Michael Carrick is winning matches and earning praise and deserves credit for the way he is doing it.
Benjamin Sesko was Manchester United’s super-sub against Everton, coming off the bench to score the winner. Head coach Michael Carrick sensed that a flat game needed a more direct approach, and brought Sesko on as early as the 58th minute.
And while Sesko deserves his plaudits, Michael Carrick is getting praise too for the way he has used his bench. Especially in comparison to previous manager Ruben Amorim.
Carrick’s substitutes vs Ruben Amorim’s
Michael Carrick’s substitutes have scored four goals from the bench during his six games in charge of the club.
Benjamin Sesko is responsible for three of those goals (vs Everton, West Ham, and Fulham) and Matheus Cunha the other, netting against Arsenal.
These goals have been decisive, with three of them being winners, and the other securing a draw. United are seven points better off.
Embarrassingly, Ruben Amorim’s substitutes did not generate a single Premier League goal this season in 20 matches.
This shines a light on Amorim’s poor game-management, where he frequently turned to centre-backs as his default substitution, even when Manchester United were chasing a goal.
It is an issue that goes back to last season, with United’s defeat in the Europa League Final potentially avoidable if Amorim had utilised his bench better. He brought on Kobbie Mainoo in the 89th minute.
Amorim did see two goals from substitutes against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup when Bryan Mbeumo came off the bench to score one of the two second half goals that attempted to save the club from embarrassment. We can give him no credit for this, and are looking at Premier League games only.
Sesko is having a major influence for Carrick, and that is more than luck. It is the result of hard work being put in on the training ground by the coaching staff.
Amorim under fire
Ruben Amorim was sacked at the start of January, and since Michael Carrick took over mid-month, Manchester United are unbeaten.
Speaking to ESPN, after United’s win over Everton, pundit Craig Burley hit out at Amorim, specifically discussing his substitutions in comparison to Carrick’s – an argument backed up by the data.
Burley said: “He can’t be sitting comfortably. He must be looking in the mirror thinking ‘did I get it right at United, did I make the right decisions?’
“I know we have these new manager bounces but there’s more to it than that.
“A back four, Mainoo in, Fernandes further forward, round pegs in round holes. Good substitutions at good times.
“That’s one of the keys to management, it’s not just picking a team… it’s making in-game decisions to effect games.
“To be fair to Michael Carrick, he has done that. He has made changes in games that have been a little flat, that have made the difference.”
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/2YICzGj