Sir Alex Ferguson’s former goalkeeping coach, Eric Steele, has pinpointed a change made by Michael Carrick that has played a big role in Senne Lammens’ improvements.
Since Michael Carrick took over the first-team squad from Rúben Amorim after the latter was sacked last month, many of the club’s players have stepped up a level.
The likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Benjamin Šeško, and Harry Maguire have all seen themselves find new leases of life across the pitch, with the whole squad playing a cohesive and adaptable style of football.
Another player who has managed to stabilise himself well is Senne Lammens. The 23-year-old goalkeeper kept two clean sheets in 16 appearances under Amorim after his arrival, and has matched that in just five games since Carrick joined the club.
Having replaced the erratic André Onana as the club’s starting goalkeeper, Lammens has brought a sense of calm back to United, and Sir Alex Ferguson’s former goalkeeper coach, Eric Steele, has had plenty ot say about the Belgian.
A pre-match routine change has helped Lammens
Steele joined the latest episode of The Athletic’s Talk of the Devils’ podcast and was quick to point out that a change in Lammens’ warm-up routine, initiated by new goalkeeping coach Craig Morrison under Carrick, has played a significant role.
“A change has helped because now we’ve got a goalkeeping coach, Craig Morrison, who’s been able to get on the grass and get Lammens back working properly,” Steele said.
“I just look at the fact that when I’ve been to games and watched the warm-up, I couldn’t believe I saw a goalkeeping coach who didn’t kick a ball — that was [Jorge] Vital, who was Amorim’s goalkeeping coach.
“I looked and thought, if you can’t actually distribute the ball yourself, how do you get your message across? I’m delighted that Craig Morrison’s waited five years and now has his chance. He’s a good coach. He can bring in the technical detail that’s needed. I think that’s what Lammens needs.
“I saw how he performed when he first came in. In that middle phase until Amorim went, I didn’t see his performance level staying high — I think it dipped. But now the game plan’s changed. He doesn’t have to play risky football at times, which was happening.”
Lammens will get even better
Further, Steele made sure the impact of playing players in their most natural positions does not go unnoticed when discussing the improvements Lammens has seen in the last five weeks.
“We need wins under a new manager, and it’s helped — you’ve got Maguire back, you’ve got players back in the right positions, the right shape,” he continued.
“That will probably bring us on to Steve Holland. But I’m delighted for Lammens. Think about his age — he’s only going to get better. He’ll improve now because he’s being coached properly.”
Steele was also full of praise for Lammens’ character handling the switch from Belgian football to the Premier League, claiming “to go from Belgian football — probably one full season — and still go for that kind of player takes courage. It’s going well so far.
“There are improvements to be made, but it feels like a positive signing. It takes bravery. It takes him having trust and faith in what he’s been given each day. That’s important in a new club.”
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