The Carrick effect

It may not come as a surprise that Louis Van Gaal has started his second term in charge of United similar to the first. He made it very apparent that he wanted to recruit this summer no matter the cost, most recently acquiring the services of Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin.

But with all the daily gossip of incoming players, it must leave some of the current squad thinking, ‘where do I fit in?’. Van Persie has already jumped ship, with others likely to follow, the majority of whom are seen as surplus to requirements. But who is next?

With such a wide array of midfielders at the club and his chances of game time looking to be severely cut, I’m hoping, no I’m praying, it’s Michael Carrick.

Probably one of the most underrated footballers in the modern game, at the age of 33, he still has a season or two left to shine. Often overshadowed in his time at United by the world class stars around him, similar to likes of Busquets at Barcelona, Carrick is the type of player all big clubs need.

[linequote]Probably one of the most underrated footballers in the modern game, at the age of 33, he still has a season or two left to shine[/linequote]

His role on the pitch is similar to a street cleaner in society. He does the dirty work, work that often goes unnoticed and unseen. He effectively cleans up the mess, making life easier for others.

But before he retires and follows in Triggers footstep, who should buy this player?

Tottenham have spent the last 10 seasons trying to replace this man, with the likes of Zokora and Huddlestone failing miserably, but whom better than the man himself to be the replacement? Now he may be 10 years older and a little slower (probably a lot slower), but Tottenham are screaming for a leader to come in and steady the ship, which I believe he can do. Currently vice-captain at United, there is no denying he has the leadership qualities we currently lack.

It may not be the Pochettino style to sign experience over youth, but I ask you to remember Parker and Davids. Players at similar stages of their careers, both were a revelation at Tottenham, playing key roles in two separate seasons. They became instant fan favourites, leading and motivating everyone around them.

They were players who focused on hunting the ball down in an almost pit-bull like style, tackling hard and often, to then pass the ball to more technical players.

Now the current Spurs team may not call for this type of player, especially with Mason in the team, but what they do call for is a player who can offer some protection to a very fragile defense from last season.

We may have spent the majority of this transfer window strengthening this area, but I don’t think the defence was all to blame last year. Playing a pressing game will always have its risks, which we saw when pressed high up the pitch. The opposition playmakers would often find space in between the pockets of our defence and midfield, which was quickly exploited. Not only that, but we were constantly exposed from any form of pace when defending with a high line.

You may be thinking simply drop the line back, but it’s not that simple, especially when playing a pressing game. Looking back at last year, though they may have been given a lot of praise, the midfield in truth offered very little protection.

[fullquote] A small example of what he can offer is by looking at last season’s stats. He managed to block more shots than any Spurs midfielder[/fullquote]

We need a player like Carrick, who essentially becomes the back four’s anchor, breaking up play through his positioning, someone who can play killer passes up field and stop attacks before they develop. A small example of what he can offer is by looking at last season’s stats. He managed to block more shots than any Spurs midfielder, quite impressive considering the amount of games he played.

We can also look back at the 2005/06 season. Can it also be a coincidence that our best defensive Premier League campaign was in Carrick’s last season at the club, which boasted the likes of Lee Young Pyo, Anthony Gardener and Paul Stalteri at the back.

Not only will Carrick reinforce our midfield but he will also add the opportunity to mentor the youngsters around him. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s refreshing to see our club building a team for the future, using players we have developed, rather than spending fortunes on players.

All great players throughout history at some point have had a mentor, but why at Tottenham do we not offer that?

Carrick could have such a dramatic effect on the entire squad. Especially with players like Bentaleb, who I believe is trying to emulate his style of play. Considered by some as a great prospect, what better way to make this happen by learning from one of the best?

[linequote]Carrick only featured 18 times last term, but out of these 18 games, United won 13, which meant they had a 65% win record when he played[/linequote]

The team prided themselves last season on being fitter than others, running further and for longer, it’s the core of Pochettino’s philosophy. This gave the players a level endurance to keep fighting to the last whistle, which we reaped the rewards from with a host of late winners. But though it was exciting, is it really what we want to rely on?

A player like Carrick can help us eradicate this need, making us harder to beat and put us in a position where we are chasing a game.

By now you may have noticed that I think we should sign Michael Carrick, but like every transfer in football there are some concerns. One that may be a problem is Carrick’s proneness to injury, which meant he only featured 18 times last term. But out of these 18 games, United won 13, which meant they had a 65% win record when Carrick played. Surely this shows the players impact, even if he played less than half a season?

However, unlike his injury worries, this next concern could be a deal breaker. Will the Spurs fans accept him back?

We are a rare breed; we build relationships with the players very quickly and can turn on them just as fast. One thing we never do, is we never forget, so I ask you, would you bring him back to White Hart Lane?