[Obiorahking_]

break the bank again for Verrati next season or whenever he decide to quit PSG
Verrati
Pogba Schneirdlein

In what world is Verrati a holding midfielder?

 

[RedMachine03]

 

[Borys]

I guess he would've struggled in the first half when they pressed us aggressively, but second half was his show.

You can tell the difference between Van Gaal and Mourinho setup by looking at how fast he releases the ball forward. We'll see if this observation stands after a couple of league games but I believe that's the case.

 

[Perrick Dubois]

That was a pretty awesome burst of pace to get that assist yesterday.

 

[Adisa]

Our dependence on him worries me.
We should have gone for Xhaka.

 

[Cerpin]

Saw my first United game last night. First half was pitiful, but the second half -- and especially Carrick's game -- was a joy to watch. Vintage performance, with those precise, drilled passes into the middle. Fantastic assist too. I know it was a low-key game, but let's these performances will be the norm rather than the exception for him this year!

 

[kunal18]

The gap in the quality of passing between him and our other midfielders is vast, passing being a midfielder's singlemost important attribute
One touch passing, tempo adjustment to suit the scoreline, forward passing (perfect speed and accuracy), sniffing out danger , intercepting passes into the opponents playmaker/forwards,consistently gives a 7/8 performance(has played more than 40 odd games every season for the past 10 seasons barring the injury spoilt(LVG'd) 14/15 season) ,make him a key member of a title challenging team.
His quarterback play will shine more in Mourinho's fast transition play system than it did in the past few seasons aimless pay
Age cannot help the likes of Schneiderlin, Herrera etc to displace Carrick, they have to show that they are better than him which I highly doubt they are

 

[Tiber]

 

[Burrow]

I'm starting to realise that I've never appriciated this man for the last 10 years. I remember being happy with him when we played with him and Giggs in the 4-2-3-1 under Fergie, but I can hardly remember him doing anything for the last 10 years. Finally starting to appriciate him for what he's done though, and it's really great if he'll be able to have a great season under Mourinho.

 

[baanke laal]

Mind boggling that he was ignored for England National team when they did not have anyone like him.

 

[arnie_ni]

Mind boggling that he was ignored for England National team when they did not have anyone like him.

Not an England fan perse, buy him holding would have allowed Gerrard and lampard to actually do what they should have done at international level. 3 man midfield, carrick the deepest.

Not sure how that would have worked up top with a front 3, but it would have helped those 2 massively.

Of course, Scholes should have been 1st name on the team sheet but that's a different conversation.

 

[DannyCAFC]

He's still really good and should have started for England in the Euros.

Agreed.

In reflection, England's midfield should of had him at the base with Noble and Alli ahead of him.

How so? We dominated possession in every game as it is, the problem was penetration, not something I would personally be looking to Carrick for.

 

[DannyCAFC]

In what world is Verrati a holding midfielder?

Well he plays quite deep? A deep-lying playmaker more than necessarily a holding midfielder, but who's to say you need one? I wouldn't call Carrick a holding midfielder either.

Seems more a recreation of the Juve Pirlo/Vidal/Pogba midfield, playmaker sandwiched by two hard-working, energetic midfielders to put in the leg-work around him. I think that could work, especially with 2 genuine world-class players in the 3.

(Not happening mind)

 

[Bwuk]

How so? We dominated possession in every game as it is, the problem was penetration, not something I would personally be looking to Carrick for.

Carricks the best midfielder at controlling a game England have.

 

[Obiorahking_]

Well he plays quite deep? A deep-lying playmaker more than necessarily a holding midfielder, but who's to say you need one? I wouldn't call Carrick a holding midfielder either.

Seems more a recreation of the Juve Pirlo/Vidal/Pogba midfield, playmaker sandwiched by two hard-working, energetic midfielders to put in the leg-work around him. I think that could work, especially with 2 genuine world-class players in the 3.

(Not happening mind)

Good points.

 

[DannyCAFC]

Carricks the best midfielder at controlling a game England have.

I know, you don't seem to have read my post. What game didn't we control? We dominated possession in every game, the issue was penetrating defences that were camping 25 yards from their own goal with 10-men behind the ball -what would have Carrick have been able to do to counter-act that?

 

[Sigma]

Should start this season. Carrick - Morgan - Pogba should be the first choice midfield 3

 

[Terminator]

I love watching him play. Brilliant midfielder.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Thought he looked sharp last night (only just seen it in FM&S) think the rest over the summer really helped! Hope he stays injury free throughout the season.

 

[M Bison]

Still our best CM by some distance, which is scary given his age and the fact we have bought 3 CMs in the past few seasons.

Hopefully Pog will remove some reliance on him and Jose can get something out of Morgan or Basti.

 

[ivaldo]

What is his purpose in this side? He's doing nothing.

 

[ivaldo]

Good, he's been absolutely pointless today, won't get by flack for it though.

 

[Minimalist]

To be honest some of us have given up criticising his pointlessness. There's a bit of cult around Carrick and you can't say anything negative about him.

 

[TheNewEra]

I actually think Carrick was good today.

 

[Devil may care]

I thought he struggled to assert any control over the game, he didn't do enough on the ball.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

He was decent.

 

[M Bison]

Not his best game but still our best CM by a long way (until Pog officially signs).

 

[Dr Pavel]

Made his usual mistake of going up to press and completely missed and lost the ball carrier on a break that lead to the goal. He does this so regularly it happens at least once every game. I really don't like him as a player. Way way too soft.

We really lack a midfielder who's good at tackling and stopping counter attacks.

 

[Sylar]

Think this might be a season too far for him especially if hes starting. We need to be careful how we use him imo. Just turned 35. If we are going to play him, he needs legs either side of him (in a midfield three not two).

 

[Sigma]

I thought he was alright.

