Fergie - "Carrick is as good as Yaya or Modric"

He's regarding so highly at the club, and he's a top player and professional but no doubt he lacks confidence at times and I think this is to boost his confidence especially with all the rumours of another midfielder coming in like Lucas.

Sorry but thats nonsense. United supporters really do need to be a bit more realistic about their players. Fletcher is not anywhere near as good as Yay & Modric. Neither is Carrick.

Fletcher Carrick Scholes Anderson - is a poor midfield and has been a poor midfield for quite some time now. Cleverley is a talented player but time will tell whether he turns potential into actual ability.

Fletcher had some very big games for us, true, and hes a good player. But no better than that. Hes not world class, hes not brilliant - never was and never will be.

I wish him well and hope he recovers. Hes a good squad player to have. But hes below the level that is needed for United to improve and shouldnt be a first choice.

http://therepublikofmancunia.com/st...gerrard-lampard-fabregas-modric-over-3-years/




You can see that Scholes has consistently passed better than Modric in the past three seasons, despite his age and the weakened midfield we have had.

Yaya is clearly the best overall player, with his all round game, but don't under estimate how good Scholes has been.

Here are some Spurs thoughts on Modric:

And have a read of this:
http://www.thefightingcock.co.uk/2012/06/overrated-luka-modric/

Now they are probably a bit bitter though..

No doubt our midfield needs some work, but it isn't THAT bad...I would say only City's midfield is better, with Barry, De Jong and Yaya, three players who are strong, add steel to the midfield and can also find the odd pass.

The problem with our midfield is that our players are good at one/ two things whereas players from other teams are good at multiple things, e.g. Gerrard and Yaya can play deep or go forward and win games. Scholes is too old for that and our other players don't have that ability.

Carrick - Can pass well but rarely has the pass forward and no great atheticism about him.
Fletcher - Energetic and can win the ball, but not that athletic and not renown for passing.
Anderson - Too infrequent.
Cleverley - Supposedly a dynamo but too inexperienced.
Scholes - Age has made him lose speed so he can't make those dazzling runs into the box anymore.

2011/2012 – 93.2% of passes completed (2nd highest in the league)
Yaya Toure 90.5%, Michael Carrick 90.1%, Scott Parker 89.5%, Luka Modric 87.4%, Juan Mata 87%, Frank Lampard 86.9%, Steven Gerrard 83.1%.
2010/2011 – 90.2% of passes completed (1st)
Michael Essien 87.1%, Michael Carrick 86.6%, Luka Modric 86.5%, Jack Wilshere 86.1%, Yaya Toure 85.5%, Gareth Barry 85.2%, Scott Parker 83.1%, Frank Lampard 82.2%, Cesc Fabregas 80/5%, Steven Gerrard 80.4%.
2009/2010 – 89.2% of passes completed (2nd)
Luka Modric 86.1%, Michael Ballack 85.7%, Michael Carrick 84.8%, Scott Parker 82.4%, Frank Lampard 81%, Cesc Fabregas 79.3%, Steven Gerrard 77.7%.

It's about our Ginger Prince but check them stats for cazz.

Scholes is brilliant, but lets be serious here, he is only good when a team backs off him and gives him time....

carrick, He isn't our worst player by a long stretch but his passes on stats do not tell stories do they ? he goes sideways, backwards, he is nothing like Yaya and luka, they are miles ahead of him... there is simply no denying that.

Im not denying anything or implying anything, just posting some stats brah

I don't rate Modric really. I think Yaya is the best midfielder in the league.

But I honestly don't think Modric is as good as people say.

I have a feeling that either one of Cleverly or Powell will really impress next season, maybe not become an automatic starter but definitely give us hope for the future, we won't be able to rely on Giggs and Scholes and I've personally have given up on Anderson.

with exception of yaya toure, which other midfield player offers world class, pressing the ball/opposition, industrious, work rate and steel physical presence in the mid? also ball distribution, positioning tackling, heading

every team has them, please look at these midfield enforcers and tell if you these guys are better then fletcher by any distance: de jong, khadera, barry, song, essien, ramires, gerrard, sahin, van bommel, prince boateng, you see every major team has this type of player but not many better then flecther IMO (de rossi, schweinstiegger and maybe busquets come to mind)

you are absoluley right he is no way as technical as yaya or modric or as good as yaya but that;s why i said "some truth" in what fergie said...lol..

First of all SAF said Carrick was as good a midfielder as you will find in the league. Your response was that Fletcher is as good as any other player in the league. Im sorry but you simply have rose tinted glasses on - its as simple as that.

He's industrious & hard working. He's a decent passer. But thats about it. He has managed over the years to put in some big performances in big matches, no question about that - but that doesnt make him a great player. A valuable squad player sure, but not a great one.

