Both where legends of the club make yea cry the absoulte shitbag players we have to put up with now in are team depresses me watching old videos of these two.
Beckham vs Scholes. Passing.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
I don’t know how anyone can say it isn’t close. I might give a slight edge to Beckham, from my memory he might have been a bit more consistent with his accuracy. Even though when it comes to long passing, these two are probably the top 2 of all time. Scholes takes short passing though.
Man, when you start to compare your past best (again) it speaks volume of your current squad.
Beckham. I reckon Scholes himself would probably tell you Beckham was better. Scholes was also outstanding however.
Scholes had the better ping, one of the cleanest of all time. He also had a sharper short game, helped by his lower centre of gravity. Beckham was better at bending it or dipping it over and into a gap. Both were basically custom designed for their respective central and right sided positions, and both would have been neutered somewhat if they swapped roles as (ignoring the different physical requirements) their passing wouldn't have been as effective.
Scholes was a football brain. He knew what he was doing two passes before he even received the ball. I think Rio called him sat nav because his passes told you what you were doing next. His one touch passes were unreal. His long passes ridiculous.
All this being said Beckham was a better long range passer and criminally under rated. Beckham could pass a sixty yard ball onto the foot of Giggs running full speed without him having to break stride. He could put back spin on passes like a world class golfer. His long passing was in a league of its own. Forget his crosses, they were world class, but his range of pass was far more than crossing.
All this being said Beckham was a better long range passer and criminally under rated. Beckham could pass a sixty yard ball onto the foot of Giggs running full speed without him having to break stride. He could put back spin on passes like a world class golfer. His long passing was in a league of its own. Forget his crosses, they were world class, but his range of pass was far more than crossing.
Beckham had more variety on his longer range passing, could ping them as Scholes did but also had those deadly whipped deep crosses. Scholes annihilates Beckham in the shorter passing game, just had far greater awareness of those small spaces and angles he could use, Beckham wanted to be a CM but he really wasn't effective in that position, Giggs was a better CM than Beckham.
Both were excellent technically, but Scholes had better vision.
For me, the posts made by @LARulz @Invictus and @GodShaveTheQueen above all do a great job of explaining.
Scholes had a better football brain. Natural talent.
Becks overachieved Imo...he maximised his raw qualities.
Becks overachieved Imo...he maximised his raw qualities.
Scholes for me, the variety was ridiculous.
I find it painful to enter discussions such as these given how bad we currently are at passing the ball as a team currently.
I also find it hard to separate the two as they excelled at the skill so well.
I had a preference for Beckham though as I enjoyed the way his arm slung back, it just looked ‘sexier’.
I also think if Beckham ends his career at United he’s viewed a lot more favourably in these discussions.
I also find it hard to separate the two as they excelled at the skill so well.
I had a preference for Beckham though as I enjoyed the way his arm slung back, it just looked ‘sexier’.
I also think if Beckham ends his career at United he’s viewed a lot more favourably in these discussions.
Technically, Beckham was probably the better passer or striker of the ball or whatever you want to call it. He could just put the ball anywhere and had that freakish spin that defied logic at times. I've never seen anything like it, and it also showed with his set pieces. Anywhere he wanted the ball to go, it went, no matter what was in the way.
That being said, technical ability alone does not a great passer make. In my opinion a truly great passer isn't just able to hit an accurate pass, but able to find the correct pass, and that's what set Scholes apart. Plenty of players have been technically superb, but lack the understanding of the game to fully apply their talent. Beckham could absolutely read the game well and had good decision-making, but in that respect Scholes was a generational talent. I can't think of many players in my lifetime that could choose the correct option at the drop of a hat so consistently.
That being said, technical ability alone does not a great passer make. In my opinion a truly great passer isn't just able to hit an accurate pass, but able to find the correct pass, and that's what set Scholes apart. Plenty of players have been technically superb, but lack the understanding of the game to fully apply their talent. Beckham could absolutely read the game well and had good decision-making, but in that respect Scholes was a generational talent. I can't think of many players in my lifetime that could choose the correct option at the drop of a hat so consistently.
Enjoy if you can:
(This one has more footage of younger Scholes)
(This one has more footage of younger Scholes)
To me it boils down to this.
