04/20/24
July 31, 2006
Ferguson must rely on all his ability for Carrick to shine: Michael Carrick signs for Man U for a reported £13m rising to £18.6 maximum. And just to take the pressure off a tad he's been given Roy Keane's shirt number. The Grauniad has a take on British record transfers.
Carrick is a decent enough player from what I've seen. Not in the same class as Roy Keane, but then again not as likely to be sent off either. I wouldn't worry about his lack of goals, that is what Rooney is for.
posted by Fence at 03:02 AM on August 01, 2006
You don't buy every player on the field for goals and assists, 27. Keane wasn't brought in to score and Carrick isn't going to be expected to top the team's goal charts either. Carrick could bring some stability to midfield that'll be very handy with Giggs and, if they can keep him, Ronaldo on the flanks. Up front, I suspect we'll be finding out a lot about Saha this season, but it still looks pretty thin, with the sale of van Horseface.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 03:11 AM on August 01, 2006
As I Liverpool fan, I really, REALLY, enjoyed reading this article yesterday (in fact, as long as you don't support Man Utd, you'll enjoy it too). I nearly posted it, but couldn't find the "expertly written, vitriolic truisms" section of SpoFi. Carrick doesn't look the sort (on the pitch at least) to get overly worried or in a flap about anything, but then, I suppose that can all change when someone hangs a £19 million price tag round your neck.
posted by JJ at 07:53 AM on August 01, 2006
Nice link JJ. Fergie hasn't been at his best for quite a while now. But I don't know if it is the whole "metro-sexual" thing, more likely he's just been at it too long.
posted by Fence at 08:03 AM on August 01, 2006
It's a ridiculous amount of money when you consider Xabi Alonso went for £10.6M and Carrick is not even half the player of Alonso. The kind of money I would expect the best in the business in that role to go for, if Pirlo were for sale and anyone but Chelsea were bidding. Just goes to further strengthen the argument that young English players are massively overpriced and that buying foreign, whilst not always popular with the fans, represents far better value for money. I think players such as Riquelme would have been available for considerably less, and would have been able to provide much more succinct passing than Carrick, who will need an enforcer alongside him just as Riquelme would, neither being at all defensively minded. You can make the youth over beauty argument, but United badly need immediate reinforcements in their increasingly soft centre, and whether adding Carrick to an ailing midfield can make up for the loss of a guaranteed twenty goal a season striker: well I sincerely doubt it, but I suppose it remains to be seen.
posted by walrus at 08:12 AM on August 01, 2006
Understood, Mr. Bismark. I'm sure all of those other, "special" things that Carrick does are worth the 18 million. Now, if you could remind me, what are those again?
posted by 27 at 11:28 AM on August 01, 2006
No idea. I wouldn't pay that for him. But if I was going to pay it, it wouldn't be because of his goal scoring.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:31 PM on August 01, 2006
Carrick played for Blues for literally five minutes when he was a teenager, on loan from West Ham. I distinctly remember turning to my mates and saying, " that kid will go for 18 million one day, mark my words"
posted by Fat Buddha at 05:18 PM on August 01, 2006
A friend of mine said the exact same thing about Eddie Newton.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 05:41 PM on August 01, 2006
This was in the days FB turned up at the Blues pissed off his tree presumably. I saw him play for us when he was on loan. Didn't look much. FB, I'll be in The Anchor before the game on Saturday if you're around. I might even buy you a pint (shocked smiley) if you make yourself known. I'll be with the SHA massive though.
posted by squealy at 05:55 PM on August 01, 2006
Merk Berks?
posted by owlhouse at 06:04 PM on August 01, 2006
'berk' is rhyming slang for c**t (the Berkley Hunt is one of the oldest in Britain). 'merk', I'm assuming, is short for Mercedes. Thus, a merk berk is presumably a berk who drives a merk.
posted by JJ at 05:07 AM on August 02, 2006
JJ, great link (said the ardent Liverpool supporter)! Really, though, it seems spot on to me and ManU will have a difficult time retaining one of the top four slots without major injuries to Arsenal, LFC, Tottenham and possibly a revived Newcastle. I might have some doubts about Arsenal too since they will be without Senderos, Clichy and Abou Diaby for at least the first six weeks of the season, and may yet lose Reyes and ACole to transfers, except that last season's fourth was Wenger's lowest ever, selling Cole to Chelsea would give them a big chunk of late transfer spending money, and van Persie and Senderos may take big steps up after their World Cup performances.
posted by billsaysthis at 03:25 PM on August 02, 2006
I confess to being scared when a new "superstar" looks rather like Phil Neville - Steptoe is haunting Old Trafford?
posted by Duke101 at 03:59 PM on August 02, 2006
That's a ton of money to pay for two goals and six assists. That Van Nistelrooy money must've been burning a hole in Sir Alex's pocket.