Reminds me of Carrick when he was with us. We only saw how good he was when we didn't have him.
I think this is slightly overstated. Most sensible supporters recognised his quality - not least because he was such a massive step up from what came in the decade or more before him. He was integral in the side that brought us to the brink of qualification for the Champions League and most fans realised this and were extremely disappointed when he left.