Journalists quizzed the Liverpool man after he was beaten into the box by USA striker Jozy Altidore during Saturday's 1-1 draw.
Carragher pointed to Sami Hyypia as an example of a defender who achieved legendary status without significant pace.
"Every player has different strengths and weaknesses, no player has everything," he said. "I'm certainly not slow but I'm not the quickest.
"The reason myself and John Terry are at this level is that we are good at reading the game rather than having outstanding pace. The best partner I've had at Liverpool was Sami Hyypia and he was slower than me and John Terry, but it's about understanding and getting in the right position.
"We've played against the best strikers in the world. Altidore made a great first touch and turn and as I'd been booked early on I was a bit worried about giving a penalty away because he was on the edge of the box and I could have got a red card.
"It happened to me at West Ham this season, against Zavon Hines [a challenge that prompted a yellow card and penalty] and I've learned that, at times like that, you have to let him go. That's what the 'keeper's there for."
Meanwhile, Carragher believes the Germans may have an advantage over the other World Cup favourites - because the much talked about adidas ball has been used in the Bundesliga since January.
No side has impressed as much as Joachim Low's men so far following their 4-0 thumping of Australia on Sunday.
"It gives them an advantage. That is obvious," said Carragher.
"The ball is different. Every training session we do we always start by passing 30 or 40 yards to each other just for that reason alone.
"I am sure it has helped Germany. It is an advantage of course. We were watching the game and I had two or three texts about it."
Few fancied Germany going into the tournament, but Carragher was not surprised to see them impress during their opening game.
And he likened their mentality to that present within the Liverpool squad over recent seasons.
"I don't know what their mindset is but what they may have is a belief of always being there at the end," said the 32-year-old. "Maybe that continues. It is similar to what we have at Liverpool where you are known for getting late goals no matter who is on the pitch.
"You just believe you are going to do it. Maybe it is something like that. Because England have not done very well in tournaments, maybe that is something that counts against us. But if you look at our players and the players we have got I am still pretty confident we can do well in this tournament."
One man who will need to show exceptional mental strength over the coming days is goalkeeper Robert Green, whose blunder allowed Clint Dempsey to equalise on Saturday.
Carragher has publically backed Green to recover from the slip up, recalling some tough times of his own in the process.
One such memory is of scoring two own-goals in front of the Kop in a 3-2 defeat by rivals Manchester United.
"I had a few drinks that night," said Carragher. "I was 20, so it was hard to come back from that as a young kid.
"I know people look at Premier League footballers and see the money and the lifestyle, but it has been a journey to get to that point. There have been that many times when you're knocked on the floor and you have to get back up.
"There are a lot of players like that. I went to Lilleshall when I was 14. I wasn't better than the lads then. But maybe my mentality helped me whereas some of them are playing non-league now."
Source: LiverpoolFC.tv
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