Carrick Nominated For PFA Player Of The Year: This is
Why.
By Nic EnglishPosted on 19 April, 2013
The PFA has finally announced the
shortlist for the PFA Player of the year and the big news is that Michael
Carrick is on the shortlist.
While the Manchester United is
unlikely to win with Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale the huge favourites, his
nomination will stun people who often deride him for his one-paced game. At
Squawka we take a different view on the matter.
Carrick has completed more forward
passes than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season. That’s more
than Xavi, Pirlo, Schweinsteiger, anyone.
In fact, the sideways passing
criticism of Carrick doesn’t match up in any shape or form. Over three quarters
of his passes are played forward.
The fact that the former Spurs man
achieves a pass completion rate of 88% while playing so many forward is a
testament to his importance to a Manchester United team which has swept the
Premier League in extremely impressive fashion.
Consistency is an underrated facet
of the modern game and Carrick provides that in abundance, never changing his
game or altering performance based on the quality of the opposition
While nobody believes he will or
should win, a player of Carrick’s quality and temperament is a huge asset in
the Premier League and while he may not shine in the way Bale, RVP or Suarez
do; who’s to say he isn’t just as valuable. Sir Alex wouldn’t.