Future planning - Replacing Carrick

I also think Blind might be the answer and that he'll continue to develop into a great midfielder. But I feel we really need another midfielder who can do a job defensively if Carrick and Blind weren't available or if the latter was needed at LB, so that we don't have to play Herrera or God forbid, Rooney there again. Schenderlin seems like a great candidate. Haven't seen him linked with us much though.
 

My bad! I missed this interview entirely. All I remember reading about Pogba were his quotes about Fergie not having faith, Rafael playing in midfield before him, etc. etc. Guess, if he talks about United so much, there must be something there. I am definitely more hopeful now (than when I wrote my first post on this subject) - but, I still don't think it is going to happen.
 
Theres only one player for the job - Get Eric Djemba-Djemba out of retirement
 
Pshh..retirement ? I'll have you know he's tearing up the Indonesian Super League this year.
PMSL - cant believe he is still going. The indonesian super league will be much poorer if we manage to entice him back.
 
No. We need Djemba2 as ambassador/player for our Asia stronghold. Just imagine the commenting "The ex-Manchester United player has failed again to make 10 yard pass".
 
That nonsense I spouted a few weeks ago about Blind and Carrick being fine for the #6 role until next summer was just that, nonsense. United need a Carrick backup/replacement this summer, he's a massive loss when unavailable.

Schneiderlin, Krychowiak, Gonalons would seem to be decent options.
 
Could argue both goals are avoidable if Carrick plays today.
 
Blind is not a replacement for Carrick, hes too conservative going forward and average defensively.
 
That nonsense I spouted a few weeks ago about Blind and Carrick being fine for the #6 role until next summer was just that, nonsense. United need a Carrick backup/replacement this summer, he's a massive loss when unavailable.

Schneiderlin, Krychowiak, Gonalons would seem to be decent options.
Pay Southampton whatever it takes to sign him.
 
The best replacements I can think of are Modric and Verratti but both are unrealistic

Schneiderlin, Gundogan or Witsel are all good and realistic replacements, Biglia could also be a possibility but he is already quite old himself so would only replace carrick for a year or 2.
 
Pirlo has said he's leaving Juve at the end of the season........older than Carrick so not really an option.
 
We should only be looking at Verratti or Sneijderlin. Anything else we'd be doing the wrong move.
 
when he first came on the scene I saw him as a Zidane type player.

Carrick is not stricktly a defensive type player. He makes great passes...reads the game every well. The ball winning player...whom we will get will win the balls...and Herrera is the Scholes replacement.

At the risk of sounding stupid and missing a reference to an inside joke..

Is this a joke?
 
Veratti would be my first choice.
-Someone who can maintain possession and develop play under pressure, not just pass sideways.

Gundongen wouldn't be a bad option either.
 
The key aspect of replacing Carrick isn't the defensive shield aspect, it's the crisp, incisive passing that dictates our tempo that we really miss when he's out.
 
The key aspect of replacing Carrick isn't the defensive shield aspect, it's the crisp, incisive passing that dictates our tempo that we really miss when he's out.

I agree, that's why I like Veratti, keeps possession in tight areas, makes penetrating passes, and also has the pace to beat people through the center.

Having said that, Gary Neville gives a good analysis of the importance of Carrick's defensive positioning:

 
I agree, that's why I like Veratti, keeps possession in tight areas, makes penetrating passes, and also has the pace to beat people through the center.

Having said that, Gary Neville gives a good analysis of the importance of Carrick's defensive positioning:



That's the tricky part, although I think the passing aspect is the most vital but @khoazany is probably right that we'd need more a pure DM to go alongside whoever we got in for the role to balance it out.
 
We need another CDM to play alongside Veratti if we do sign him.
I agree with this. We'll have to move to a Chelsea-esque double pivot in the center of the park and change the shape to 4231 to accommodate Verratti. He's not as good defensively as Carrick to perform the role of sole anchor.

That said, I like the option of the double pivot. Verrati/Herrera and Verrati/Blind are both pretty tasty pairings. The only thing I see with this is we'd need another central midfielder as cover. Pearson/Rothwell/Fosu-Mensah?
 
After last night, we should be straight back in for Vidal. Great performance.
 
I really do think we should break the bank to sign Schneiderlin. He really does have everything we could realistically want to fill Carrick's boots, and should we get back in the CL I think a move to Utd may be too much for him to turn down.
 
Crazy suggestion and I can't say I've ever watched him much before, but Mile Jedinak has come statistically near the top of midfielders in the Prem for the last 2 seasons. He's 30 and a DM. Whoscored.com has him as the 30th best player in the World statistically. If we can't get Schneiderlin is up to much?
 
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