Becks long range: Great
Short range: average
Scholes long range: Great (possibly not as great as Becks)
Short range: very good (easily better than Becks).
Scholes was better with the both combined.
Becks long range: Great
Short range: average
Scholes long range: Great (possibly not as great as Becks)
Short range: very good (easily better than Becks).
Scholes was better with the both combined.
I bet Becks has more assists and chances created with short passes. I don't know how you can say his short passing is avg with a straight face. His right foot is simply better than Scholes'
Crossing is extremely hard. Very different from lobbing a ball in.
Whipping it in is a real specialty.
Whipping it in is a real specialty.
Scholes. But no one could cross like Becks.
Jesus..
Seems so long ago that we had such incredible players.. Paul fecking Scholes.. What a player.. Incredible.. Becks too.. Those were the days..
Jesus..
Seems so long ago that we had such incredible players.. Paul fecking Scholes.. What a player.. Incredible.. Becks too.. Those were the days..He may have created more because he plays on the right wing and he probably was the best crosser from the right and with the kind of strikers we had they are bound to score. Scholes was the man who made everything tick and playing in the middle is more difficult than playing on the right and crossing the ball. Scholes is better because his short passing was the best in the world and he could be so precise in those confined spaces while Beckham is more from long range and mostly with the inside on the foot while Scholes could do from anywhere.
It no contest for me. Beck's was one dimensional in his passing, both in technique and range. His best was the cross field passes and when he was loading up to his trademark posture, you know he's going to deliver it. He became easy to defend to towards the end of his career when the game became more compact. In the end he transited to a CM.
Scholes had more variety and his technique was exemplary. Like Pogba today, it doesn't matter which part of the pitch he is in or which angle he has the ball, he could still pass it somehow. Scholes' long passes also had more guile to them compared to someone like Gerrard's which is hit at 100km/hr. It had loads of backspin to them, its easier to control and doesn't bounce away when it lands.
Scholes had more variety and his technique was exemplary. Like Pogba today, it doesn't matter which part of the pitch he is in or which angle he has the ball, he could still pass it somehow. Scholes' long passes also had more guile to them compared to someone like Gerrard's which is hit at 100km/hr. It had loads of backspin to them, its easier to control and doesn't bounce away when it lands.
Our memories can play havoc with reality so I looked up assists and Beckham had the clear lead there with 80 to 55, and in a lot less games for Becks. That doesn’t tell the whole story of course.
I’d agree with others that Beckham’s crosses were crazy good while Scholes could split a defence with his pin point passes.
Things that most could agree on: Scholes could never tackle. And Becks couldn’t dribble.
At least that was the consensus around at the time.
I’d agree with others that Beckham’s crosses were crazy good while Scholes could split a defence with his pin point passes.
Things that most could agree on: Scholes could never tackle. And Becks couldn’t dribble.
At least that was the consensus around at the time.
Thread about our yesteryear players always makes me sad.
On that being said, speaking strictly as a passer the ball, I think Scholes slightly nick it here due to the fact he played as a cm whereby ball literally played through him. He's so good at those short passes, finding spaced etc.
But Becks right-foot is the GOAT and that's a fact.
On that being said, speaking strictly as a passer the ball, I think Scholes slightly nick it here due to the fact he played as a cm whereby ball literally played through him. He's so good at those short passes, finding spaced etc.
But Becks right-foot is the GOAT and that's a fact.
Indeed. We used to have players who can just come in a do a job with no questions asked. Scholes, Becks and Giggs played in many positions across the midfield for us in various parts of their careers and did their jobs there.
Now we have players who must play in a 3 man midfield, specifically on the left side of the triangle and given "license to roam".
Shouldn't this be in the United forum..Mine goes something like this:
Crossing - Beck by far
Hollywood Pass - Beck
"Assist" Pass - Beck
Long Pass,
Accuracy - Beck
Quickness - Scholes
Quickness - Scholes
Mid-range Pass - Both
"Assist to assist" Pass - Scholes
Short Pass - Scholes
Tiki-Taka - Scholes
One-Touch Pass - Scholes
Quick Pass - Scholes
Playmaking - Scholes
Tight-angle/Creative Passes eg. flicks, chip pass - Scholes
Generally, Beck's is more on to accuracy and consistency, Scholes' is more on to creativity/brain and skills.
