Michael Carrick tests INEOS transfer verdict with Man Utd first time ever decision vs Sabah
Michael Carrick has tinkered with his Manchester United side for their Champions League opener, with a summer transfer call already put to the test.
Carrick faces a far tougher challenge as Man Utd boss this season than last term, mainly because he needs to juggle several competitions rather than just the Premier League.
The club legend got the maximum out of a limited squad last season as their caretaker boss, with a remarkable upturn in form and performances sealing Champions League qualification with a third-place finish in the Premier League.
This gave INEOS little choice but to appoint Carrick permanently, especially with so few tempting alternatives on the market, but they needed to back their main in the transfer market this summer to build a squad capable of coping with the rigours of more than one competition.
INEOS certainly did this with Man Utd’s midfield rebuild, with around £155m invested to buy Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans in the summer.
However, it has justifiably been argued that Carrick has been left short in other positions, with Man Utd’s only other signings being back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow and several up-and-coming teenagers.
This is despite the clamour for Man Utd to also strengthen with a new left-back, centre-back, left-wing and/or striker.
Of these positions, the left-back department was arguably the most pressing concern for Man Utd.
Luke Shaw was among a host of players who shone under Carrick, with the experienced left-back bucking a past trend by being constantly available for Man Utd.
Still, Shaw remains a ticking time bomb, and Man Utd took an almighty risk by not bringing in more cover at left-back to prepare for the worst with the England international.
Man Utd are known to have targeted Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall, but they did not press ahead with a deal that could have cost around £75m and he is now set to sign a new two-year contract.
United missing out on Hall is understandable given Newcastle’s firm stance on keeping him, but they could alternatively have done with signing a left-back prospect as a cheaper option or an experienced option on loan.
Despite being linked with other options, United chiefs ultimately opted against bringing in a new left-back, having reportedly argued that they are already covered with Patrick Dorgu, while Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot could move from the right if need be.
You can see the logic in this thinking, but this would be a case of square pegs in round holes for Man Utd, which is not an ideal place to be.
Michael Carrick’s Patrick Dorgu experiment in the Champions League
Mazraoui and Dalot would not be at home at left-back, and the same goes for Dorgu, even though he joined Man Utd to play this position.
Dorgu has looked a lot more comfortable as a winger than a full-back for Man Utd, but he will need to do a job for his team in defence at points this season, and he gets the first opportunity to prove his worth on Thursday night.
This is because for the first time in his reign as Man Utd manager, Carrick has decided to start Dorgu at left-back for his side’s Champions League opener against Sabah FK, while Shaw is out of the squad after having cramp against Everton at the weekend.
Now, given the low standard of opposition, it will be worrying if Dorgu does not get through this test unscathed.
But it is still an important game for Dorgu to take his chance, while INEOS could be left to rue a summer transfer decision if Carrick’s experiment fails.
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