And the fact he's just nog good enough...
Future planning - Replacing Carrick
- Thread starter Pexbo
- Start date
And the fact he's just nog good enough...
Moutinho is a different kind of player to Carrick, he's much more offensive. We'd been linked with him before although I believe that him and Herrera would just get into each other's way.
I wasn't proposing buying a Carrick clone - just a viable midfielder who can do the job.
We'd still need a Carrick replacement if we bought Moutinho. We can replace Herrera with Moutinho, there's no point though although maybe Moutinho, Herrera AND a defensive midfielder could work.
I don't see us as needing a DM as each of our players are able to play multiple roles (Mata on the right, Tony V at RB, Blind at LB are examples). Moutinho's passing, tenacity, and ability to retain possession would be ideal our midfield.
So ? that is still 3-4 years of top football for a midfielder
The thing with the role Carrick is playing is it is very specific, it's not an easy fix. He constantly drops between the two CB's when we have the ball and that positional awareness and consistency of passing from deep isn't something you just entrust to any midfielder with decent technical ability IMO, it's a specialist role.
Verratti would be perfect for me. Quality player, not sure what he'd cost though
I genuinely can't think of anyone else than biscuits.
Almost impossible to find a like for like replacement. Are there even any players out there that can pass the ball as well as Carrick and Alonso and can shield a back four?
Think you're right, a like for like replacement won't happen. We'll have to find someone who is effective in a different way and adjust.
Picking up Schneiderlin would be akin to nabbing Carrick from Spurs in 2006. He's not the exact replacement for Carrick but then again neither was Carrick for Keane.
Schneiderlin, Depay and two defenders (right back and centre back) would do me just fine this summer.
Schneiderlin, Depay and two defenders (right back and centre back) would do me just fine this summer.
Yeah, unless we can get Busquets, I dont see a like for like replacement of such quality out there. Much like replacing Keane with Carrick, we'l need to get a different sort of player and adjust rather than replacing like for like.
Busquets is nothing like Keane. he has nowwhere the passin range of Carrick. Alonso in his prime and Martinez is a closer fit.
Scheinderlin is not a bad shout as he is a fairly intelligent player as well with goo technical ability.
When did I say Busquets is like Keane? Or do you mean he's nothing like Carrick in which case I'd disagree. The only arguable bit would be his passing range, something that's tough to gauge seeing as he's never really been required to play the role of a playmaker from deep. Everything else, the ability to read the game, play well under pressure, provide a passing outlet at all times, being defensively solid etc are all right up there.
Alonso is a clone really but at his age and having moved to Bayern just now, he isnt a likely target or willing to move so I just discounted him. Martinez is a good shout actually, totally forgot him. Wont be leaving Bayern for us though.
Kroos, Veratti.
Kondogbia! Veratti is quality as well.
Schneiderlin or Verratti are the best options, I'd say.
Those are the two midfielders I want the most this summer, or Pogba I suppose but I don't see that happening.
I still see Blind as the ideal Carrick replacement though. Blind played extremely well in thst role earlier on in the season with the rest of the team playing a lot worse than they are currently, I really don't think you'd see much of a difference switching out Carrick for Blind. And that's not any kind of knock on Carrick either who I think has obviously been very good since his return.
A midfield three of Blind, Herrera, and Veratti/Schneiderlin would be extremely good.
yup, sorry don't know why I mentioned Keane.
Busquets just always seemed more destructive and not as composed as Carrick, but i agree it would be difficult to tell due to Xavi and Iniesta doing all the playmaking.
He's as cool and composed as they come. When it comes to short passing, he's right up there with Carrick if not better. Its just Carrick's passing range that I dont know whether Busquets can match, he's never needed to.
All a bit moot though, can't see him leaving either.
There are very few players that could go in and directly replace Carrick. It'd have to be someone with similar defensive and passing skills. Verratti could be one, although it's very unlikely that we'll get him (or someone else who fits Carricks profile).
Therefore, we should look at playing with another type of defensive midfielder, like Busquets for instance, someone who is excellent at defending and retaining possession with a high percentage of passes completed. We've already got one in Blind who in my opinion is (almost) on around the same level as the latter day Busquets. He could and should develop himself further too.
If we play with Blind, we still lack a main playmaker in the team. Herrera is a great all-rounder but he isn't Kroos or Fabregas. We need someone like that to play ahead of Blind alongside Herrera in my opinion. Rakitic, Pjanic or Kovacic could be great in this role. Di Maria with a bit of tutoring could be legendary in this role. So could Pogba.
Therefore, we should look at playing with another type of defensive midfielder, like Busquets for instance, someone who is excellent at defending and retaining possession with a high percentage of passes completed. We've already got one in Blind who in my opinion is (almost) on around the same level as the latter day Busquets. He could and should develop himself further too.
