Replacing Carrick this summer is critical

We lack an influential dictator when Carrick isn't there.

I think Herrera has been our best player since the defeat to Swansea, but he doesn't dictate games and doesn't have that passing range.

Blind has done a reasonable job in a variety of positions all season - but he has absolutely nothing on Carrick.

Fellaini I openly dislike which I'm sure some of you have picked up on; it's just that for a Premier League midfielder he offers very little on the floor. He's been a great option to have to bring the best out of the likes of Ashley Young, but I think that shows some level of limitations of the squad. It's not the way we want to play, and thankfully we've had Mata and Herrera on the other side being a lot more aesthetically pleasing to balance it all out.

Rooney isn't ever going to be a top class midfielder.

I have no idea who is around who can in some way come in and be the main man, the controller, the quarterback and the on-pitch manager in Carrick's absence or as his replacement, but it's so overdue. In my ideal world, Fellaini wouldn't be here - but that would mean needing one more attack minded midfielder too (and LVG has taken to Fellaini given the positive impact he admittedly had recently).

Veratti isn't Carrick, and he does pick up a lot of yellow cards, he doesn't have that added height and aerial ability - but just bring this guy to Old Trafford please. There aren't many ball players out there better than him at the moment. I think he's got a level or two higher he can reach too.
 
Good thread. I would say not only replacing but also adding serious depth in case of an injuries which is every season's problem. We're vulnerable in this area and other teams exploit this aspect like a farmer Jack milking his cow to dry.

There will be simply no room for this to happen next season. Sign even two midfielders if you must... just patch the wound that is constantly opening in case of one particular injury.
 
adexkola said:
It'll be easier shaping the team to account for Carrick's pending departure/demise, than finding an exact Carrick clone. After all, he didn't exactly replace Keane.
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Very true, Schneiderlin and Gundogan/Verratti between them could do it IMO.
 
Anyone looking for a like-for-like replacement for Carrick will be hard-pressed to find one. Especially if looking at younger players. I think the type of role he plays only really comes with older experienced players who have developed that maturity and calmness in their game over the years. Blind has some similar traits for sure but he doesn't have the same sort of experience in the role, much less to the standard of the Premier League.

I actually think that, much like when we looked to replace Keane, we won't ever find a direct replacement for Carrick and will instead sign/promote a different sort of player with different qualities and evolve that way.
 
Devil may care said:
Blind tries to play the role like a DM who has pace which is why he gets caught out, Carrick recognizes his lack of pace so he positions himself accordingly. On the ball it's not even close, Carrick's pass selection and awareness of when to play key incisive passes is miles ahead. Blind is a decent squad player but he isn't Carrick's replacement.
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My impression from the game today was that Blind was pushing on a lot further than Carrick normally does and he got caught out on a few occassions. I'm sure it was down to Everton inviting us on, but I don't think Carrick would have been caught by the counter attacks so comprehensively.
 
KeaneSixteen said:
My impression from the game today was that Blind was pushing on a lot further than Carrick normally does and he got caught out on a few occassions. I'm sure it was down to Everton inviting us on, but I don't think Carrick would have been caught by the counter attacks so comprehensively.
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That's lack of discipline then. Blind has played at LB recently and has been encouraged to bomb on. He cannot do that in the Carrick role.
 
Veratti would be ideal in my opinion. Don't think he's as sound defensively as Carrick in that role but no one really is other than maybe Xabi Alonso and that's not a long term solution (or possible, for that matter).
 
ATXRedDevil said:
Veratti would be ideal in my opinion. Don't think he's as sound defensively as Carrick in that role but no one really is other than maybe Xabi Alonso and that's not a long term solution (or possible, for that matter).
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Well at least if someone tries to go past him he will give them a good kicking.
 
izec said:
:lol: dont care for them. We dont steal them, even if they think that
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Bilbao would be putting the barricades up if we go there again. I like the technical ability of their players. A fit Javi Martinez would be perfect, but a fit Javi Martinez would be in the Bayern side. He would be great linking with Herrera.
 
Kag said:
Javi Martinez would be an ideal candidate, I think. I've no idea what Guardiola has planned for him when fit, or what his role will be at Bayern going forward. @Balu might have something to offer here?

We're an injury to Herrera or Fellaini away from having to play Rooney in midfield. The box to box central midfield position is therefore more urgent. We can manage with Blind and Carrick at the base for another season. If we can bring in two midfielders then great, but I don't think it's all that realistic.

