Not Another Michael Carrick Blog

Today we welcome a new guest writer to my Written Offside blog. 

Terry White is a 26 year old Manchester United fan who takes an interest in club history as well as the current team. His father's uncle was Joe Walton, who was an original Busby Babe.

An objective review of Michael Carrick

It’s fair to say that there have been quite a few reviews of Michael Carrick lately, and it would appear that opinions are quite fiercely divided. I can almost hear the groans of “Oh no, not another Michael Carrick blog” but I have to say, after reading several pieces for and against his inclusion in the team, I haven’t been able to agree with any of them. It seems that a debate cannot be had on Carrick without someone being either so massively pro Carrick, that he is hailed as one of the very best midfielders the world has ever seen, and you are berated with the same few statistics to back this up i.e. passes completed, distance covered and interceptions etc... Or, they are so heavily against Carrick that it is claimed he can only play short passes, backwards or possibly sideways, and he doesn't even warrant a place in the squad. 

I would like to give an objective view of Michael Carrick’s contribution to the team, looking at some statistics, what his new position/role means for him and the team, and how he compares to other top defensive minded midfielders. 

I don’t know about anybody else, but frankly I have become bored with the barrage of statistics and numbers thrown about, in forums and on twitter, after every game Carrick has played in recently. It seems that some people have no other way of expressing their feeling that he played well other than to batter you with numbers and chalkboards. I agree that these figures do give you an interesting insight into someone’s contribution, and some of Carrick’s stats are pretty damn impressive, but a few stats are not conclusive of a performance, far from it. For example, during the recent 2nd leg match against Marseille, Carrick completed 54 of 59 attempted passes which gives a very impressive completion rate of 91.5%. This is a fantastic stat, even more so when you consider the quality of the opposition and the importance of keeping possession in a tight game that we had to win (apart from a 0-0 draw). But what does this really tell you about his game and contribution other than he had the ball at his feet 59 times and managed to find a team mate on 54 occasions....well....nothing. If you want a bit more information then you can refer to the chalkboard and see the direction and distance of all his passes, which again is impressive and goes some way to dispelling the narrow minded view that Carrick only plays the ball short and backwards. What it doesn't tell you about is the player’s decision making, creativity and ability to carry the ball, and these are some areas in which I feel Carrick has not performed to the level he is capable. 

The reason we signed Michael Carrick from Spurs was for his creative and varied range of passing. He was superb at releasing players and splitting teams open with his pinpoint through balls. I remember when we signed him, the general consensus among United fans I spoke to was that Carrick would be an excellent addition to the team, but he would probably need a defensive minded player next to him to do the donkey work so that he was free to play his game. I think over the first 2-3 seasons at united he did this quite well but over the last 18 months, as his own role has become more defensive, his passing and overall contribution has become somewhat subdued. 

This might sound strange given his pass completion rate is so high, much higher than it was before he started playing a more defensive role, but for me it’s not all about completion rate. What about the passes he could have made that he didn't. It’s frustrating to watch a player who clearly has such fantastic passing ability nearly always take the safest/easiest pass available. I’d happily see his completion rate drop a couple of percent if it meant his passing was more creative and occasionally more direct, and if his overall contribution to the team increased i.e. goals and assists. It can be argued that it’s not his job in the team to provide goals and assists, but to play for one of the very best clubs in the world you have to bring something else to the plate other than the ability to always do the basics correctly. 

If you have a look at the OPTA stats for passing this season in the premier league, the top 5 positions are dominated by defensive minded midfielders. 

Passers	Team	Passes	Accuracy
Murphy	Fulham	1932	80%
Essien	Chelsea	1783	87%
Ferguson	Birmingham	1705	82%
Barry	Man City	1540	85%
Song	Arsenal	1501	87%

Carrick doesn't appear in this list as he has not made as many passes due to being out of the team at the start of this season. (22 PL apps this season, 4 as sub) His accuracy is actually slightly better than them all (as we already know, he does the basics extremely well) but these players have also made other valuable contributions to their teams this season. Song has chipped in with 4 goals, 2 assists, Essien 3 goals, 3 assists and Barry 2 goals and 2 assists. Carrick currently sits on 0 goals, 0 assists and it was a very similar story last season. It’s clear to see that the best defensive midfielders in the league can all make successful passes and keep possession for their team but can also contribute much more going forward. With Carrick, it’s not what he does do, it’s what he doesn't do that’s the problem 

Another area, in which I feel Carrick struggles, is his ability to tackle. This is a gaping hole in his game if he is going to continue his defensive role in the team. I'm not suggesting that he needs to be some kind of midfield general in the style of Keane or Ince, because he never will be, but to play that role you do need to be able to make a good tackle. Its argued that Carrick is so good positionally that he doesn't always need to tackle, he uses his intelligence to make numerous interceptions each game which is a much cleaner and quicker way of turning over possession. Agreed, and he does this very well, but to be a good defensive midfielder at the top level you need to be able to do both. 

Again, if you look at the OPTA stats for tackling in the premier league this season, the top 5 positions are occupied by midfielders.

Tacklers	Team	Tackles
Lucas	Liverpool	125
Vaughan	Blackpool	117
Holden	Bolton	117
Parker	West Ham	112
Murphy	Fulham	102

If you look at Scott Parker's tackling record here, and couple that with 5 goals and 3 assists this season, plus his ability to win the ball deep  and drive forward with it, almost dragging his team mates with him, it’s no surprise that he has been breaking into the England team recently while Carrick is again overlooked.

Overall Carrick is a great midfielder with some fantastic attributes, but I don’t think he is particularly suited to playing in a more defensive role. It seems this added responsibility has had a negative impact on some of his best abilities and without these, despite doing the basics well week in week out, it’s just not enough to play that role for United. We are the best club in the world and need world class players in all positions, and as a defensive midfielder, I think there are several better than him in the premiership, let alone abroad.

Having said that, he is the best player in the current squad at playing in this role (except for the constantly injured Hargreaves) and the contribution he is making is valid. I think his performances in the last few weeks have improved and hopefully he will continue in that vein until the end of the season, when hopefully we will strengthen the squad. Priorities are obviously a goalkeeper and an attacking midfielder and because of this I think we may see Carrick occupying the same role next season. I would say though that after those two, a defensive minded midfielder would be next on the list as this would be the weakest area of the team for me. A player in the mould of Essien, Song or Barry would be a great addition to United. There is a wealth of talent at home and abroad that could be considered e.g. Parker, De Rossi, Diarra, Melo and Toulalan to name but a few.

A signing in this position wouldn’t necessarily mean the end of Michael Carrick at United. Although he would no longer be an automatic starter, he could still make a massive contribution and without the shackles of playing a defensive role, he might start to look like the player we signed from Tottenham. The player that in his final season at Spurs had 35 PL appearances in which he made 1938 passes but only had a success rate of 80%, (far lower than these days) but who also pitched in with 2 goals and 6 assists and with a far more creative and penetrative range of passing which convinced United to sign him in the first place.

Do you agree with Terry's view on Michael Carrick? Please leave a comment below and he will respond when possible.

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