If we play with Blind, we still lack a main playmaker in the team. Herrera is a great all-rounder but he isn't Kroos or Fabregas. We need someone like that to play ahead of Blind alongside Herrera in my opinion. Rakitic, Pjanic or Kovacic could be great in this role. Di Maria with a bit of tutoring could be legendary in this role. So could Pogba.
If you want very similar players with very similar attributes the only two I can cherrypick are Busquets and Martinez, and even they are different in their own right.
We just need someone as good all-round as Carrick to play at the base of the diamond. I really like Blind, but for me he isn't that guy. He's the new Owen Hargreaves (albeit actually a better footballer).
We just need someone as good all-round as Carrick to play at the base of the diamond. I really like Blind, but for me he isn't that guy. He's the new Owen Hargreaves (albeit actually a better footballer).
Surely Busquets must be sick of winning everything and anything with Barca, he must be fiending to join our Spanish crew.
The thing is. We probably wont replace Carrick with a like for like. That hardly ever happens in football. We never replaced Keano with another Keano, We never replaced Scholes with another Scholes. Football evolves players anf tactics evolve. We can sign another lad and play a different way but still be vastly effective and dominant.
Well as LVG has shown with the Netherlands and Bayern, he doesn't mind if the no.6 is a bruiser rather than a passer.
If there are no top quality players available who are capable of filling Carrick's shoes he'll probably go for a destroyer and rely on the other two midfielders for the more refined qualities.
If there are no top quality players available who are capable of filling Carrick's shoes he'll probably go for a destroyer and rely on the other two midfielders for the more refined qualities.
This.
In fact, I really don't see Blind playing a full season at left back in 14/15 and if I'm right about that we may already have our post-Carrick solution in Blind. What I'd like to see us procure is a more physical midfielder like Schneiderlin. He's not a bruiser but he's physical enough and picks out the right pass. And of course he already knows his way around the prem. He's 25 years old and now a regular on the French national team and ready to take the next step up, whether it's to United or Arsenal or Chelsea.
We couldn't do that with Scholes, there never has been and never will be another like him
. To be fair with Keane we did try and get Gattuso. He was my muppet dream at the time.We couldn't do that with Scholes, there never has been and never will be another like him
And then we settled on playing Alan Smith in midfield....
Jesus, don't remind me
I've always thought if you could get Tom Huddlestone really fit he could play that role for a big team. Too late now as he's 28 but if we got him a few years ago he could have been a decent back-up & might have improved enough to replace Carrick.
Banega has had a really good season. Looks like the penny has finally dropped for him & probably wouldn't cost a fortune. Still only 26 as well.
Banega has had a really good season. Looks like the penny has finally dropped for him & probably wouldn't cost a fortune. Still only 26 as well.
That would be 2 of the least sexy transfers in recent history.
Wouldn't mind Schneiderlin, Gundogan or Naingollan.
Huddlestone isn't even the best central midfielder at Hull, who might get relegated.
Banega & Nainggolan - decent but the ship has sailed.
Banega & Nainggolan - decent but the ship has sailed.
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Huddlestone could have been a great player had he not been such a lazy slob. Technically he is incredible, as good as Carrick.
We should have picked up McCarthy for 10m when we had the chance, him training & playing with Carrick would have improved him a lot, imo.
but yeah, as a ready made replacement, 40m on Veratti.
We should have picked up McCarthy for 10m when we had the chance, him training & playing with Carrick would have improved him a lot, imo.
but yeah, as a ready made replacement, 40m on Veratti.
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He is their best midfielder. I don't want to turn this into a Huddlestone debate. I was just making a point that I don't think he is too far off the level of being able to play for one of the big clubs. He started nearly every game for Spurs when they got into the Champions League a few years ago & if he didn't have as many injuries & was fitter I think he could have played for us. Too late though, we'll never know. He plays for Hull & you're right, they could get relegated.
Banega & Naingollan are 26. We signed Carrick when he was 25 so I don't know what you mean by "the ship has sailed".
Veratti (or busquets) would be a good (and expensive) choice if we wanted to replace like for like but remember carrick replaced keane as we became a more possession based team so depending on the direction lvg (and the board) want to go perhaps this will dictate the next option.
Strootman is of course linked very often but with the injuries he has had I hope we stay away from him.
I completely agree about Huddlestone. Shame he was never fitter/more mobile, he'd of been a cracking #6.
I think Livermore is overall a better player than Huddlestone.
Banega & Nainggolan look to have reached a peak that is not all that high. Fellaini is ahead of Nainggolan for Belgium. Banega is a decent player but surely we can do better?
We can do a lot better.
If anything the new injuries prove that we should look for more quality and quantity sooner rather than later.
Fellaini isn't ahead of Naingollan. They both played all of the recent games for Belgium. Naingollan on position 6, Fellaini further up the field, close to Witsel.