Blind wasn't very good today, and the statistics do favour Carrick's presence heavily, but I'm not sure that the defeat today, in isolation, was due to Carrick's lack of availability. We conceded some horrible goals and our attacking players spurned some good opportunities.
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The first goal starts with very poor positioning by Blind, though he deserves credit for chasing the counter down.

You have to believe on the second goal that Carrick would have been better positioned to pick up Stone.

On the third, all blame goes to the back line, yet at the same time one can see how Carrick would have been better positioned to make that perfect long ball a more difficult one to pull off.

But we're all saying the same thing: we need Carrick back as soon as possible and we need a partner/successor brought in this summer. I say Schneiderlin.
 
DomesticTadpole said:
Well at least if someone tries to go past him he will give them a good kicking.
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:lol:
Other than committing about five times the fouls of Carrick their stats are pretty comparable, though. Carrick better defensively but Veratti should improve with age, there. Not like-for-like but I think he'd excel in that role with the right two in front of him.
 
We just need someone to control the tempo of the game, someone like Gundogan. :drool:
 
Kill 'em all said:
We just need someone to control the tempo of the game, someone like Gundogan. :drool:
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Not sure I'd trust him sitting at the base of our midfield screening the back four though; he's a #8 really. Schneiderlin would be a much better fit in that regard; although he doesn't quite posses Carrick's passing range, he's still very capable with the ball at his feet (he's only averaged 2 passes/90 minutes fewer than Carrick this season (Carrick 58 vs 56 Schneiderlin), and has created more chances (Carrick 0.49 vs 0.82 Schneiderlin), while also being more mobile, winning more tackles (Carrick 1.17 vs 3.29 Schneiderlin) and making more interceptions (Carrick 1.91 vs 2.63 Schneiderlin)).
 
We have to buy 2 for one, like Schneiderlin and Gündogan. We would have the presence and defensive abilities of one and the controllng tempo + passing of the other.
 
RedMachine03 said:
Why do you say replacing him this summer? We just need a guy as a backup to Carrick who can replace him when he leave/retire, he still does his job very effectively.
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Exactly! This thread sounds like Carrick needs to retire in the summer and has to be replaced. Terrible thinking if the OP wanted to replace him in the summer. Carrick has been the reason why we were winning games! He's that important
 
izec said:
We have to buy 2 for one, like Schneiderlin and Gündogan. We would have the presence and defensive abilities of one and the controllng tempo + passing of the other.
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Yes agreed. Carrick backup/replacement, and a player with the right mix of physicality and technical ability to take Fellaini's place in the side (Schneiderlin would be ideally suited to the former role, while Xhaka or perhaps Gundogan/Nainggolan might suit the latter).
 
All 3 United said:
Bring scholes out of retirement!
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I think Carrick has only been appreciated for what he is after Scholes finally retired properly, I can't remember which season it was (but it doesn't seem that long ago) that people were saying how crap he was, and questioning what he did.

Now he is our single most important player.
 
RedMachine03 said:
Why do you say replacing him this summer? We just need a guy as a backup to Carrick who can replace him when he leave/retire, he still does his job very effectively.
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This sort of attitude is what's causing the club issues. Don't get me wrong I've always been a HUGE Carrick fan but he's now picking up a lot of injuries. It doesn't matter how good they are when they play if they're injured more than they are available then they need replacing and that goes for the rest of the crocks.
 
Gundogan :lol:

Joke aside, do you have the point where it shows blind has been one of our best performer this season? Carrick can go another season with Blind as his understudy. When Carrick is absent, we just need a better gameplan that is not over reliant on Fellaini as our creative outlet. It can stagnant our creativity when things are not working..e.g. When fellaini gets joned.
 
redevil2 said:
Exactly! This thread sounds like Carrick needs to retire in the summer and has to be replaced. Terrible thinking if the OP wanted to replace him in the summer. Carrick has been the reason why we were winning games! He's that important
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I agree he's that important. The fact he's missed so many games due to injury - which is quite possibly in part due to him coming towards the end of his career - is part of the reason we're fighting for 4th rather than 1st.
 
We won't replace Carrick, just as we didn't replace Keane. We'll simply get a new player with his own unique set of skills, who can accompany Carrick and fill in for him when he's not available.
 
Gannicus said:
Agreed. Apart from addressing the De Gea situation, acquiring Carrick's eventual replacement, or perhaps immediate partner, is our top priority, moreso than a CB.

No one argues it any longer, has been by far our best outfield player in recent seasons. When he's in, we win; when he's out, we lose.
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I think we did that when we signed Valdes. De Gea signs then great, if not I'm expecting him to leave to Madrid this summer and Valdes to become our number 1.

