have an informed opinion on this isn't it? It's just best guesses thrown in with a little personal bias.

I think the first couple of games this season showed some of Carricks influence and it's not a million miles from how we're playing now. We reverted because our manager was shit scared of the lack of clean sheets not because of Carricks coaching....maybe...feck knows.

 

[tenpoless]

Ole is the biggest influence. It's always the manager first and foremost. I believe what We're seeing now is how Ole wants us to play.

 

[Robbo's Shoulder]

Hard to say but for the players to look at the bench and see encouragement instead of Mourinho's contempt must lift the players and drive them on.

 

[podurban2]

Well no.

Phelan effect.

Are you taking the piss?

How can people possibly know these kind of stuff without having any insight

 

[Andy_Cole]

Need some inside information to answer. Would love to hear the thoughts of a few of the players.

Pogba has previously credited Carrick.

 

[Sassy Colin]

If the bad stuff was due to Mourinho, then the good stuff is thanks to Ole.

Or maybe, Ole just listens to his advisers?

 

[crossy1686]

Ole + Carrick + McKenna + Phelan. This is what happens when you appoint managers and coaches who understand what the football club is about and how football should be played within that club.

Look what happens when you appoint a manager, who then brings in his coaches, only to play football their way. fecking disaster for a club like us where the club is always bigger than the individual. None of our managers, with the exception of Ole have got that yet.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

How on earth would we know?

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Nonsense. Our dismal start to the season is, in my opinion, down to Mourinho not fully embracing the attacking/pattern play philosophy McKenna and Carrick were trying to instil in our team. Mourinho didn’t fully commit to it, instead relying upon his old, set ways after we conceded open-play goals early in the season and thus, we were in tactical limbo: defensively porous and offensively disjointed. Mourinho appeared incandescent at the goals we were leaking, no doubt blaming the new approach, so he attempted to go back to basics and thus, confusing the players. The result was a complete footballing mish-mash with absolutely no redeeming qualities at all.

We still give up chances at the back under Solskjaer but at least we look like scoring three or four at the other end, every single game. Mourinho should’ve fully embraced this philosophy as I have no doubt he’d be still in a job if he did. I don’t see any place for him in the modern game unless he adapts, either.

That's possible and I would like to believe that, but I personally put a lot of store in Rui Faria leaving and two inexperienced coaches coming in for such an important job. I mostly think this affected the defence to be fair. I think it was a bit strange that nobody made more of it on this forum - we split up the most successful duo in modern football and replaced him with two 30 something year old coaches and our defence became almost unbelievable porous and the reason people chose was a superstition over 'mourinhos third season curse' vs the above. Amazing that not even one person thinks it could be due to the change of key personnel.

I like your perspective still and hope you are correct - especially for McKenna who has so much potential

 

[cyril C]

What influence? When we are winning it is due to Carrick/McKenna? When losing it is all Mourinho's fault?

 

[JohnnyKills]

Definitely seems that way doesn't it.

 

[Harold_Giles]

What influence? When we are winning it is due to Carrick/McKenna? When losing it is all Mourinho's fault?

Of course it's not only due to Carrick/McKenna.

However it's possible that Ole actually gives a feck about their input, whereas it seemed Jose only wanted the team to play according to his football philosophy. Impossible to know though.

 

[R77]

It's obviously more a team than autocracy as at least two of the three (Ole, Carrick, McKenna) are more or less constantly conversing, pointing on the pitch and firing ideas/observations back and forth. Seems to me the former two have a good deal of input. What, exactly, is obviously difficult to tell.

It's Phelan that appears aloof more than anything. Almost like he's just there to quietly mentor/babysit and assess the bigger picture while the young 'uns get control of the reins? What does he do?

 

[Keyser]

What influence? When we are winning it is due to Carrick/McKenna? When losing it is all Mourinho's fault?

Well if this is how Carrick/McKenna wanted us to play but Mourinho wouldn't allow it, then yes

 

[Ish]

How on earth would we know?

This.

Ultimately the buck stops with the manager. If OGS wouldn’t want us to play a high tempo, free flowing attacking and pressing game, we won’t.

But for sure, there seems to be more collaboration and enthusiasm amongst everyone.

 

[Anders Agnalt]

100% Ole effect! Mourinho had a team, but did not use it!
Ole knows he needs his team and use them efficiently. Why have a team if you don't use it? Ask Mourinho!

 

[fellaini's barber]

Oh ffs just fecking enjoy the football and stop with these threads

 

[Handré1990]

I am absolutely sure they have a much bigger influence on the team now, but you could argue it’s more about Ole listening to, and actually taking advice and trusting his team to know what the heck they’re doing.

Edit: All a matter of opinion, of course.

 

[Crackers]

Are you taking the piss?

How can people possibly know these kind of stuff without having any insight

I have a phelan he's just taking the mickey

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

What does he do?

There's a thread for that.

 

[OT1214]

The way Ole celebrates certain goals with Carrick/Mckenna gives the impression that the moves have been rehearsed during training. Or maybe I am reading too much into it.

 

[bosnian_red]

I think what we're now seeing is everyone there fully understanding and embracing what Manchester United is and needs to be. Ole, Phelan, Carrick and Mckenna... they all know what this club is about and it finally feels like we're embracing our identity and together as a team going towards a goal. With Mourinho we were constantly fighting ourselves, nobody was ever fully into his ideas. Van Gaal had his obsessions but again, we never felt unified. Moyes and his team never understood what the club was about nor the scale of the club. Ole, Phelan, Carrick and McKenna absolutely do. Hope they stay on.

 

[R77]

There's a thread for that.

Oh ffs just fecking enjoy the football and stop with these threads

How is this thread a negative in any way? Genuine question...

 

[RooneyLegend]

Mourinho is pretty much known to run pretty much every training session. No one really knows if any of those folks are better actual coaches than Ole, he has been in the game longer than them outside Phelan who isn't known for that sort of stuff.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

How is this thread a negative in any way? Genuine question...

It doesn’t matter pal.
Loads like to moan but never put up a thread to debate.

 

[Shiva87]

Just realised that we have probably too a big coaching staff now! Ole, Phelan, Carrick, McKenna, Dempsey. That's a lot of people.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Mourinho is pretty much known to run pretty much every training session. No one really knows if any of those folks are better actual coaches than Ole, he has been in the game longer than them outside Phelan who isn't known for that sort of stuff.

Well if we have learnt anything from watching Ole is that he’s a student of the game. He’ll listen and watch from others.

Unlike Jose he doesn’t appear to have an ounce of arrogance which is why I posed the question regarding Carrick/McKenna.

Phelan: knows the club, older coach, probably reads people well considering how long he’s been in the games. Brings something a bit different to the table...vast experience in working with the greatest manager ever in English football

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Just realised that we have probably too a big coaching staff now! Ole, Phelan, Carrick, McKenna, Dempsey. That's a lot of people.

Half will probably be gone at the end of the season.