# Wilcox Must Answer for United’s Unbalanced Squad Building

The boos ringing around Old Trafford after our Carabao Cup exit on Wednesday weren’t just aimed at Michael Carrick and the lads on the pitch. They should have been echoing all the way up to the director’s box where Jason Wilcox sat looking “unamused”. Well Jason, welcome to how we all feel watching this mess unfold.

Look, Carrick deserves enormous credit for what he achieved last season. Eleven wins from sixteen as interim, battering City, Arsenal and Liverpool along the way, then delivering third place and Champions League football. That earned him the permanent job until 2028, and rightly so. But let’s be brutally honest: he’s been handed a squad with glaring imbalances that make his job borderline impossible.

Spending £155 million on three midfielders while neglecting other areas is absolutely criminal. We’ve now got Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba all arriving, alongside Bruno Fernandes, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo already here. That’s brilliant depth in one position, but what about balance across the entire team?

The recruitment strategy under Wilcox and Omar Berrada needs serious scrutiny. Yes, Carrick and the players face the media and take the bullets from supporters, but they’re working with the tools they’ve been given. When INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe came in, we expected clinical, intelligent decision making. Instead, we’re watching the same scattergun approach that plagued us for years.

Our Champions League campaign against Bayern, Atletico, Sporting and the rest starts this month. Without proper squad balance, Carrick’s fighting with one hand tied behind his back. The heat may be on our Head Coach, but Wilcox and the hierarchy need to look in the mirror and accept their share of the blame.

The transfer window closes Wednesday. Let’s hope there’s still time for some sanity.

✍️ This summary was written by the MUFC Fanatics SA team based on reporting from The Guardian.

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