Raoul said:
We won't replace Carrick, just as we didn't replace Keane. We'll simply get a new player with his own unique set of skills, who can accompany Carrick and fill in for him when he's not available.
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Agreed. Whoever we get needs to be of high enough quality to go into the team alongside him and replace his influence if he's not playing. We don't need someone with potential to succeed him, who'll watch from the bench, cause when called upon they'll no doubt not be ready to step up.
 
Gundogan would be good, has the passing range and is mobile and can tackle.
 
Brwned said:
He's started less than half of our games this season due to injuries so we don't need a back-up, we need someone who is on the same level as him.
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What do you think of Schneiderlin? Probably the best defensive midfielder in the league in this and the previous season. Signing him won't be that bad.

Not entirely convinced that Blind can't play well that role. It is his first year here, after all, and I expect him to improve.
 
RedMachine03 said:
Why do you say replacing him this summer? We just need a guy as a backup to Carrick who can replace him when he leave/retire, he still does his job very effectively.
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Carrick is getting into the final moments of his career, he can't start every week let alone 2 games every other week if we qualify for Champions league football together with the FA and league Cup. We need someone that can come into our midfield with Carrick becoming his backup and not the other way round. We can't have another Scholes situation on our hands.

Midfield 3 of Sneijderlin, Gündoğan and Herrera would be the best central midfield in the premier league.
 
I like the look of Granit Xhaka, really excelled since moving to Germany, good work rate, short and long passing, wouldnt be too expensive either
 
Kag said:
Javi Martinez would be an ideal candidate, I think. I've no idea what Guardiola has planned for him when fit, or what his role will be at Bayern going forward. @Balu might have something to offer here?
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We'll find out, I can't see us letting him go. He's fecking awesome. I guess he'll play a libero-ish role as a central defender in a back three, which seems to be Pep's plan for the team if injuries don't take away all our tactical options.
 
Paolo Di Canio said:
I like the look of Granit Xhaka, really excelled since moving to Germany, good work rate, short and long passing, wouldnt be too expensive either
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Yeah he has really grown on me too this season. Excellent play and still fairly young, so he has still room to improve int he future.

Gündogan imo lacks Carricks defensive sense of positioning and I always felt he was more comfortable if he had the freedom to go forward.

If the main objective is to find an heir for Carrick I feel Xhaka is the one we should go for and not Gündogan, that's not to say we can't add him as well if he is available for a reasonable price.
 
Raoul said:
We won't replace Carrick, just as we didn't replace Keane. We'll simply get a new player with his own unique set of skills, who can accompany Carrick and fill in for him when he's not available.
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Whilst this is true, it's more about the need for a seriously good holding player to operate that type of role in LVG's favoured 4-3-3. That player has to have an extensive passing range at the very least, but obviously players with that come at a premium and are a rarity. Whether he's a tough tackler, a good runner, a 25 yard goal specialist or a great reader of the game is what will make him different from Carrick. But the ability to ping the ball around the pitch, play between the lines and dictate the pace of the game is something we need from a midfielder to complement the other players we have.
 
Xhaka looks good, but more competition for Ander/Fellaini. Camacho or Iturraspe would be better.
 
Revan said:
What do you think of Schneiderlin? Probably the best defensive midfielder in the league in this and the previous season. Signing him won't be that bad.

Not entirely convinced that Blind can't play well that role. It is his first year here, after all, and I expect him to improve.
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I'd take Sneijderman. He's not like Carrick but he could do a very different, while effective job at DM.
 
No player can "replace" him but we need a no.2 guy who has grown playing only at that position..
 
As I said in the Gundogan thread, although they are very different players, they also have a lot of similar characteristics that would make him a more than adequate replacement:

"Namely the quick, decisive, cutting balls between the lines. Often with his first touch and also he regularly positions the ball to where he wants the receiving player to move to. Composure under pressure. Great, reliable first touch. Strong passing range.

The signing would make a lot of sense considering all these attributes that lend himself to the holding role, combined with his versatility at other roles in the midfield 3."
 
NoLogo said:
Yeah he has really grown on me too this season. Excellent play and still fairly young, so he has still room to improve int he future.

Gündogan imo lacks Carricks defensive sense of positioning and I always felt he was more comfortable if he had the freedom to go forward.

If the main objective is to find an heir for Carrick I feel Xhaka is the one we should go for and not Gündogan, that's not to say we can't add him as well if he is available for a reasonable price.
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The improvement in his game in the last 2 years is crazy, and can only get better, I know we never sign like for like replacements for anybody but this is as close as we are going to get this summer in Xhaka, cant see Monchegladbach fleecing us either
 
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