Manchester United: Learning to Appreciate Michael Carrick During His Absence

All across the world, different countries' fans recognize and judge its players on various ideals, standards and style of play.

In Italy, where domestically and internationally the three-man defense lives on, defenders such as Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini are constantly praised for their combination of grit and elegance on the ball. Serie A is certainly a more defensive league —which is neither good nor bad—but that identity is shown by the importance and popularity of players like Barzagli and Chiellini.

Contrarily, flair and beautiful, fluid football are the desires of Brazilian soccer fans. Given this, it is no surprise that Neymar is so heavily revered by his compatriots, with the rehiring of the pragmatic Dunga also leaving a sour taste in the mouth of the Brazilian media.

Per James Young of ESPNFC, 1970's Brazil World Cup Star Tostao had harsh words for Brazil's current manager during his first stint, in 2007:

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The pragmatic Dunga likes to say that a good team is a winning team. He is a coach who seems to enjoy only the victory, not the football. For Dunga and other orthodox thinkers like him, it is a question of one or the other, win or lose, good team or bad team, to play attractive football or play ugly football, and other dualities. 

"

While Brazil and Italy seem to be resigned to preferring certain qualities or style in a team, the identity of a prototypical English player or side is a bit more ambiguous.

For years England have been stereotyped as playing a kick-and-run style; this isn't a completely untrue accusation (although it's becoming less and less true with England's current players), but also not an identity that England fans pride themselves on.

While England have fluctuated through different periods of formations and styles, one thing that has remained steadfastly important to England fans is that their players are passionate, and give 100 percent effort.

Just trying isn't enough. English players are expected to be selfless to the team, sacrificing Terry Butcher levels of blood, sweat and tears, as the ultimate show of pride for their country.

David Cannon/Getty Images

England's national team has been flawed for decades, but they've never really seemed to lack heart or passion, for what it's worth.

Players like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney were both sent off in World Cups for rash retaliations, and these moments being witnessed were sad but all-too inevitable experiences of an England fan.

So, when a cerebral, composed player who does most of his work hovering in a holding-midfield position comes along, how are England (and Manchester United) fans supposed to react?

Such is the case of Michael Carrick.

In the most complementary way possible, Carrick is not your typical English player. He is a gifted passer and reader of the game, and has never received a red card in 428 EPL appearances (premierleague.com).

Carrick is not necessarily slight in stature, but not particularly strong for a holding midfielder either, meaning most of his defensive contributions are due to his footballing intelligence.

Because of his underwhelming athleticism, and reliance on intelligent play, many of his contributions have often been unnoticed. Carrick doesn't post very many goals or assists (one goal, two assists this season via WhoScored.com), and his game is more subtle than a Sergio Aguero who blazes by you, or a Nemanja Matic making crunching tackles.

There may not be a better way to describe than "Calm and Class," the name of a YouTube highlight video of him from this year.

While "calm and class" are admirable attributes, they don't tend to initially earn you too much respect in England.

Carrick is only beginning to truly earn acclaim for his exploits now, at the age of 33, and didn't become an automatic starter for Louis Van Gaal until United's 3-0 thrashing of Tottenham in March.

Without respect for Carrick, there was contempt for his role in the United side. During the Red Devils' four-game winning streak, easily their best stretch of the season, people seemed far more eager to heap praise on Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata, and Ashley Young. Sure, these players were all in form, but Carrick was the one holding it all together, as demonstrated by United's current losing streak during his absence, which features losses to Everton and West Bromwich Albion.

Without Carrick, there have been fewer opportunities for Ander Herrera to get forward and contribute to the attack, and no remnants of the quick, incisive play United fans enjoyed for about a month.

Carrick is a subtle, quiet player, and it's unsurprising to find him under-appreciated at times. But with Wayne Rooney and Daley Blind failing in his role during his absence, those subtleties are starting to be realized and embraced.

Against Everton, Blind completed an underwhelming 78 percent of his passes, failing to look the part of a competent holding midfielder in the Premier League.

With Luke Shaw's injury moving Daley Blind to left-back for the match against WBA, Ander Herrera tried his hand at the "Carrick role" and did OK, but struggled as the deepest midfielder at times. Rooney also found himself in a deeper role much of the time, and was disappointing. Per usual when he's played in midfield, long "Hollywood" passes were attempted—far more eye-catching than a simple grounded pass that Carrick may play, but often much more ineffectual, and leading to a slower, clunkier style of play.

At the age of 33, it is unknown how many top-notch years Carrick has left at a high level, though players in his role tend to age gracefully (see: Andrea Pirlo).

Two things are for sure, however, and those are that Carrick is still a very good player at the moment, and that United do not have another player that can play in his role with anywhere close to the same quality.

A future replacement possibly looms, but for now, it's time to embrace the cerebal Michael Carrick.

Stats and info via WhoScored.com, premierleague.com