Yes, they got three decent players in Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. But if they really wanted to go to the next level they had to get Anderson. The guy is a midfield monster of the Roy Keane ilk that every top team needs.

Instead, those new recruits have to bed into a team that is totally devoid of confidence and has become the worst example of passivity.

I don't blame any of those new arrivals. They are all talented and can no doubt work well for United in the future but every team needs a Rolls Royce performer to drive things to another level.

And let's look at what Carrick actually has at his disposal. Not a great deal in the attacking department, let's be honest.

This is a team that usually concedes a goal within a few minutes of kick-off, then struggles to come back into games as it lacks clinical firepower.

Time and again I have watched United get into great attacking positions, a cross goes into the box and it is cleared far too easily as there is just no proper striker in there to smash it in.

There is no one to hold up the ball or battle with mighty defenders. All we get is clever but small midfielders advancing forward a bit now and again with no killer goal instinct.

United do not have a problem creating chances with the likes of Bruno, Cunha, Mbeumo, Amad and Rashford but they have a really bad problem with being clinical. For that, you need a top striker.

And no, it's not Joshua Zirkzee, though bizarrely he has looked the best performer in recent games when coming on as a sub.

Rolling back a few years to the start of this nightmare, they should have signed Harry Kane. They didn't and haven't signed anyone really good to bang in the goals since Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

So there is no potency in attack. The midfield ran well against Leeds and then had a real night off in Como with the hosts running them ragged. That was totally unacceptable and is totally on the players.

As Carrick said after the game in response to Bruno's tactical dig, whatever plan you put in place, it won't work unless the players are actually prepared to run.

As a United fan of 50-odd years, yes, I am an old so and so; that was one of the worst watches ever on Wednesday night - fragility in defence, not enough running in midfield and worst of all, a complete lack of aggression and intensity.

The players need to toughen up, come off that pitch dripping in sweat having given everything to the United cause or, quite frankly, get themselves to a lesser club.

United face Bournemouth on Sunday, a team that has outplayed them at Old Trafford in recent encounters, so my hopes are not high.

But win, lose or draw, I expect those men in United shirts to give everything for the cause - that's really all us supporters want. We can just about put up with a few losses if the team actually looks like it wants to win.

Total effort should be the minimum requirement and not something that happens now and again. So let's outrun Bournemouth, harry them when out of position and play an out-and-out striker, even if they are from the youth team.

United are the most famous club in the world, are in the Champions League, and should be a huge draw. So keep Carrick, get rid of some of the mediocrity in January, play Bruno Fernandes in his correct position, bring in some serious talent, and give youth its chance.

Over to you, Messrs Wilcox and Ratcliffe.

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