About time Michael Carrick at least deserves an article

When I started watching football, like many others when they do, I was only concerned with goals. Players who would score them and players who would do all kinds of tricks with the ball and help create a spectacular move, were the only ones I took notice of and wanted to be in my team. I could never understand the role of defenders and defensive midfielders in any football team and would rather have wanted my team to consist of 10 outfield strikers or attacking wingers. Perfect trait of a novice football fan.

United’s engine room: Michael Carrick

But today, after more than a decade of apprenticeship of the beautiful game, I have realized why the Roy Keane’s, Patrick Vieira’s, Claude Makelele’s and Gennaro Gattuso’s of this world are considered as the legends for their respective football clubs. Their inspirational leadership, single minded approach towards victory and the winning spirit and mentality made them worshiped and idolized by millions all over the world. All of them have written their name indelibly in the football folklore, but there are others, not quite as expressive as these cult heroes mentioned above, but equally gifted and talented in terms of football ability, who have went almost unnoticed amongst the dieties of the football religion.

It is therefore no surprise that after six and a half years and over 300 appearances at the heart of Manchester United midfield, fans still don’t chant Michael Carrick’s name. Understated, and often underrated, he has been the lynchpin of United’s engine room ever since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2006. A master at reading the game and making vital interceptions, Michael Carrick has been an ever present shield guarding the back four at Old Trafford.

Carrick arrived at Old Trafford at a time when the game was evolving and the hard tackling midfielders were a dying breed. It was no coincidence that Sir Alex Ferguson had seen something special in him which went in symphony with the modern game and therefore singled him out to fill the boots left by legendary Roy Keane. Sir Alex reiterated his belief in Carrick’s ability to cope with evolving times in a recent press conference before the match against Liverpool saying:

“In the modern day game, you don’t need tacklers the same way you used to. There’s no call for it. It’s about anticipation and reading the game. Carrick can read the game and also play in front of the back four. If you look at the central midfielders in the Premier League, he can match up against any of them in terms of quality—the likes of [Luka] Modric, Yaya Toure, those are probably the best central midfielders.”

Who needs a ditty, therefore, when you have the faith of your manager of the calibre and experience of Sir Alex Ferguson? Of United’s last 48 games in the Barclays Premier League, Carrick has started a remarkable 47, which depicts the trust the manager has for him.

And why not, when he provides that much needed calming influence and ball keeping capabilities in the central midfield that any team craves for. When Carrick plays his football, it’s almost in slow motion and at his own pace. It is no coincidence that more often than not you’ll find Carrick almost equidistant between two players posing threat to his side during a phase of a game. He may stroll around, but he does that with purpose and intent. It’s his positional sense and the ability to read opposition moves and game that stands him apart.

Other times you’ll see him providing the much needed cover during counter-attacking moves when Evra and Rafael get out of position or beaten by a quick centre forward. Carrick would come tearing down to make the interception and calmly pass the ball out of defense even when he is nowhere the quickest of the lot. So what makes him win those duels with ease?

Perfect positioning coupled with the awareness of what’s going around him puts him two steps ahead of everything, all the time. If you watch Carrick closely during a game, he turns his head every 2-3 seconds to gauge what’s going around him and that’s exactly what quality players do. They orchestrate a pass in their mind even before receiving the ball. To receive the ball where he does, one needs courage, composure, technique and two good feet. One needs to be available in all areas and to have the awareness of what is about and around oneself.

His pass completion rate in recent seasons is up there with the likes of Xavi and Pirlo. To be more specific, he is currently second behind Mikel Arteta this season in the Premier League for the number of successful passes completed, but unlike Arteta, most of those passes have been vertical and through the opposition defense.

Besides possessing all these qualities, Carrick often gets criticised for his lack of goal scoring abilities. But, if you have really looked at the role that he plays for the team, then you should rather be praising him for the tremendous discipline and patience that he portrays on the football pitch. During a normal Manchester United attacking move, Carrick will position himself just behind Cleverley or Scholes,who would be joining in the attack, and provide the creative artistry to maintain the spells of pressure in the opposition half.

But, Carrick would still keep himself positioned in front of the back four and curb that temptation of joining the wave of United attack and go for the glory. He would rather prefer to keep the ball ticking from midfield and back his own abilities to pick a defense splitting slide rule pass for his own moment of glory, and at other times, help his teammates when they get out of position. This speaks volumes of the discipline, patience, selflessness, sacrifice and acceptance of the role that Sir Alex Ferguson demands from him.

Having said all that, Michael Carrick might still never be as flamboyant and inspirational as Roy Keane, neither he might be as creative as legendary Paul Scholes, but he is still very effective in the role that he is asked to perform for the team on the football pitch and he puts his body on the line whenever he puts on that famous red jersey – for which he truly and richly deserves fans’ applause and acclaim.

MANCHESTER, ENG – SEPT 19: Michael Carrick of Manchester United (R) celebrates with Robin van Persie (L) as he scores their first goal during the UEFA Champions League Group H match against Galatasaray at Old Trafford.

It is a remarkable fact that, since joining United in 2006, he has only lost out in a league title race by one point (to Chelsea in 2009/2010) and goal difference (to Manchester City in 2011/2012), which clearly depicts his importance in the Manchester United team. Robin Van Persie is currently United’s goal scoring extraordinaire, Wayne Rooney the versatile talisman, but Michael Carrick is the engine, brakes and steering wheel – all in one for the Manchester United juggernaut!