Manchester United plunged to even lower depths on Wednesday as they were thrashed 4-1 by Champions League debutants Como.
It has been a horror start under Michael Carrick this season and just when it seemed like things could be turning around, the team dropped an absolute stinker at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
Cesc Fabregas schooled the United head coach and showed INEOS how important it is to have a tactically astute boss in the dugout.
The United head coach can point to the numerous injuries, and the lack of help from INEOS in the summer. But the simple truth is he is not good enough.
Carrick has no tactical clue
His tactical calls are absurd to say the least. Why will a coach ask his most creative player to play out wide or as a false nine week after week?
Carrick seems to favour Youri Tielemans as the attacking midfielder instead of Bruno Fernandes, the reigning PFA Player of the Year.
He picked a lightweight midfield combo of Mason Mount and Andrey Santos instead of starting his most combative player in Carlos Baleba. Both Chelsea rejects looked miles off the pace.
Leaving aside the selection calls, it is clear that the players have zero faith in Carrick and they have given up.
Clear lack of coaching
With the exception of the team captain and Amad, not a single player sprinted and pressed like their lives depended on it.
When the going gets tough, the real characters shine through and this squad lacks leaders. They are also not properly coached as seen from the team’s haphazard pressing.
How can INEOS see all of this and not take an immediate call? There is no chance of improvement under this coach, even if all the players were to miraculously return from injury tomorrow.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Fabregas is showing the whole of Europe what a class manager he is.
The Spaniard guided Como back to the Serie A, and followed it up with a 10th-place finish on their return to the top-flight.
Fabregas shows INEOS who should be the next boss
Last season, Como made the Coppa Italia semifinals while also qualifying for the Champions League, all while playing an excellent brand of football with a young team.
On Wednesday, Fabregas’ team ran rings around the 20-time English league champions, showcasing a level of control and class that the United teams of old would have been proud of.
This devastating defeat has all the shades of the Watford game under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It is time for Carrick to go. But the incompetent board cannot be trusted to bring in the right successor. Another long season awaits the United faithful.
Feature image Marco Luzzani via Getty Images
