The international break has arrived at Manchester United at the perfect time, and Michael Carrick and his coaching staff must treat it like another pre-season.

But before the focus turns towards Carrick, the hierarchy must also take responsibility for where the club finds itself.

This was supposed to be the summer when the club backed its manager and made a genuine attempt to close the gap at the top of the Premier League.

Instead, some of the squad’s most obvious weaknesses were left unresolved. The need for another left-back was hardly a secret, with Luke Shaw’s injury record well documented, yet United entered the season without adequately addressing the position. That decision was always going to carry a risk.

Louis van Gaal said last year: “It is still a commercial club. It is not a football club. I have said that before.”

Truthfully, though, the feeling that United is being run as a business rather than a football club has been around for far longer than the last 12 months.

The same cycle has become increasingly familiar. A manager is dismissed, another arrives midway through a season, results improve and Champions League qualification follows, only for the subsequent summer to expose the same shortcomings in recruitment and squad building.

Five Premier League games have produced just five points, leaving United languishing in 12th, while a 3-2 defeat to Brighton ended the club’s Carabao Cup campaign after United had led 2-0. The latest setback, a 1-1 draw at Fulham, only intensified the scrutiny surrounding Carrick and his side.

There has been plenty of focus on one particular word in recent days: intensity.

The numbers support the concern. United are currently bottom of the Premier League for distance covered at high intensity, time spent at high intensity, total sprints and sprinting time. Against Fulham, they covered 6.6 kilometres fewer than their opponents.

Intensity on the ball is a problem, too. United’s lack of tempo in possession is alarming, particularly when trying to carve opponents open. Too often, the ball is moved without enough urgency, allowing opposition defences to recover their shape and reducing the space available to exploit.

Possession needs to have greater purpose, with quicker circulation, sharper movement off the ball, and more conviction in attacking spaces. At present, United can appear too passive in possession, making their attacks predictable.

Carrick needs to go back to basics. That means playing players in their right positions and finding a structure that balances the attack. Earlier in his tenure, Matheus Cunha played from the left with Bryan Mbeumo through the middle. Now Mbeumo is on the right, Cunha is central, and Marcus Rashford is on the left.

Amad’s injury has forced Carrick to change the setup, but the current balance of the attack has not been as effective. That is not a criticism of any individual player, but Carrick needs to find a structure that gets the best out of the attack as a whole.

The midfield needs addressing, too. Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans have both started the season well, particularly Mainoo, but it remains unclear whether they can work together.

You lose some athleticism and ground coverage with the pair, which is a problem when intensity is already one of United’s biggest concerns. Carlos Baleba could provide that athleticism and energy if given the opportunity.

Carrick also needs to trust Leny Yoro more. Yoro recently earned himself a call-up to the senior French squad for the first time, showing a clear appreciation of his talent from Zinedine Zidane.

He was brought in as a long-term project, but he cannot develop without playing. Keeping him on the bench limits his opportunities and leaves United without another young, athletic option who can bring energy to the side. If Carrick wants to increase the intensity, Yoro needs to play a bigger role in his plans.