Carrick hits back strongly at the criticism: we have become stronger than last season

People laughed at me over Walker. Three years later, they cried at the price of full-backs. Today, as Michael Carrick sat in front of the cameras to talk about Manchester United's £150m transfer window, I was reminded of myself in 2026 – the one who wrote that Kyle Walker at £50m was madness. Pep Guardiola proved me wrong with 100 points and 6 assists from the English full-back. Since then, I learned one thing: before judging a transfer window, look at the structure, not the names. And if you look at the structure United is building, Carrick has reason to say his team is stronger. Context: Manchester United just went through a transfer window that Carrick described as 'squeezed every last penny.' They spent £150m to bring in Andre Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba. No blockbuster signing like Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo, whose rivals spent over £100m on a single player. Instead, United chose to spread the budget across three midfield positions. Pundits and fans immediately criticized: they said United lack a world-class left-back, with Luke Shaw as the only recognized option; they said Joshua Zirkzee – the 25-year-old striker Carrick praised endlessly – still hasn't played a single minute this season; they said £150m is not enough to compete with Man City or Chelsea. I have carefully reviewed Carrick's statements after the transfer window. He didn't just defend the new signings; he also praised CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox. He said of Zirkzee: 'He is very important, he has the ability to produce very high levels. My relationship with him is very good.' But the data tells a different story: 0 minutes played, 0 appearances, while Everton was ready to take him away from Old Trafford. This is not a tactical issue – this is an asset management problem. A player described as 'important' but not used is a waste of value. Carrick can say Zirkzee is in healthy competition, but I've watched long enough to know that when a striker doesn't play, his market value evaporates day by day. But look at the bigger picture. £150m for three midfielders – Santos, Tielemans, Baleba – is not impulsive shopping. It's a deliberate strategy: building squad depth to withstand a congested fixture list. Tielemans is the creator, Baleba is the box-to-box engine, Santos is the future option. Carrick is trying to control the midfield – where big games are decided – rather than engaging in an arms race of flashy signings. And when you look at how rivals spend, you see a deliberate difference: City buys one £100m star, United buys three £50m pieces. That could be wise, or it could be self-deception – depending on how these three integrate. I could be wrong here. Maybe Carrick is right, and failing to sign Ait-Nouri – the left-back United pursued but couldn't close – is not a failure but a financial calculation. Maybe Zirkzee will explode in the second half of the season, when fixtures pile up and he gets his chance. But I see a clear risk: Luke Shaw is the only recognized left-back in the squad. If he gets injured – and history shows Shaw is injury-prone – United will have to use Dalot or switch to a back-three. That will break Carrick's tactical plan before the season even starts. And when opponents see such a weakness, they will exploit it mercilessly. I saw this at the 2026 World Cup, when Iran's 'concrete' defense was torn apart by Spain simply because they had no Plan B for a specific position. So what happens next? I don't predict match results – I was wrong when I predicted Man City would lose 3 home games in 2026-18, and they lost only 1. Instead, I'll offer a testable prediction: if Shaw stays fit for the first 20 games, United will have at least 40 points after the first half of the season. If Shaw gets injured, that number drops below 35. And Zirkzee? If he doesn't get at least 500 minutes before Christmas, he will leave in January – because a benchwarmer is never worth as much as a player who plays. Carrick can say the team is stronger, and I believe him structurally. But that strength only exists on paper if the inherent weaknesses remain unaddressed. Fans are angry at me for breaking their dreams. Dreams made of truth last longer.