Hit ball from point A to B - Becks
String together multiple passes and move play from zone A to B - Scholes
String together multiple passes and move play from zone A to B - Scholes
Both were great at it, Beckham was better at final ball in the last third, Scholes was better at playmaking, playing quick passes to wingers.
This and Scholes ability to find space in congested areas just by being ahead of the game. To make a football pass look so simple because the weight and timing was so perfect for each player regardless of how quickly they moved. He was our Xavi/Iniesta.
Exactly, so does the ”crossed legs” at the end.
Very true! However, not all United legends are appreciated for their longetivity... Rooney, cough, cough!
Yep. This. The precision, accuracy and physics of the ball whenever he made a pass was something else.
For me it has to be Paul Scholes. I can't remember who it was but I heard the story Paul Scholes hit them in the back from about 50 yards if I remember correctly, while they were urinating in training for a joke.
Also this quote from Cristiano Ronaldo comes to mind: "When we were in training, I used to do a lot of tricks which hardly any players at the club could do. Once I was showing my skills to Scholes. After I finished, Scholes took the ball and pointed to a tree which was about 50m from where we were standing. He said, I’m going to hit it in one shot. He kicked and hit the tree. He asked me to do the same; I kicked about 10 times, but still couldn’t hit it, with that accuracy. He smiled and left."
Also this quote from Cristiano Ronaldo comes to mind: "When we were in training, I used to do a lot of tricks which hardly any players at the club could do. Once I was showing my skills to Scholes. After I finished, Scholes took the ball and pointed to a tree which was about 50m from where we were standing. He said, I’m going to hit it in one shot. He kicked and hit the tree. He asked me to do the same; I kicked about 10 times, but still couldn’t hit it, with that accuracy. He smiled and left."
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Remember that’s Scholes scoop assist to Rooney in the UCL vs Milan?
Can’t see Beckham doing anything like that. Beckham was an outrageous crossed and passed though. I rarely saw Scholes put in whipped passes/crosses. Probably why he didn’t take deep free kicks.
Can’t see Beckham doing anything like that. Beckham was an outrageous crossed and passed though. I rarely saw Scholes put in whipped passes/crosses. Probably why he didn’t take deep free kicks.
- Curled Cross (Instep) - Beckham
- Curled Cross (outside of foot) - Scholes
- Switches of play - Draw
- Through balls (slide floor) - Scholes
- Scoop pass - Scholes
- Through ball (long ball) - Beckham
- Short passing - Scholes
- Outside of the foot pass - Scholes
- Set Pieces (non direct) - Beckham
- One touch passing - Scholes
- Backheels - Draw (Neither used it much)
- Volleyed Pass - Scholes
- Through the lines - Scholes
Becks can make the ball does anything as He wishes.
This pass you mentioned was absolutely sublime.
Scholes' job was to get the ball to Becks!
Not too much of a contest for me.
Becks could whip the ball like no other, and some of his long passes were a sight to behold. But he was mostly about hitting balls in to areas/spaces, whereas Scholes would put the right speed, angle and trajectory to his passes that the ball would land on the recipients toe, or if he hit the space it would have the perfect amount of back spin that after one bounce it was then on their toe.
Scholes was a master.
Becks could whip the ball like no other, and some of his long passes were a sight to behold. But he was mostly about hitting balls in to areas/spaces, whereas Scholes would put the right speed, angle and trajectory to his passes that the ball would land on the recipients toe, or if he hit the space it would have the perfect amount of back spin that after one bounce it was then on their toe.
Scholes was a master.
Beckham for me.
He'd probably tell you Nicky Butt was a better midfielder than himself too!
Take nothing away from Beckham, he was a criminally underrated player (like top tier quality) but for me Scholes was a true maestro. He knew what to do and when and truely orchestrated the attack. Only time Beckham would pass simple was if he was closed down so he couldn't bang a long ball ...otherwise 8 times outta ten you'd get a Hollywood ball..and tbh, there was a few games where he could frustrate you doing it all the time.
CM and RW, if only they were 20 years younger lol!