Alas poor Carrick...WTF has happened?

I think it was unfortunate that Fletcher went down when he did. He was always the legs in our more defensive minded midfielders.

That combination right now would be fantastic. 09 Fletcher and Carrick now would have a lot more confidence.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
I think this time the center midfield is getting unfair stick . The wide men were utterly shocking until Young was switched to the right and Giggs sent wide left. No midfield was going to get squat out of them playing that dreadfully.
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Wow can't actually believe you're excusing the midfield somewhat. I agree though, if it was a case that we couldn't get the ball out to the attackers or they were having to come short for it or something then you could blame the midfield but there were getting it right where they want it, where most top wingers would have a field day. Then our set up of keeping them wide or their limitations as players kept them from offering any option centrally for rvp to work with, meant we were truly limited in our options. It was an attack that had nothing going for it yesterday and had been lacklustre from a creative standpoint for a while now.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
I think this time the center midfield is getting unfair stick . The wide men were utterly shocking until Young was switched to the right and Giggs sent wide left. No midfield was going to get squat out of them playing that dreadfully.
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Our wide players are not in form right now but our overreliance on them, for me, is a bigger issue. Our passing through central areas and ability open teams up that way is getting worse and worse.
 
amolbhatia100 said:
Our wide players are not in form right now but our overreliance on them, for me, is a bigger issue. Our passing through central areas and ability open teams up that way is getting worse and worse.
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It's a tactical thing. We can pass through the middle, for some reason though SAF and co don't favour that tactic.
 
Starting tonight in defence alongside Jones. He's played every game this season, and I thought this wpuld be an opportunity to give him a rest so he doesn't burn out.
 
Joemo said:
Starting tonight in defence alongside Jones. He's played every game this season, and I thought this wpuld be an opportunity to give him a rest so he doesn't burn out.
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He may be rested on Satruday, Giggs can do the job in midfield.
 
amolbhatia100 said:
Our wide players are not in form right now but our overreliance on them, for me, is a bigger issue. Our passing through central areas and ability open teams up that way is getting worse and worse.
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Unless the wide area's make movement beyond sticking to their side our penetration is gonna stay limited because it's them who cheifly need to create the space for the midfielders/rvp/rooney to work off.

Dunno why Carrick is playing today, seems unneccessary, unless Evans is out for a while, with Jones back am sure we could afford to play Smalling or just give one of the younger players a go.
 
He was fairly good today. Found space to pass the ball to, and made occasional runs. Courtesy of having proper central midfielder(s) ahead of him.
 
At times tonight Carrick played better than he had in years. He was strong in the tackle, determined in his running and really worked the triangles. Especially during that opening salvo he looked like he was rolling back the years. Great to know he's still got it in him!
 
Yeah that's the closest Cazza gets to testosterone I reckon. Maybe he got a bollocking on the weekend?

But really it just goes to show what a difference it makes playing with more mobile partners. Looked a very good player tonight.
 
Wouldn't say he was very good but he was miles better than he has been and was putting in those performances at the very least consistently last season. Hopefully he can kick on from here now and start playing at the top of his game because we'll certainly need it in the prem and the Champions League.
 
Same old stuff with Carrick. Put him in a team with a decent set of midfield partners and he looks good. Nothing new to see.
 
His passing stats tonight 116 passes 95% accurate 69% forward passes
 
It's the equivalent of playing a top number 10 with a shite number 9 and then wondering why he doesn't get many assists.


Play Carrick with players who give him the ball and then stand still and he looks clueless. Cleverley and Anderson are constantly looking to get the ball back and as a result Carrick excels as he can play it simple and look good for it.
 
jb8521 said:
His passing stats tonight 116 passes 95% accurate 69% forward passes
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Stats don't always tell the whole story but this tells a massive one that playing two players beside him that pass and move and move the ball with feet is a positive thing.
 
