Carrick's placement of the right players helped Manchester United turn their fortunes around.

Under Michael Carrick, Manchester United didn't make any dramatic changes to their starting formation. It remained the familiar 4-4-2. But the difference lay in how the team operated every inch of the pitch.

In the match against Arsenal in round 23 on the morning of January 26th, MU opted for a deep defensive formation with a medium-low defensive block, maintaining compact spacing and patiently waiting for the right moment to counter-attack.

It wasn't passivity, but a deliberate choice. Even when under relentless attack from Arsenal and conceding the first goal, MU remained calm and immediately counter-attacked.

Carrick helped Fernandes reach his full potential. Photo: Reuters .

In that 4-4-2 formation, Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes did a good job of shielding passes into the center, especially in neutralizing Arsenal's defensive midfield pairing. When the opposition were forced to move the ball to the flanks, MU immediately tightened their defense, pressing from both sides to force mistakes.

The two wingers, Patrick Dorgu and Amad Diallo, worked tirelessly, dropping deep to keep the team compact, then surging forward quickly when opportunities arose to change the tempo.

The key to the change lay in the midfield. Carrick saw what MU had been lacking for a long time: a calm enough brain to connect the lines. He brought Kobbie Mainoo into the team and freed Bruno.

On paper, it's a 4-4-2 formation, but when in possession, Bruno is allowed to drop back, forming a flexible midfield trio. This allows MU to always have an extra passing opportunity, enough to escape pressing and maintain tempo.

The last two matches clearly demonstrated their effectiveness. Bruno and Mainoo became the centerpiece of the passing combinations and short triangles. Playing one-two touches, passing and then moving, they created space right within the opposing team's formation.

The image shows that MU chose to play a style of football that involved breaking through the opponent's defensive block.

This is a very difficult style of football to defend against, as it forces opponents to constantly shift their positions, easily leaving gaps. More importantly, MU began playing through the lines, instead of just looking for long balls or relying on individual moments. This was rare for MU in their earlier period.

The "crazy feeling" that fans are talking about isn't about Carrick inventing something new. It's about the fact that everything has been in this squad for a long time. Mainoo has positional awareness. Bruno has the ability to control and create. The wingers are capable of working in both directions. MU doesn't lack players; they lack the structure to connect them.

Of course, two matches don't define the entire journey. The Premier League is always tough, and consistency is the ultimate measure.

But in the context of Manchester United's years of struggling with different philosophies, quickly finding a suitable structure was a significant step forward. Carrick demonstrated a simple truth of football: big changes sometimes come from putting the right people in the right places and believing in what you have.

Highlights Arsenal 2-3 Manchester United: In the early hours of January 26th, MU continued to surprise by defeating Arsenal 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium in the 23rd round of the Premier League.

Source: https://znews.vn/carrick-dat-nguoi-dung-cho-giup-mu-doi-van-post1622809.html