Aston Villa Display Proves Michael Carrick Is Still Best in Midfield for Man Utd

Imagine spending millions of pounds on the best firework show you could possibly imagine, but when you came to set it off, you couldn't find a match.

It will never have happened to Louis van Gaal. He's far too meticulous in his preparations for that. Even, you would imagine, when it comes to firework shows.

Still, he might have felt something similar watching Manchester United's first-half performance against Aston Villa on Saturday. For the first time this season, he picked Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Radamel Falcao and Juan Mata from the start.

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Four of the best attacking players in the world, worth a combined £130 million. But the best United could muster during the first 45 minutes at Villa Park was an over-hit cross from Ashley Young that had Brad Guzan scrambling to his far post. All those expensive fireworks and not one bang.

It was only in the second half that they started to get into the game. The difference? Michael Carrick. 

Carrick spent the first half in the centre of the back three, doing his best to marshal Christian Benteke and play out from the back. Pushed into midfield after the break, United's passing became that little bit sharper.

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The ball was fired forward much quicker, and Rooney, Van Persie, Falcao and Mata saw much more of it. Watch the goal again and you'll see Carrick bounce the ball around at the edge of Villa's box before Young's cross is headed in by Falcao.

United never got close to creating anything like that in the first half while Carrick was stuck in defence. Van Gaal explained afterwards it was the reason behind his half-time change.

"

With Carrick you have more passes to the strikers and that was needed, which is why I changed Darren and put Michael in midfield.

But I could have changed a lot of players because I think that it is the first demand that we are aggressive.

"

Van Gaal has a problem in that Carrick is his best midfielder and, especially in a back three, also his best defender. His performance against Liverpool, in what is still an unnatural position, was one of simplicity and elegance. He's not quick, he never has been. But that's no problem when your positioning is so intelligent. 

Jonny Evans and Phil Jones didn't have particularly good games against Liverpool, yet United kept a clean sheet. It owed everything to Carrick sweeping up behind them like a skilled street cleaner. And David de Gea playing like he was being controlled on FIFA.

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But the first half at Villa showed just what United miss when he's not in midfield. Darren Fletcher will always be a fans' favourite, but he hasn't got the same quickness of thought or eye for a cutting pass.

At his weekly press conference last week, Van Gaal was invited to praise Carrick's ability as a centre-back. But in his reply, he explained just how much the 33-year-old is missed in midfield when he's pressed into action at the back.

A different manager might have said he could do with two Michael Carricks. Van Gaal could be forgiven for thinking it.

Quotes obtained firsthand.