 

[ivaldo]

I actually think Carrick was good today.

What the feck! Where's the white text? From the first few minutes with that ridiculous dummy to losing his man for the header off the bar and failing to close Vardy down and giving him a free run at Bailly he was next to useless. Blind and Bailly both used the ball more productively than him and Fellaini got through far more defensive work. It's incredible people can rate this performance frankly

 

[Dec9003]

I thought Carrick was poor today. I may get a lot of stick for saying this, but for me Carrick can't hack it at the level we need to be at anymore. He doesn't tackle, he rarely intercepts, his passing is so safe that it borders on being Tom Cleverley esque. He's been great for us but I think it's a year or maybe even two years too far. He's going to get found out in a Mourinho midfield two, it's too demanding for him. It showed the difference when Herrera replaced him, he had energy, power and a bit of speed and it tipped the match in our favour. Hopefully we just see him off the bench or in the Europa League, it's always a shame to see a player of Carricks ability eventually becomes too old but it happens. I think Carrick should be spending his Saturday's playing golf, not getting shown up by younger, fitter midfielders.

 

[OohAahMartial]

Very poor today from him. Seems to have absorbed LVG's philosophy more than most and I'm not sure at his age he will be able to unlearn it so quickly. I don't think he will be Pogba's main partner.

 

[kundalini]

I thought Carrick was poor today. I may get a lot of stick for saying this, but for me Carrick can't hack it at the level we need to be at anymore. He doesn't tackle, he rarely intercepts, his passing is so safe that it borders on being Tom Cleverley esque. He's been great for us but I think it's a year or maybe even two years too far. He's going to get found out in a Mourinho midfield two, it's too demanding for him. It showed the difference when Herrera replaced him, he had energy, power and a bit of speed and it tipped the match in our favour. Hopefully we just see him off the bench or in the Europa League, it's always a shame to see a player of Carricks ability eventually becomes too old but it happens. I think Carrick should be spending his Saturday's playing golf, not getting shown up by younger, fitter midfielders.

I tend to agree.

Especially if we attempt to accommodate Rooney, Zlatan and Pogba, a stationary Carrick is just inviting trouble.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

"Way too soft" "safe passing" bla bla.

He is having a vital role in our team - distributing the ball and passing it through the Lines while shielding the back Four in his own calm manner, no one Else is capable of that in our squad(except Blind maybe).

As long as he doesn't get caught on the ball like he did at times last year, he will be fine. He looks fit and ready to give us one more great season.

I do agree with the point that he would be way more effective in 3 man midfield, so would most of our players actually. Hopefully Jose will make a change in formation when it becomes more obvious.

 

[ivaldo]

"Way too soft" "safe passing" bla bla.

He is having a vital role in our team - distributing the ball and passing it through the Lines while shielding the back Four in his own calm manner, no one Else is capable of that in our squad(except Blind maybe).

As long as he doesn't get caught on the ball like he did at times last year, he will be fine. He looks fit and ready to give us one more great season.

I do agree with the point that he would be way more effective in 3 man midfield, so would most of our players actually. Hopefully Jose will make a change in formation when it becomes more obvious.

"shielding" "passing through lines" Bla Bla Bla. Blind and Bailly passed through the lines as much as Carrick did, Fellaini did a far better job defensively than Carrick did too. More than once, due to his immobility and passiveness Leicester players were afforded a free run at our back line.

Why did people find it so difficult to accept he just isn't up to the standard required any more?

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

"shielding" "passing through lines" Bla Bla Bla. Blind and Bailly passed through the lines as much as Carrick did, Fellaini did a far better job defensively than Carrick did too. More than once, due to his immobility and passiveness Leicester players were afforded a free run at our back line.

Why did people find it so difficult to accept he just isn't up to the standard required any more?

I think some people expect a midfielder to run up and down the pitch constantly tackling like a mad man and getting in the box.

Put Schneiderlin in Carrick's place and we wouldn't be able to move the ball forward against a very well drilled Leicester team.

As i see it he kept the ball moving in his assured way. I don't expect him to play like 12/13, but less will do until we find the right replacement next year.

 

[ivaldo]

I think some people expect a midfielder to run up and down the pitch constantly tackling like a mad man and getting in the box.

Put Schneiderlin in Carrick's place and we wouldn't be able to move the ball forward against a very well drilled Leicester team.

As i see it he kept the ball moving in his assured way. I don't expect him to play like 12/13, but less will do until we find the right replacement next year.

Not at all, but if you aren't going to put in a shift you better make w significant impact in controlling the tempo of the game or do an effective job in denying space in front of the back four. Doing that occasionally isn't good enough. Carrick took the passenger seat when dictating play to Blind, of he isn't doing his primary job role we need someone in there who will.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

Not at all, but if you aren't going to put in a shift you better make w significant impact in controlling the tempo of the game or do an effective job in denying space in front of the back four. Doing that occasionally isn't good enough. Carrick took the passenger seat when dictating play to Blind, of he isn't doing his primary job role we need someone in there who will.

Maybe if we gave him the pivot role in a 3 man midfield he would get a bit more space to use his abilitys to the fullest. He isn't very mobile at this age so yeah he struggles when he has to cover.
I'm just saying that right now he is the best option we got, no one else can do the job better than him.

We need someone to replace him i agree, but it's not going to be this summer.

 

[ivaldo]

Maybe if we gave him the pivot role in a 3 man midfield he would get a bit more space to use his abilitys to the fullest. He isn't very mobile at this age so yeah he struggles when he has to cover.
I'm just saying that right now he is the best option we got, no one else can do the job better than him.

We need someone to replace him i agree, but it's not going to be this summer.

At no point should we be altering our formation to accomodate a player whos best days are behind him. He's increasingly grow a liability as the season lengthens.