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2014-15 Performances

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6.5 Season Average Rating
Appearances
20
Goals
1
Assists
2
Yellow cards
1
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Glad to have him back but I only see him as a squad player, mostly because of age. Blind is only 24 and I would like to see how he does with increased playing time over the course of this season while Carrick is phased out. While he wouldn't have as many things to worry about with Herrera playing next to him, he seemed to be even more static last season that previously. It should also be plain from his appearances as a back that he's not suited to the position at all.

I do hope that the club and the fans will give him the respect he deserves when his last day with the club comes.
 
Sounds like he's still some way off making a 1st team appearance going from what LVG said in his conference. Said he needs a lot more time on the grass then a lot more training sessions and then more to get up to match speed.
 
Sounded to me like he's possibly about a month away from being fit for selection.
 
Twigg said:
Shame he's not back sooner. We could do with him and Blind behind Herrera while we're waiting for the defence to sort itself out.
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I think people are massively overstating the impact he'll have for us.

He looked past it last season and I think he won't ever give us the performances from 2 years ago again. The sole thing he'll do for us is bring in a bit of experience and the ability to calm things down a bit when we are infront, which might have saved us today. But beyond that, I think he'll be a bit like Fletcher, slow and limited and I can't see him having a bigger role than occasional sub for Blind or Herrera.
 
I think once he comes back there is a real possibility LVG may play Herrera as a #10.
 
The sooner this man is back the better. We miss his ball retention and calming play so much, especially in front of the nervous defenders we currently possess. His ability to get us out of sticky situations and taking the sting out of the opposition with clever forward passes is sorely missed.
 
Will certainly be interesting to see Carrick under LvG and the new players. Have always had a soft spot for him.
 
Carrick has never been that great at CB. I thought if we played 3 at the back he'd be decent enough as the middle CB, but if we keep the diamond midfield he'd be better off in the midfield.

For me Carrick is our best pure central midfielder still. Di Maria is more of an advanced player. I'd like to see him playing the deeper role with Blind and Herrera in front of him and Di Maria at the tip of the diamond.
 
Bwuk said:
For me Carrick is our best pure central midfielder still. Di Maria is more of an advanced player. I'd like to see him playing the deeper role with Blind and Herrera in front of him and Di Maria at the tip of the diamond.
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I am highly sceptical, after the responsibility was passed to him last season of being the main midfielder he wilted horribly. I can't bring myself to say that he's going to miraculously return to incredible form. Even after an injury - it's just to much I think.
 
Smoke On the Water said:
I am highly sceptical, after the responsibility was passed to him last season of being the main midfielder he wilted horribly. I can't bring myself to say that he's going to miraculously return to incredible form. Even after an injury - it's just to much I think.
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He's been our main midfielder since he signed. Regardless of who we've played, it's been Carrick plus another. He's carried our midfield through our most successful period ever. Fantastic player.
 
Bwuk said:
He's been our main midfielder since he signed. Regardless of who we've played, it's been Carrick plus another. He's carried our midfield through our most successful period ever. Fantastic player.
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There were a few periods where other midfielders played but, you are right mainly through Carricks absense. But I am sorry, I can't buy into 'he has carried our midfield' at all. It lends absolutely no credit to the roles played by Fletcher, Anderson, Hargreaves and even supporting roles from O'shea and Cleverley.

Fair play to him though, I hope he can get something back, at 33 I am not holding my breath is all I am saying.
 
I think changing formation to have both Carrick and Blind sitting is the way to go in away matches and games against the big teams. Maybe a 4-3-3, with this is our midfield and attack:

Carrick - Blind
Herrera
Januzaj -------- Di Maria
Falcao
​
Doubt that will happen though. It would mean benching Mata, Rooney and RvP, which I just cannot see happening.
 
Carrick at centre back. Jesus titty fecking christ.
 
izec said:
was clear as day once we bought Blind that he would play CB.
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I wouldn't say so. Blind can play multiple positions, and Carrick is 33 and won't be around forever. Blind is his replacement.

Carrick gets dominated by physical forwards when he plays at the back.
 
Smoke On the Water said:
I am highly sceptical, after the responsibility was passed to him last season of being the main midfielder he wilted horribly. I can't bring myself to say that he's going to miraculously return to incredible form. Even after an injury - it's just to much I think.
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It was passed to him the season before. He responded by being arguably our best player.
 
Bwuk said:
I wouldn't say so. Blind can play multiple positions, and Carrick is 33 and won't be around forever. Blind is his replacement.

Carrick gets dominated by physical forwards when he plays at the back.
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every one of our defenders gets dominated by phisical forwards. At least Carrick can pick a pass. I dont say it is a good idea, just that i thought he would play there under van Gaal.
 
Great way to improve a shite defence is to play someone who's shite in defence there.
 
Think he could work in a defensive three, but if we're sticking to four at the back then no, no thank you.
 
