[Red_Beans]

Our dependency as a club on Carrick is scary.

I thought signing BFS would be the answer to this dilemma. Its early days I guess, hopefully the German starts influencing games more soon (not that he has been bad)

 

[Walrus]

Needs to play alongside a more box to box player, him and Schneiderlin just doesn't work.

Southampton know they can just man mark Rooney because neither of our CMs are going to venture forwards whatsoever.

 

[Minimalist]

He's been poor for the majority of our opening games. Disappointing so far today again.

 

[bosnian_red]

Our dependency as a club on Carrick is scary.

I thought signing BFS would be the answer to this dilemma. Its early days I guess, hopefully the German starts influencing games more soon (not that he has been bad)

He's been much better then Carrick has so far.

 

[ivaldo]

Southampton pressing so Carrick goes into hiding, he isn't offering himself up for the ball at all.

 

[Walrus]

He's been poor for the majority of our opening games. Disappointing so far today again.

I don't feel this system suits him. Carrick has always excelled when he is the sole holding midfielder, like last season when he had Herrera and Fellaini were ahead of him.

In a duo like this, at least one of the CMs needs to get forwards and support the attack.

Gary Neville is talking about it now.

 

[NK86]

He has been hiding like a coward today.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Needs to wake the feck up. But then again, old habits die hard (taking 3-4 months to get into form).

 

[NK86]

Southampton pressing so Carrick goes into hiding, he isn't offering himself up for the ball at all.

Not just not offering. He is shielding himself behind Soton players, much like how Anderson did with us. Absolutely embarrassing how someone like Carrick shows such lack of gumption.

There was a period of about 5-7 mins after he dallied on the ball for ages before pasisng to Smalling who immediately gave it away under pressure and Pelle hit the bar. I followed Carrick's movements and he just kept hiding behind Soton players. Disgusting. Anyone can have a bad game, but this lack of balls but such an experienced player does my head in. Shows the difference in quality betweme BFS and Carrick.

 

[blitz133w]

One of those days when he's not thinking quick enough. Not stamping his usual authority

 

[finneh]

He has been hiding like a coward today.

His biggest weakness has always been keeping the ball when pressed. If Van Gaal did his research he'd have started Schweinsteiger against a team like So'ton.

 

[sizzling sausages]

Shouldn't be played in a @2 Man Midfield against teams that press as much as Southampton. Especially with Schneiderlin who doesn't really make himself available for the ball as much as Herrera or Schweinsteiger do.

 

[Bojan11]

He's been poor whenever he's started this season. Coming off the bench he's made a few good passes.

 

[ivaldo]

Needs to be replaced by Schweinsteiger, BFS will look to play further forward and look to take ball into feed higher up the field as well.

 

[CG1010]

I agree. Being our midfield senior he has to get hold of the game. Disappointing how overrun we have been in midfield today.

 

[NK86]

His biggest weakness has always been keeping the ball when pressed. If Van Gaal did his research he'd have started Schweinsteiger against a team like So'ton.

It is fine to be not great under pressure but he literally hid behind Soton players. Embarrassing from someone with his experience and caliber.

 

[Rockets Redglare]

He's been poor whenever he's started this season. Coming off the bench he's made a few good passes.

He starting to look his age, his touch seems to be deserting him slightly and he gives the ball away a lot more than before.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

He can't play next to Morgan... simple as that. They don't complement each other as midfielders at all.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

He's been poor whenever he's started this season. Coming off the bench he's made a few good passes.

Not true, he was grand against Liverpool.

 

[Bojan11]

Not true, he was grand against Liverpool.

Everyone was decent in the second half. But Schweinsteiger bossed the midfield that game.

 

[finneh]

It is fine to be not great under pressure but he literally hid behind Soton players. Embarrassing from someone with his experience and caliber.

Presumably because when he did show for the ball he was quickly dispossessed due to their heavy pressure.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Everyone was decent in the second half. But Schweinsteiger bossed the midfield that game.

He was decent in the first half too, it was everyone infront of him and Bastian that were bollocks.

 

[NK86]

Presumably because when he did show for the ball he was quickly dispossessed due to their heavy pressure.

Then he needs to be taken off immediately. If your senior midfielder cannot take responsibility to receive a pass, it would be better to play without him.

 

[Listar]

No matter how bad we play, if carrick starts we win. Own goal, backpass mistake or whatever we will win. Let's see how long this last. Still keeping his 100% win record.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Schneiderlin and him represent our most offensively timid combination.

 

[kundalini]

Looked off the pace throughout. Not sure the 2 holding midfielders system suits Carrick. He doesn't have the pace to get back now he is positioned slightly higher up the pitch.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

He is far better in a withdrawan 3 man midfield role with two ahead of him in a possession-oriented system. I don't like seeing Schneiderlin sitting with Carrick tasked with moving around, it's strange.

Even still, I think when it comes to playing the ball forward into dangerous players he's our best passer of the ball. He'll come good as always.

 

[mu77]

meh

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Him and Schneiderlin basically get in each others way I think

 

[Devil may care]

He's in that Pirlo phase where he is best when playing in a proper midfield 3 at the base with two doing the running, almost like a Quarterback in the pocket. In the double pivot there is too much grass to cover for him IMO and it's made worse when he's in their with Schneiderlin as they play square of each other and he has no out ball.

 

[bucky]

Well, he does tend to start the season slowly. So hopefully he'll improve. With that being said Southampton were very good at pressing Blind and him for the first half and hour or so.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Funny, he was naff, and couldn't in any way, shape or form, be credited much with us winning the game... and yet:

Carrick started, and we won the game.

It's like a feckin' hoodoo or something

 

[Kag]

I think we've seen enough now to assume that Carrick and a two man midfield role isn't working. Particularly when Van Gaal has given him the job of stepping into attacking areas of the pitch.

If we were to play with one holding midfielder then we'd get more out of him. Right now, given the new set up, the best place for Carrick is the bench, cover for Schweinsteiger.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Him and Schneiderlin basically get in each others way I think

Yeah, pretty much. They both seem to play better without the other one on the pitch.

 

[Acole9]

He's not had a good start to the season, when Schweinsteiger came on he controlled the game in the middle much better than Carrick did. He hid away for most of the time he was on the pitch and he misplaced a fair few passes one of which nearly led to a Southampton goal.

 

[R'hllor]

Think just like some other players,he is way better in < then in > formation.

 

[RDCR07]

Thank god we have enough options in midfield. He isn't looking the same as he has done the previous two seasons.

 

[berbatrick]

I think the criticism is harsh, he was magnificent vs Liverpool and hasn't been all that bad otherwise. I would love to see the Liverpool team again but with an inverted midfield:

-----Carrick-----
Herrera-Schweini

I feel Herrera is best box-to-box, while Carrick can concentrate on his long passing and will always have willing options for short passes with those 2 in midfield.

 

[berbatrick]

What a player he can be I believe if we had 1 winger on better form, and a proper midfielder beside Carrick, we would have gone the distance in the 12/13 CL.

 

[Varun]

He can't play next to Morgan... simple as that. They don't complement each other as midfielders at all.

I think the combination doesn't work for quite a few reasons. Firstly, schneiderlin sitting deeper than Carrick just doesn't make sense. Carrick has to be the deepest mid. They both end up looking like they want to be in schneiderlin's place when they play together.

Why schneiderlin + BFS or Carrick + BFS works is because BFS is extremely comfortably playing high up the pitch with the ball. Neither of Carrick and schneiderlin can do that.