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Michael Carrick
26/05/2006: Spurs' midfielder Michael Carrick has had the season of his life and has been rewarded with a place in the England World Cup squad.
Like many youngsters to come through the youth system at West Ham, Carrick was marked out to do well from a very young age.
Even so, his talents were overshadowed by the more flamboyant players such as Joe Cole.
Since his move to Tottenham after West Ham's relegation from the Premiership, however, Carrick has shown that he has a real footballing brain and is able to dictate the play with his accurate passing and good positioning.
He may well be used as a defensive midfielder by England during the tournament and he will not let anyone down.
Bought for under £3 million by Tottenham, he could yet go on to have the kind of success achieved by fellow West Ham product, Frank Lampard.
With Rooney out injured, he now looks odds on to start for England.
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Comments on: Michael Carrick
15/06/2006: I am starting to worry about our World Cup chances because of Frank Lampard.Once again another poor performance by the lad. I really want him to do well but I have the feeling he is not world class. The London-based media seemed to have latched on to his ability to score from distance and no one can budge him from the team. Poor Steven Gerrard has to sit back in the midfield and let Frank take charge creatively. It was great to see Gerrard at the end say ''right Frank, give me a go in my best position''.I think Sven is too scared to not play him because at the end of the day Lampard is a creation of the media and he will get too much stick.I think Lampard knows his days are numbered at Chelsea because of Ballack''s arrival and it is affecting his play.Carragher or Carrick in his place I feel.
15/06/2006: Both Lampard and Gerrard seem to be having trouble getting their shot on target with this new ball. Usually they would be smashing them in from just outside the are but this light ball is flying all over the place.
15/06/2006: Lampard is the reason we don't work in midfield. He stifles Gerrard and has no impact or tenacity. The cat has to be left out the team and only used as a subtitute to rest Gerrard if the situation allows.
15/06/2006: From a dead ball situation over the last few games Beckham has proved his threat. However Lennon came on against T and T and showed what Beckham hasn't got which is ability to roast a full-back at will. Before going to Chelsea, Sean Wright-Phillips had the chance to knock Beckham off that perch but has never had the chance under Sven. Am I on the right page?Gerrard is immense, dragged Liverpool to champions league glory as well as an FA cup final win. The boy is the BEST in his postion.Lampard is terrible. A decent shot on him. Playing with Makelle, Essien, Terry, Carvalhio and Gallas behind him and with either Cole, Duff, SWP or Robben running along side him. No wonder he looks good.In the England team with out a bonified holder behind him he looks suspect.Aragones has set Spain on fire now by ping Raul, golden boy. Its about time Sven found his plumbs and sort this England outfit out. The team sheet picks itself, but when it ain't working you have to adjust, and he hasn't the ability or balls to do it.Frank out, sit Carrick behind Gerrard.
17/06/2006: Welsh Chelsea fan here. Will attempt unbiased view.Frank was excellent up until Christmas but has been below par for at least 4/5 months now & am a bit surprised its taken the rest of the nation so long to pick it up. Now everybody jumps on him because he missed a few chances yesterday.Obviously, he is a much better player with a proper holding player & of course is fortunate to play with the best in the world at club level.Gerrard is clearly on the better form of the two right now but I still think has plenty to prove. apart from 10 minutes in Istanbul, when has he really dominated a game against absolutely top-class opposition? He'll have to do that in the knockout stages.He scores plenty of wonder goals, but doesn't seem to make as many runs deep into the opponents' box as Frank, which England will need given Owen's pitiful form.Anyway this debate is all irrelevant because you know that SGE will never make the change until it is too late.
17/06/2006: It is the pattern of the midfield that I feel is not working, rather than problems with Lampard or any other individual player. Rooney back in the side should help the link up play in midfield and when the team started to pass the ball shorter and with more pace in the second half against T and T England looked a lot better. I would still prefer Carrick in place of Lampard though, with Gerrard pushing forward. Carrick's passing looks more perceptive and accurate than Lampard's and playing deeper he has more time on the ball to set things up for Lampard, Rooney and Cole. I am not sure how well Beckham would play in that deeper central midfield role, but it might be another option to play him there rather than Carrick, with Lennon on the right side. Lampard would be a useful sub to bring on late in the game, perhaps in place of Gerrard.
29/06/2006: Rooney, Gerrard can play at any position, including GK!!! However their biggest strengths are Gerrard at right-midfield making deep runs (successful formula at Liverpool) and Rooney is best behind forwards likewise Kaka, Ronaldinho, or Totti. Rooney's incisive passing, quick and powerful runs are probably the best in the world at the moment. Rooney is not a striker, naturally, ala-Ronaldo, or Ruud.But Sven uses both out of position: it's criminal to have England 2 best players used as role-players. I would turn the line-up around with Gerrard to the right-midfield, Cole/Downing to the left, Rooney behind 2 strikers, and a holding midfielder (NOT Frankie), either Carrick or Owen H. (I prefer Carrick). I cannot play Beckham ahead of Gerrard, or Lampard ahead of Rooney, sorry.But of course Sven will manage to mess it up
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