With our current injuries/suspensions we could do worse, but we have Rojo and Blind who can both play there don't we?
 
jeff_goldblum said:
With our current injuries/suspensions we could do worse, but we have Rojo and Blind who can both play there don't we?
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Blind's no better than Carrick would be there but yeah, it'll be Rojo & Smalling if we play 2 at the back for now.
 
Santos J said:
Blind's no better than Carrick would be there but yeah, it'll be Rojo & Smalling if we play 2 at the back for now.
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That's definitely the pairing I'd choose. If Carrick plays at CB to keep Rojo out on the left then I can't imagine what Shaw's been doing in training.
 
Smoke On the Water said:
There were a few periods where other midfielders played but, you are right mainly through Carricks absense. But I am sorry, I can't buy into 'he has carried our midfield' at all. It lends absolutely no credit to the roles played by Fletcher, Anderson, Hargreaves and even supporting roles from O'shea and Cleverley.

Fair play to him though, I hope he can get something back, at 33 I am not holding my breath is all I am saying.
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And to be honest neither should it. Hargreaves was never fit after CL season, Anderson awful, awful player, fletcher ill, o'shea a utility man who played everywhere and Cleverley did what exactly? Had a good start after community shield performance and then got injured and came back crap. Carrick only one for last few seasons who was capable of staying fit and playing any run of games to any decent standard (last year below, yes). He has carried midfield.
 
AKDevil said:
And to be honest neither should it. Hargreaves was never fit after CL season, Anderson awful, awful player, fletcher ill, o'shea a utility man who played everywhere and Cleverley did what exactly? Had a good start after community shield performance and then got injured and came back crap. Carrick only one for last few seasons who was capable of staying fit and playing any run of games to any decent standard (last year below, yes). He has carried midfield.
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Like I said, he's had his injuries and periods absent and I wholeheartedly disagree that he's carried our midfield for as far back as 2007. That quite frankly is complete fabrication.

I am happy to agree with Pogue when he said that Ferguson's last season he was incredible and I will agree that he carried it then. To go on to state that our other players were crap and injured and ill and bit part players is doing them a huge disservice. Almost rewriting periods of our history where Carrick had some equally up and down performances.

Lets agree to disagree, as I stated - the "Carrick carried our midfield for years" paradigm. I am not buying it.
 
Smoke On the Water said:
Lets agree to disagree, as I stated - the "Carrick carried our midfield for years" paradigm. I am not buying it.
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Agreed, it's a massive overstatement. You could argue he carried it in our last title winning season but he wasn't as influential as that in any of the other seasons. For the most part, he was an important player in a midfield duo where his partner was equally important. Which is perfectly fine of course, but not exactly carrying the midfield. Yes he was consistently part of that midfield while his partner(s) varied but that doesn't mean he had to do it all on his own. Initially Scholes was at least as important as him, for a while it was Fletcher who also played a crucial role, even Giggs had a good run there and Scholes' was pretty damn good for about half a season after his comeback.

Over the entire period Carrick was the most consistent and important midfielder but rarely did he actually carry our midfield.
 
From last season into this, I looked at our central midfield options and was of the opinion that only carrick deserved to be there again for this season. I'm happy that is the case.
 
If he comes back, may be we can try 433.

----- DDG -----
RB CB CB Shaw
--- Carrick ---
Herrera - Blind
AJ - WR -ADM

OR

Rooney play wide instead of AJ, with Falcao and RVP fight for the striker spot.

I feel that having Carrick Herrera and Blind in midfield may be will create more stability or balance in midfield.
 
He's 33 and no longer playing with greats like Scholes/Vidic/Ferdinand and for Fergie. He won't be playing under those ideal conditions and it will be a bonus if he can recapture his best form from yesteryear. I'm not expecting him to turn back the clock in any big way.
 
surf said:
He's 33 and no longer playing with greats like Scholes/Vidic/Ferdinand and for Fergie. He won't be playing under those ideal conditions and it will be a bonus if he can recapture his best form from yesteryear. I'm not expecting him to turn back the clock in any big way.
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Yeah same here. But we are still hoping that he can at least do the job for this year or may be another year.
 
AKDevil said:
From last season into this, I looked at our central midfield options and was of the opinion that only carrick deserved to be there again for this season. I'm happy that is the case.
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In what universe, after that train wreck of a season from Carrick could you deduce that he was the only one that deserved to continue this season? Puzzling.
 
FromTheBench said:
I think once he comes back there is a real possibility LVG may play Herrera as a #10.
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I think Blind and Carrick could work as a double pivot, with Ander infront, Mata or Wazza as the #10 ADM wide left, someone else on the right and Falcao / RVP as lone striker. This sounds plausible for big games, away.
 
Smoke On the Water said:
In what universe, after that train wreck of a season from Carrick could you deduce that he was the only one that deserved to continue this season? Puzzling.
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Based on last season being a one off and him deserving of a chance based on what he did two years ago.

I'd like to see him at CB, I think he'd be better than the current options we have.
 
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