Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has become the first player to speak publicly since the team's defeat to Como and the subsequent backlash, insisting the dressing room remains supportive of manager Michael Carrick despite concerns voiced by senior players.
United have won just two of their 11 matches across all competitions this season since returning to the Champions League. Scrutiny on Carrick intensified after Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes criticised the club following losses to Atletico Madrid and Como.
Senior players voice concerns
Martinez aimed his criticism at director of football Jason Wilcox, suggesting the club failed to do enough transfer business in the summer to support Carrick, leaving the squad undermanned for their European campaign. Fernandes directed his disappointment at Carrick and his backroom team after the Como defeat.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Fernandes said: "It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence."
When asked if he believed the manager's tactics were at fault, Fernandes added: "That's on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable."
Lammens backs the manager
Ahead of a crucial fixture against Bournemouth this weekend, Lammens emerged in support of Carrick. Speaking to Sky Sports, the goalkeeper said: "For me personally, I think it [the dressing room] is [behind Carrick]."
"Of course, the people at home can't see that, so we need to also try to look like that when we are on the pitch in the weekend, but I can assure you that we're doing everything we can and we're all together behind the coach, as a staff, players, front office."
He added: "Everyone knows, of course, they have to do better, but I think we are united and we are trying to get better as a team and together."
Reflecting on the season's struggles
Lammens was pressed on Fernandes' remarks and whether tactics were behind their difficulties. He said: "Last season I felt like, playing-wise, maybe we played sometimes better this season, but last season everything just clicked and went the right way for us."
"We struggled as a team together when they pressed us, but we didn't concede that many goals, and then I think as a counter team a bit more last season we did really well, but you also know, I think everybody knew that we had to improve as well from that, that teams were going to change the way they played against us."
"So that's why we had to evolve this season and in preseason, we tried to do some different things to get us in the best position to win games."
He concluded: "I think we need a little bit more like last season, the way we fought together, even when it wasn't going the best and just trying to fight as a team and defend as a team, I think that's probably something we need to try to get back to."
