I beg to differ. He has not been off form. The stats back up this claim as his passing percentages, interceptions, tackles a game all speak for itself. Heck, the fact that Carrick has been our first choice midfielder for 5 years and now going on to the 6th year, speaks for itself. I'll admit that he has had bad patches of form, especially when he's not fit, but that's normal.

Carrick started as a box to box player, playing side by side with Scholes in 06/07. Back then, he was allowed to play forward more often and make more ambitious passes.

By 08/09, he was instructed to play as a dm to shield the back four. This "slump" that most people keep harping on about, is not a slump, but Carrick being asked to be a dm. At this point, his game became all about winning and retaining possession. This is proven by the stats I mentioned above. He isn't allowed to take risks, move forward, make ambitious passes, because that is not his job. We have Rooney and Scholes for that. He is being a team player and it's sad that people don't see this and keep asking him to do what he is instructed by SAF not to do. And people call him shit because of that.

It is only now, with Scholes back side by side with Carrick, that the team have reverted back to the 06/07 formula. All of a sudden, you see people praising Carrick again, as if he started out good, suddenly became shit, and now suddenly became good again. When all the while, he's been that damn good. Nothing has changed. Carrick is still Carrick. The only difference is that he is now being given more freedom to move forward and make passes. Like in 06/07

That's why I say. People need to understand that football isn't all about the flashy stuff. It's as much about the subtle stuff as well. Like tactics, interceptions, etc.