Is it a good thing such a vital player won't be risked for England?
Stuart Pearce announced his England squad for the friendly against Holland next week, with some big names surpassingly left out. Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand were the two most experienced players not to be called-up as Pearce insisted he was looking to give some of the younger England players a chance to show their full international pedigree.
One player who’s absence has stunned many United fans is that of Michael Carrick who’s enjoying arguably his best ver spell in a United shirt and has been pivotal in keeping the Reds in the title race. Pearce has argued that he wants to see what the less experienced players can do but when it comes to England Carrick isn’t exactly an ‘old hand’ with just eight caps in the last four years and just one in a major tournament way back in 2006.
The United midfielder could do with getting back into the aEngland fold and gaining some valuable experience of what its like to representing your country again, after such a meagre spell at international level.
Pearce certainly can’t be accused of having an anti-United bias with Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones, Wayne Rooney, Chris Smalling Ashley Young, and Danny Welbeck all named in the squad.
With the likes of Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole though, Pearce has added experience to his relatively young squad.
The inclusion of Stewart Downing and Frazier Campbell has surprised many, for different reasons, Downing’s having a torrid time at Liverpool while Campbell has played barely any first team games since his return from long-term injury.
It’s Carrick’s omission though, that was the talking point on the social networks for many Reds this morning, as his form should surely have dictated he deserved the chance to try and break the Gerrard/Lamoard/Barry midfield monopoly at England level.
Let’s just hope ‘Arry or whoever else realises the value United’s unsung hero could have to the England side…..well that’s if you actually care about England as many Reds now seem pretty indifferent.
Full squad: Scott Carson, Joe Hart, Robert Green; Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Micah Richards, Chris Smalling, Kyle Walker; Gareth Barry, Tom Cleverley, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson, Steven Gerrard, James Milner, Scott Parker, Ashley Young, Theo Walcott; Darren Bent, Frazier Campbell, Daniel Sturridge, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck.
it does amaze me that hes not in the squad…infact if scholes does decide to make a comeback…..and harry gets appointed the coach….getting back carrick wud infact be a better choice than playing the likes of barry , lampard or gerrard in the middle….firstly they are both united players and know their games in and out….secondly with the likes of smalling,rooney,young,jones etc already it’ll have the same effect as spain have with barca….more the players frm 1 team ..better the chemistry between them, in turn better performances….
I didn’t have much regard for Stuart Pearce as a manager before this so I’m not surprised.
It shouldn’t be a question of whether Carrick is in the squad, it should be a question of whether England build the team around him. England managers made the same mistakes omitting Le Tissier and Hoddle in the past Hoddle only got his chance with England when Wilkins and Robson were injured in Mexico 86 and the side was tranformed immediately.
Carrick is the 2nd best English player after Rooney according to this website:-
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/2/Seasons/2935/Stages/5476/PlayerStatistics/England-Premier-League-2011-2012
When you combine tackles and interceptions Carrick has the highest per game average in the Premier League, ahead of Scott Parker, who is 2nd highest in the league.
Additionally, Carrick’s pass accuracy all season is 90.4%, even ahead of Scholes(90.1%) and only Leon Britton (93.1%) has a higher pass% out of English players that have played more than 5 games.
For long passes, Carrick’s accuracy is 83%, ahead of Parker (76%) and Barry (76%) only marginally behind the excellent Modrich (85%).
I do rate Parker also, and think a midfield pairing of Carrick-Parker/Wiltshere would give the side really strength and solidity to attack from.
IMHO Carrick should be the 3rd name on the team sheet (after Hart and Rooney).
I have been a united fan for 20 or so years and all this talk about Carroll literally boggles my mind. The boy is utterly useless and yes he scored 2 goals blahblah but seriously he wouldn’t even get a look in at the top 6 teams! He can’t tackle, can’t run, doesn’t like heading. And he very rarely plays a killer pass. Clearly Pearce actually knows that Carrick is utter dogger
Phone typo it’s Carrick (not Carroll) I’m talking about
I think you were talking about Carroll, actually!
You’ve been a fan for 20 years? Really..? 🙂
it amazes me that you call urself a united fan and that too for 20 yrs….hes been the most consistent of all england midfielders at present….its because of him united have been stable..when all the players (ando,clev,fletcher) wre out and injured…he was the 1 who ws making united tick….of all the midfielders named in the squad , hes arguably the most consistent and the most influential player right…forget barry, forget gerrard, forget milner…..he atleast deserves a place above walcott, johnson and downing….
Would nt get a look in at the top six? I didnt realise united werent one of the top six. 20 years eh? Well done!!
Not bothered. United > England…
Carrick is useless everyone knows that unless ur blind or donno nothing about football. Id take a BIG STONE over him because they both have the sme qualities: not mobile cnt run and tackle but the only difference is the STONE WOULD HURT SOMEONE and Carrick wnt hurt a fly. Glory United
Your 100% right Sean , carricks A wast of time, he plays a few games and utd fans think he’s great , he can’t tackle , can’t score and passes the ball backward , him and Anderson are two of the worst players in the league
Last 16 of the UEFA Europa League – what a night to be RED. Goodnight you Red beauties.
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It’s the same bloody team added cleverly and Richards! Have some balls and completely bang out a new fresh squad!!.
Chamberlain!, Barkley!, Rodwell!. There’s loadsa fresh new meat coming through the Premiership teams which amazing for us Englishman,everyone can see it!, except these bells that keep picking the teams!!!.
I really hope FA make the right decision and appoint Rednapp coz that dude has all the boys wanting to work for him!!.
! Get rid of Barry,the twat runs in sand!!. Downings manure! Bents bent!
Out with the old,in with the new!!!!!.
England are waiting for some excitement,just a little success will be appreciated!.
But we all want one simple thing an that’s an English manager that’s guna express his feelings on the touch line,greet the the player that’s being substituted with a cheeky pat on the ass! Rather than some spitting image twat folding his arms!… We’ll be ready by 2014 Simple!, then Arry can walk away and collect his knighthood!,whilst the wife goes back to finishing the goals that bent keeps missing!..
United till I die <3
Here’s my England lineup:-
Hart
Richards Lescott Ferdinand Cole
Young Parker Carrick A.Johnson
Gerrard
Rooney
Wellbeck to replace Rooney for 1st 2 games in Euros. Wellbeck instead of Gerrard when he strengthens up…
Backup
Green/Foster
P.Jones Jagielka Smalling G.Johnson
Lennon Cleverley Wiltshere
Sturridge Bent Wellbeck
Thats a good lineup there!! Although instead of Lescott i think Smalling would be a better choice
Thanks Anneeq
But having seen more of Oxlade-Chamberlain I think I’ll stick him in instead of Gerrard. That boy looks different class and Gerrard’s looking more and more like an old man after his injuries. Infact, for all Arsenal’s recent troubles, with players like Wilshere, Chamberlain, Ramsey and Walcott they’re going to be pretty strong in a couple of years time.