He doesnt have the distribution of the best traditional and attacking midfielders in the league, just decent distribution. He has limited vision. He doesnt score many. Nor does he control matches bu his presence.

Given the selection of players ypou have offered I would take Schweingsteiger, De Rossi, Essien, Khadira, Tiote, Busquets, and probably Gareth Barry - and Id select them all over him. Schwein Tiote Busq would all be a significant upgrade.

In my opinion he is simply not World Class - not even close. For me to consider you to be world class you have to be in the top players in your position in the world. I would select LOTS of players as world class midfielders ahead of Fletch. He wouldnt even be close to in the frame. If you narrow it down to what....defensive midfielders? He'd would be closer, but still there are guys who are better at that job specifically and can play football better too.

He's a good player. On his day he can be and has been very good. But lets not pretend he's world class or even close. That is the kinda of thinking that has had us in this midfield mess for a while now. A failure to acknowledge that actually, our players arent really as good as we would like to think.

Every team has squad players, and as they go Fletcher is a great option for us as a squad player. We cant have three world class midfielders brought in to the side new. And even if we did we'd still need squad players. Fletcher will come in a do a good job in midfield. Particularly if we change our style to having three in the middle. But we cant sit here and pretend that the players we have already are world class - thinking like that has bringing guys like Scholes out of retirement age 37.

Khedira, Ramires, Sahin and KPB are all better than Fletch mate. As much as we love Fletch some people are really overrating his abilities.

carrick often has to do BOTH midfield jobs,holding and getting forward to play through balls.if we could just sign a nasty bastard for the role just in front of the back four,it would release carrick 15-20yards forwad to really damage oppo defences,we would see the best of him.all this talk of needing a creative MF when we already have one is off the mark when what we need is a destroyer/tackler at the back of the diamond.its only a theory.....plus,carrick should be encouraged to shoot more

i agree with this, no need further explanation

M'Vila is the answer mate

I can most definitley see the truth in your argument and totally agree with Fletcher is less talented in the football realm, but his role is not to dictate, create, control, his job is to press, cover and hold the mid. I stated before I do believe he is world class at this, he was pivitol to champions league, world club cup and I say at least 2 of the league titles(he won 4 so far), not many midfield players can make that claim, world champion, instrumental, far from a squad player imo

Anyway good debate mate

I'll be honest with you Mate that's ridiculous. Fletcher is role in the team is based on his ability, not the other way around. There is unfortunately no definition of world class that can include fletcher and it's this notion that players of that calibre ARE in fact world class that has held us back.

What he has won is irrelevant. Alan Shearer never won a CL or a Club world cup. Was he therefore not world class? Because I assure you he was. Thierry Henry was world class but at Arsenal and RVP is world class at Arsenal - in fact they are and were arguably the best strikers in Europe. But they ever won a CL at Arsenal.

The fact that Fletcher is not a squad player at United is one of the reasons we have problems with our midfield. A player of his calibre SHOULD be a squad player at a club like United. The fact that he isn't is the problem. He's not good enough to be automatic first choice at a club of Uniteds stature. He's not world class - he never has been. He's put in some big performances but hes not world class.

Most of those players you mentioned are superior. Not only can they do spoiler role well but they can play better football. Fletcher is a strong option to have in the squad. But automatic first choice at United would be better.

My problem with Carrick is that he's not consistent at all. He is good, very good, too good that if he's having an off period it will effect the whole team performance.

c

couldnt agree with you more that he SHOULD be a squad player at a team stature like united, but the kid is man utd from youth so he has something not many players have man ntd passion/heart/winning mentality and this makes the difference in the heart of midfield and any winning team. The boy never stops running, physically imposes himself, pushing players back on their toes and off the ball, forcing mistakes, never makes it easy for opposition, something NO ONE ELSE in our team can do as well as well IMO in this department, not even all the players I mention before.

no one is debating that world class players have to win things, of course some dont, but what does it say that he is less talented but has won champions league and world club cup with him instrumental in the side??? I tell you what, a world class winning mentality and passion to fight for your team is a MAJOR FACTOR and can MAKE THE DIFFERENCE in any football match/season/championship and maybe an ability often overlooked.

pressing is one of the hall marks of any ferguson side, and fletcher is one of the best at united and in the world with the "world class winning mentality" as well. to put simply you cant buy that easily.

Juan S Veron is a world class player that comes to mind that infinitley more talented then Fletcher but lacked the above attirbutes to suceed here. Also no one would say GATTUSO was world class skills wise on even better then any of those players i mentioned but again proof you need winners in your team as this world cup and double european cup player proves.

that said i do think we need a "pirlo" to compliment our "gattuso"..lol...

Long time no speak!

I don't really agree with you as I think he's one of our most consistent performers, bit since it's good to see you Rox, I'm giving you a like anyway!