Arsene Wenger has come out to praise Michael Carrick, naming him as a player he regrets having not signed for Arsenal.
The midfielder played his testimonial for Manchester United this week for services contributed to the club, but is still playing on beyond the summer. Carrick signed a one-year extension to the Red Devils this term, and it remains to be seen whether next season will be his last with the club, or possibly of his career.
Arsene Wenger has moved to congratulate the former England international for his testimonial, before adding that he regrets never having worked with him during his playing career.
“I give Michael my deepest congratulations for his testimonial,” Wenger said. “I think he deserves it hugely.
“I would say personally I’m an admirer of his career, of his quality. One of my regrets is never having had him as a player because I think he was one of the greatest players in English football.
“I believe as well that he did not always get the reward and the tribute, the recognition he deserved.
“But I’m an admirer of Michael and I wish him all the best for the future.”
Carrick joined United from Tottenham in 2006, only a year after we sold Patrick Vieira, and we have been lacking a top holding midfielder ever since. The former Spurs man has gone onto win five Premier League winners medals and a Champions League winners medal in his time with United, while our side has had to settle for FA Cup wins since the French midfielder’s departure…
Would Carrick’s arrival to replace Vieira have assured us of further glory? Has that one position held us back over the last decade?
Pat J
Not really, Wenger would still have been here.
If you see the list of all the players Wenger could have signed(Which players were willing to sign for Arsenal)you would bang your head against a wall repeatedly.
Wenger won the PL twice, won FA Cups, went to the CL final and managed the invincibles.
In 2004 he was a legend and one of the greatest managers in the world
Then he got to big for his boots. He wanted to prove to the world that his philosophy was the best and became extremely arrogant and stubborn
Yes Carrick would have improved us but we would still be a top 4 team. That is all. Carrick probably would have left anyway like RVP, Sagna, Toure etc
I was watching YouTube video of our 4-4 loss to Newcastle today, in honour of Tiote.
That one draw was worse than a loss because we were up 0-4. It completely ruined our season but Newcastle deserved it. It showed how bad our defense was. At the time of invincibles and before we had one of the best defenses in the world
Wenger has never built a reliable defense since then.
Even this summer I am not optimistic. We need someone like Carrick but also a better LB, a backup RB and another CB.
We need a cm dm striker and a winger too
A new manager would be nice too but we are more likely to see a Dodo 1st than a new manager at Arsenal.
You’ll be shocked at what a good holding midfielder can do to a team, he slows down opposing attackers and turns the game against them, a game like the 4-4 against Newcastle will NEVER happen with a good holding midfirlder in the team, NEVER!
He’s a great player, but Wenger has missed out on worse. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it honestly.
If this had helped us win the league in 2007 and 2008, will it change how you feel about Arsenal now?
how would you know?