McCarthy makes everything better. Stones just sorts the defense, Mccarthy just sorts the midfield, genuinely think we're one world class number 10 away from having a trophy winning spine with Lukaku up top (providing Howard is not in goal). The improvement in everything when McCarthy plays is just so evident, he sucks opposition players in then releases the ball to Barry or Barkley in acres of space moving us forward, a far cry from the panic panic backwards backwards 'passing' we were doing without him in the team. Also its so good watching Coleman or Tones surging forward and McCarthy just dropping in effortlessly. The lad is a tactical machine and along with Stones is the foundation of this side. He's making Barry look like a decent player for goodness sake.
I honestly think Barry will be the main beneficiary of having McCarthy back. Barry has immense quality on the ball but zero pace. Having McCarthy in the side gives him more time on the ball and he looks a completely different player. Plus McCarthy covers so much ground that it allows Barry to not need to desperately get back and foul people so much.
Not a coincidence at all for me that McCarthy played against Liverpool and Young Boys and Barry had really good games in both.
I'll go as far as to say that I think our best midfield pairing there may end up being, at least in the short term, McCarthy and Barry. Besic is a brilliant prospect but lacks Barry's vision and passing ability and I think, for now, a midfield pairing of Besic and McCarthy (whilst it will be the axis we build from in the future) might lack a bit of quality as far as distribution is concerned.
McCarthy is the key for me, absolutely indispensable to us and everyone else in the team plays better as a result of him being there.
lol
