Michael Carrick: Manchester United's Enigma

United have been the extraordinaire team of the EPL this season. Strikers who poach goals and punish the opposition for the slightest of mistakes in the box, midfielders who are young and very creative and equally injury prone and a strong full back attack system have been the high points of the season till now. However, the player we often miss out is the man who sits deep in the middle of the park, intercepting pass after pass, making way for his colleagues up field with his impeccable passing; thus making way for the famous notion, “Keep calm, and Carrick on!”

Michael Carrick has been the man of the hour for United this season. Be it Van Persie’s vision for goal, Chicharito’s substitute cameos, Vidic’s return to fortify the back four or Cleverley and Kagawa pairing up in the middle; all would have fallen apart if this man would have been under dereliction of his duty. United have missed a ‘Roy Keane’ role in the middle: an intimidating and rough holding midfielder and tackler. But Carrick is the definition of the changing needs of the game; of how perfect positioning, having a vision for the pass, intelligent reading of the game and anticipation on the field topped with the icing of experience eliminates the need of having midfield enforcers and anchormen with pace and horrifying tackles.

As they say “What talent can’t, experience can”.

In big matches, the key is to keep hold of the ball, not only to round up your possession figures but also to prevent the opposition surging forward with it. Carrick has more than satisfied this defensive role for the side – screening the ageing and slow center backs from vicious counterattacks and intercepting the supplies sent up to the forwards, to feeding intelligent passes to the unmarked players generously match after match.

It’s no fluke that he has started a stunning 47 out of 48 matches this season. A vital part of Carrick’s play has been his disciplined style of play and his dictation of the pace of game. He never drifts away wide from his allotted position. Even when the opposition floods the midfield, he stays calm and angles himself against the center forwards so as to cut out the pass. Be it foxing the scary midfield and snapping up the ball from the feet of Silva and castling Yaya Toure on derby day to until recently taking the wind out of counterattacks of Liverpool, he has been superb.

Despite all this, Carrick is not among the midfield legends. His international scenario has been worse with even Gareth Barry and Scott Parker being prefered to him. Fans still call him “The poor man’s Xavi”. However, it’s high time we recognize his contribution to the side and his dedicated and awesome play. He is a master of his trade and a true gem in the midfield. He has coped well with the Herculean task of handling an average midfield and sealing the matches in United’s favour.

In Sir Alex’s words,

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.