The Mail Bag
Lee Carsley
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I thoroughly enjoyed watching Lee Carsley and Jimmy McFadden's heroic performances for Birmingham City against Liverpool. Carsley in particular was like a stone wall and the penalty decision against him was utterly unjust. I raise it because, first, it's always good to see a former favorite blue perform so well against the Dark Side; second, it was a reminder that in terms of sheer blood and iron, we have never really replaced him.
Peter Fearon, Posted 10/11/2009 at 11:27:45
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As a player, though, any objective analysis would conclude that his abilities were limited. His career probably reflects this.
Carsley was a terrific player in the role he played. Fully committed and always gave 100%.
Unfortunately time caught up with him and Moyes let him go at the right time. He’s still decent for Birmingham but I doubt he could force his way into the Everton team now with Rodwell, Neville and Heitinga all playing in that role.
As for McFadden he’s the same for Birmingham as he was for Everton. Injury-prone, inconsistant, frustrating and occaisionally brilliant. He’s got talent but is always inconsistant and will never fulfill his potential.
Jerome on the other hand... woahhhh... what a strike.
As for Carsley... he’s at his level... we’ve attempted to improve... by failing to replace him... luckily Jack is coming through.. because buying a dedicated midfielder over a utility player would probably kill Moyes.
During his time with us I doubt whether you would find a more hard working honest professional than Lee Carsley. He knew his limitations but excelled in what he was good at — protecting his back four.
He left because, being a Brummie, he wanted to return to his home town to see his career out. He knew he probably wouldn’t be able to hold down a regular first team spot with us for much longer with the emergence of young Jack and with Pip occupying that role now. So it was fitting that Alex McLeish should offer him an opportunity to return to his beloved Birmingham.
I haven’t got a bad word to say about this man and I only wish more football players were like him and played the game with such honesty and commitment. In terms of our player history since the year dot, he wasn’t the best but he was one of the best for this particular time.
One final point;- I have family connections in the Solihull area of the West Midlands. About three years ago I was down there with the kids shopping one weekend. There were charity collectors all around Mell Square (centre of Solihull) collecting for a children’s charity. My young lads were attracted to one tin rattler in particular and guess who it was?
Yep — you guessed it… Lee Carsley standing there rattling his tin and doing his bit for a good cause. No fuss, no glamour, just rattling the tin and doing his bit. Lee Carsley, you are a top, top man.
I hope in December when we welcome the visit of Birmingham City you will all show your appreciation for this individual and for what he did and contributed to our cause for many years. He’s a good all round egg and wouldn’t it be nice if there were more players with his honesty and commitment in the PL Mr Ngog.
But yeah, he was a great player in his position, hence the joke (if it is a joke!) about Real Madrid mistakenly buying the wrong bald central midfielder when they bought Gravesen off us.
Looking at players the way we do now (me included....somethimes) I think is a symptom of the relentless shite we’re fed by Sky and The ’Premier’ League.
When I was a little kid, I used to think Spurs bought good players.
Never won titles though.
It was only when WE won a couple of titles in the 80s that it started to dawn on me that it wasn’t the best players that won stuff, it was the best team (I was mid-20s by then)
This also explained why, in my lifetime, Liverpool had won so much.
When you looked individually at their players, you would often think "How the FUCK!?"
Alec Lyndsey, Sammy Lee, Phil Neal, Alan Kennedy, Joey Jones?
On paper - shite..ish
But their ’limitations’ were actually invaluable, because they would just do one thing well.
I don’t remember Sammy Lee doing anything apart from harrying the opposition and when he won the ball, just...giving it to Sourpuss.
His compilation video (the thing managers now glance at before they spend £20 mill on a player) wouldn’t have looked too spectacular, but he was a vital cog in that particular title-winning machine.
Cars was that for us.
Limited?
Well yes if you’re looking for a Thierry Henry type striker, but in HIS role, just in front of the back four?
Not limited at all.
He didn’t need to run too much, was as hard as nails, was determined, that was kind of all we needed for that position....AND - STILL - DO!
It’s funny, in the 70s when you watched Brazil, even as a kid, you could see that their full-backs didn’t look the same shape as British full backs.
Ours were mainly Mick Bernard shaped, theirs looked like...well, their forwards.
You knew that you were watching a team (including the keeper) who ALL wanted to be centre-forwards or wingers (the wing in the ’olden days’ being glamourous - not being a place you were ’pushed out to’)
That full-back Liverpool spent £17 million on (I’m old-memory gone) really amuses me.
If they’d bought him as a winger, they’d be ok.
Unfortunately (for them) every time he plays, he spends most of the game in the opposition half with a huge exposed hole behind him
(go on...............I’ll wait..............done? Ok)
It’s like watching a kid.
In my view, whatever Moyes needed to do to secure Cars for another couple of years, he should have.
Oh....Something Johnson!!
Every team needs a Carsley, in one shape or another: Cantona referred to Deschamps as "the water-carrier", and it wasn’t — I believe — intended as an insult.
I can understand people mistakenly thinking of Lee Carsley as ’limited’; no tricks, no frills, no facade, just 90 minutes of accomplished honesty. In these days of sick-making choreographed goal celebrations, I still treasure the look on Carsley’s face in the Derby just before he disappeared under a blue avalanche.
His leaving of Everton was a pity; his reasons for doing so are worthy of respect. I just hope he’s in the Birmingham team when they play at Goodison, so the Old Lady can pay her respects.
Don’t get me wrong, Carsley for us was immense, went he wasn’t playing we looked weak in the middle... until Phil took up the challenge but he was limited, especially in his passing, in so far, as he would pass it sidewys or backwards and then probably wait for the inevitable punt over his head.
He was the best at what he did in our team but he was also the reason why we were slow on the attack, like now still, we pass backwards or to the side and let the other side back to regroup.
As I said, loved the player but it just struck me as ironic that he is mentioned when there are so many posters having a go at our style of play.
A proper pro - a salt of the earth right good bloke.
Did you see Ngog smirking back at Lee the other night as the finger wagging was taking place.
Football has a funny way sometimes of dishing out justice - Ngog will get his at some point.
Yakubu would get a part in Bambi on ice... I don't think we’re in a position to criticise without acknowledging our own failings...
Hibbert?
Timmy Howard actually.
Ngog - cheated; no punishment
Rs - player cheats; rewarded
Carsley - innocent; punished
Referee Walton - gives honest decision having been conned; punished
The Premier League will not blink in Ngog’s direction because of the Eduardo appeal, whether it was a Uefa game or not — they are shit scared.
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1 Posted 10/11/2009 at 20:02:46
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