25 Aug 2026 17:09:00
Bruno saying that the team wasn't prepared had the feel of a dig at the manager. Intended or not, the manager is responsible for getting the team ready. It got me thinking.
When is the last time our players fully bought into the manager's system?
While I'm not the biggest fan of Arteta's style of play, the entire Arsenal squad is fully on board. Same with Pep's City, Klopp's Liverpool, and every other successful side. For it to work, the players have to buy in.
I feel like the only time since Fergie when the players looked like they were on the same page as the manager was Ole's first year or so. Granted it was a very simple style of counterattacking football, but the players seemed happy with it. Then Ronaldo came back and the wheels kind of fell off.
I'm still not sure what Carrick's ideal system is. However, the Bruno comment gives me that uneasy feeling that the players are poised to throw the manager under the bus again. We've seem dogmatic managers and more flexible ones. Still, there's no real sense of a system the players will fully buy into.
25 Aug 2026 18:12:29
Rinse and repeat incoming. Rashford will be, I'll leave it there.
25 Aug 2026 19:24:56
Well, you have to say, if the team/players were not ready, then that rests with the manager and coaching team. It's up to them to get them fit and firing, and if certain ones were not ready, then play players who are ready.
25 Aug 2026 20:34:22
I think the point is that Carrick doesn't have a style of play or a system, and there is certainly no plan B.
25 Aug 2026 22:50:31
Seemed to play well enough from Jan last season.