Michael Carrick will not suit up again for Manchester United this season, head coach Louis Van Gaal has announced. The midfielder suffered an injury in the closing stages of last month’s 4-2 win over Manchester City and has missed the Reds’ three consecutive defeats against Chelsea, Everton and West Bromwich Albion in the Barclays Premier League.
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“Carrick is not available, it was more heavy than we thought,” van Gaal announced”We tried everything but now we have to think about next season. He shall not play anymore this season, it’s better now to focus for him on next season and being fit to start.”
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Losing such a key component definitely hurts United’s remaining few games, but Van Gaal is thinking of things in the long term: “When you see the stats, it’s clear that he’s very important but that’s also because we have only right-sided holding midfielder. That’s what I am saying already in the whole of the season, that our selection is not balanced, and I want to restore that in the next transfer period. The life is not ending at 34, but for a professional football player, it’s close by. That’s why I have to handle again in that position.”
Van Gaal’s comments are interesting because I think he has one of the deeper sides in recent Man U. seasons. They have a nice collection of young players who have stepped up and filled in nicely during the recent stretch of injuries, so nicely in fact, that Van Gaal has at times, had to figure out how to keep the youngsters in the lineup and juggle them with the regulars.Wayne Rooney has also done his usual masterful job of shifting spots amongst the lineup. Perhaps they do not have the balance Van Gaal would prefer but they have managed to stay near the top despite injuries, suspensions and illness.
In terms of other injuries, Van Gaal said :”(Jonny) Evans and(Luke) Shaw can play. although Evans doesn’t have the match rhythm as he was injured for six weeks and after that he was suspended for six weeks, and after that he was injured. He needs match rhythm.” Meanwhile, Marcos Rojo is on his way back to being fully fit and James Wilson could be among the substitutes after recovering from illness. “There is a virus in our dressing room so it’s difficult to say,” revealed van Gaal. “He(Wilson) is already a little bit ill for one week but now he is recovering so I think he could be on the bench.”
Expect United to be amongst the more aggressive clubs in the upcoming transfer season as Van Gaal seeks to address what he feels are his teams biggest shortcomings. And while Carrick will be missed for the remainder of the season, they have enough young depth to more than compensate.
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