Thread by @StretfordTrends

Michael Carrick – A Story of Fire and Ice.

Touch, turn and pass. Simple right? It’s one of the first things taught to children when they first kick a football.

— Control the ball, look who you’re passing to and then give it to them. Taking it at face value it seems easy but the higher the level you play at, the more… https://t.co/KH4NAIxeEytwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England is known for its roughness. How quick it is. How you don’t get a moment’s respite whilst on the ball. The roar of the crowd when a crunching tackle is made.

Acknowledging the talent that plays for their European, well former European counterparts, but also ending… https://t.co/OyBic0a6Vctwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

🗣️ Keane would bark, dive into challenges, argue with referees, start fights in the tunnel and leave no grass untouched on the pitch.

❄️ So, a calm, cool and collected deep-lying playmaker directly replacing the departing Keane in 2006 was a shock for United fans, Especially… https://t.co/8QCCN461O3twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

🤬 As fans, we favour those who visibly show us their fire, their anger and that they care. We relate more to their rashness and would stand behind them rather than the equally competitive, but quiet and pensive characters.

It is why Keane is in football folklore and Carrick is… https://t.co/gEsBFP47KZtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

😌 The tempo at which Carrick conducted United’s midfield was perfect. With the Old Trafford counting baying for blood, shouting “attack attack attack” 🔥 and the gluttony of forwards who were in front of him, any other midfielder would lose all composure and always force the… https://t.co/MNIxu16sXdtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

His off the ball work remains heavily under spoken. The 6’2” West Ham youth had a slender frame so the consensus was he would be bullied on the pitch when he was young.

— Nonsense. If anything, he was quite an accomplished ball winner.

He averaged 1.5 tackles per game with a… https://t.co/Bm4n68gdlutwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Johan Cruyff stated, “Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is”.

The downfall of many players is their inability to make the correct and simple decisions. Knowing when to simply lay it off to a teammate instead of attempting to… https://t.co/myi7C33hR5twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

🇪🇺 The 2008 Champions League team. You’d think of Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Rio and maybe after a few other names you’d eventually get to Carrick. Even though he performed excellently for 120 minutes in the final and slotted his penalty in the shootout.

🇳🇱 Van Persie’s “carry”… https://t.co/PPLcQzpwoLtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Maybe it’s because he didn’t get enough "G/A".

— Although he did have the ability to shoot from distance, as shown by his long-range double against Roma in 2007.

His assists were jaw dropping as well.

The pass to Chicharito, where after one look, he cut across his body and played a raking pass over the Chelsea defence which allowed him to loop the ball over Cech’s head who was stuck in no man’s land due to how insane the 30-yard pass was.

https://twitter.com/emiratesfacup/status/1237355456869400576

Michael Carrick Vs Chelsea - UCL QF (A) (@fuadyabz23)

https://twitter.com/fuadyabz23/status/1674505685004873742?t=eZ1-VBstrvW-Y3X3JTFVag&s=19

Or maybe it’s because he played alongside English football’s greatest genius in Paul Scholes.

I mean it would be hard for anyone to get the spotlight playing next to him. Or, playing in one of the most talented generations of midfielders in Premier League history meant Carrick… https://t.co/wVDHgiLSWYtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

⚽ Towards the end of Carrick’s career, he obtained a smidge of the love he should have received throughout his career. Pundits who never mentioned him suddenly calling him underrated. Xabi Alonso and Pep Guardiola heaping praise on his ability 🇪🇸

— Maybe a case of too little… https://t.co/IBicARAjuLtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Writer ✍️: @abuy2j