Pexbo said:
It's the equivalent of playing a top number 10 with a shite number 9 and then wondering why he doesn't get many assists.


Play Carrick with players who give him the ball and then stand still and he looks clueless. Cleverley and Anderson are constantly looking to get the ball back and as a result Carrick excels as he can play it simple and look good for it.
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Agreed, though he didn't only play it simple in the sense of short. The best thing Carrick does is those incisive balls, often first-time, straight through midfield to the strikers. He did it a lot tonight. When he's not at his best is when he dallies on it and then lays it five yards square.

He's never going to give you a lot of defence-splitting balls, but he does do midfield-splitting ones, and they're very useful.
 
It wasn't just that clev and Ando were mobile, it helped a lot that rvp, rooney and even hernandez were all moving around coming short etc. Said it before but the midfield has had plenty of faults, but they've not been helped by how our attack has played recently either form wise or tactically.

Defensively again he looked much more influential and that's because instead of having our whole centre exposed because we're playing so high and so wide, we were much more narrow, with players closer together to close space and win the ball back quicker.
 
Plechazunga said:
Agreed, though he didn't only play it simple in the sense of short. The best thing Carrick does is those incisive balls, often first-time, straight through midfield to the strikers. He did it a lot tonight. When he's not at his best is when he dallies on it and then lays it five yards square.
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I've been saying for a few years. I really wish he'd look to bring the ball under control and move away from players rather than just attempt a high% one touch pass to someone.

When we lose the ball in midfield like that and off his boots it is usually when we are bent all out of shape and crucial.

It's not too much to ask for him to show a bit of awareness in attack. His potency would improve dramatically.
 
Yep. At the end Young made a run forward and instead of picking him out, he played the ball to Evra who almost gifted West Ham a goal if not for Evans.
 
#07 said:
At times tonight Carrick played better than he had in years. He was strong in the tackle, determined in his running and really worked the triangles. Especially during that opening salvo he looked like he was rolling back the years. Great to know he's still got it in him!
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I thought he was great last season, so hopefully he can rock on from here and put in a really strong finish to the season.
 
Yeah, was very good last night, probably one of his best performances this season.
 
Thought he was awesome today, just love the way he is soo comfortable on the ball and can dictate the game so effortlessly.
 
He actually protected the defence in the Second Half, more of the same please.
 
Best midfielder today anything that was positive going forward came via Carrick. He's definitely upped his game recently and I hope he can maintain this run of form because with Anderson out and the rest of our midfield all over the place right now we're going to need Carrick to be on 2011 at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League form when we take on City.
 
Definitely one player that can't be blamed for today, our best player today imo.
 
Big fan of Carrick simply because his touch, technique and passing is like no other player in EPL and IMO comparable with Pirlo....I will probably get pelters and mocked by muppets on here but don't give a feck!!!
 
ArmchairCritic said:
He actually protected the defence in the Second Half, more of the same please.
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Not just that, his passing was sharp and spot on all game...and he was playmaking as well as keeping it simple.

I don't understand why it's taken him until the start of December to look like Michael Carrick.
 
Outstanding this evening, unrecognisably so almost. Was so much sharper than usual, and his passing was very positive and accurate too.
 
Absolutely brilliant. He always seemed to have time on the ball and he dictated the tempo of our game better than anyone else. I liked how he kept possession and gradually played his way out of danger to find someone in space. Very classy stuff.
 
Carrick is always a slow starter, even Fergie has acknowledged this previously. He was brilliant today and completely dictated the tempo of the match without putting one foot wrong. Shame Ando is injured because they were really starting to click.
 
I thought he was quality in the second half
Really calm on the ball at times, and passed it around so well, was it him who hit that lovely pass out to the left to Young in the second half

Either way, he was brilliant in the second half, didn't really notice him too much in the first, but his good work was obvious second half
 
Carrick was excellent in the first half as well.

Brilliant throughout, and it's about fecking time he finds his form with the derby coming up.
 
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