Im only asking in the way I'm asking because there was 3 maybe 2 versions of Paul Scholes.
How good was Paul Scholes?
- Thread starter Paxi
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32.
Absolutely. The ability to reinvent your role as your legs slow down doesn’t exactly make me think less of a player, I’d say it reinforces just how good the footballing brain of said player is.
Definitely prefer the Scholes after 2005 though, the hub of all of our play, a maestro in the true sense of the word.
Oh not at all. Imo it makes him even better.
I'm just saying the midfield maestro was the Paul Scholes we all talk about but that wasn't always him
My favorite Scholes was the 2003 all-action goal-scoring version, the one that tore Newcastle apart that time. Perfect player to have behind RVN, a shame Veron didn't work as a partner for Keane at the time (and Keane had begun his injury-riddled decline).
He was amazing. One of the very best midfielders in football, not just in England. Severely underrated compared to Gerrard and Lampard because those two, Gerrard especially, was head and shoulders above the rest of the team mates, whereas Scholes was part of a world class team so he didn't have to single handedly pull us out the shit all the time.
Stop all this rubbish about it was all because of Roy Keane, Keane did not play in the final. With the way he plays, we won't last 3 games without a red card, a time bomb walking
I was thinking about this. You know when Mata has those days when it's all going right for him, and we start thinking just how great he could be for us if only he were to sustain that level? Well that was Scholes in like 95% of the games he played. Anyone bringing up his not winning player of the year titles, allegedly fake quotes about him (where has this fake angle come from?) etc...clearly never watched him in his prime: the way he'd look around quickly before receiving a pass; play incisive forward passes and then move for the return pass; the raking long balls to the wing; the belting goals; the well-timed headers. The guy is EXACTLY what we are missing right now.
You simply had to see Scholes live in his latter years to understand why many fans believed he was so great.
Only then could you witness the control he had, the vision and passing, and the way he created space for himself with the smallest of movements – a tiny feint of the shoulder and he had created 5-10 yards for himself, and he made it look so easy and natural. Almost always played the right pass.
If you watched United regularly when Scholes was in his playmaking pomp, you could pretty much predict when and where he would be and where he was moving the ball next, it was like a fine art which he perfected and run over and over again.
Aside from that, he was also class as a young attacking midfielder, scoring and creating goals aplenty.
Only then could you witness the control he had, the vision and passing, and the way he created space for himself with the smallest of movements – a tiny feint of the shoulder and he had created 5-10 yards for himself, and he made it look so easy and natural. Almost always played the right pass.
If you watched United regularly when Scholes was in his playmaking pomp, you could pretty much predict when and where he would be and where he was moving the ball next, it was like a fine art which he perfected and run over and over again.
Aside from that, he was also class as a young attacking midfielder, scoring and creating goals aplenty.
Scholes was a magical player, pure class. I always find the comparisons with Gerrard and Lampard pretty tiresome as they were all totally different types of midfielder.
Gerrard was all action box to box, comparable to a young Roy Keane rather than any of the versions of Scholes.
Lampard was a decent midfielder before Mourinho turned him into what was near enough a second striker or goal scoring number 10, making late runs into the box and shooting from distance. This was a bit like the younger version of Scholes playing off RVN.
But as a midfield player, Scholes was head and shoulders above Gerrard and Lampard in my eyes. Wonderful player.
Gerrard was all action box to box, comparable to a young Roy Keane rather than any of the versions of Scholes.
Lampard was a decent midfielder before Mourinho turned him into what was near enough a second striker or goal scoring number 10, making late runs into the box and shooting from distance. This was a bit like the younger version of Scholes playing off RVN.
But as a midfield player, Scholes was head and shoulders above Gerrard and Lampard in my eyes. Wonderful player.
I think Scholes was a better player at 30 than he was at say 23, refined his game as he settled into that deeper play-making role. He was still an excellent player in his more attacking days but not the majestic fulcrum of the team that he became. Having said that his best individual season probably came in 02/03 played off RVN, scored 20 goals with Veron and Keane behind. If those 2 had been able to co-exist for another couple of years together perhaps Scholes would have stayed in a more attacking role and who knows how his career develops from then on.
He was brilliant, effortless control of the game, discussions like this about Scholes and Giggs always make me realize the generations gaps with fans, your own time is always the most relevant, probably had similar discussion about Robson to much head shaking from the older crowd.
He was brilliant, effortless control of the game, discussions like this about Scholes and Giggs always make me realize the generations gaps with fans, your own time is always the most relevant, probably had similar discussion about Robson to much head shaking from the older crowd.
Probably the only player I have seen in the United midfield who knew what was happening all over the pitch including what was going on behind him. We have to bear in mind that his latter years he played with some sort of a vision problem too.
Yeah. The way I see it, comparing their overall attributes isn't important. A Gerrard or lampard needed a scholes in the team to enable them to be at their best and for the team to function. The team didn't need a Gerrard or lampard if scholes was there. So wherever they'd be, scholes would be the more important player. Also clearly the most talented IMO.
/m.youtube.com/watch?v=KwMDfKXUNFY
This video shows how amazing Paul was. He can do the tika taka thing than ping a pass 40 years onto a full out running Rooney on the volley. 43sec in. Check out that volley pass. His accurate passing range was like no other. 40 yards on a dime that is running 30 km/h down the field. Amazing.
Watching him dance around players and control the game was magical to watch. When he came back out of retirement it was like having a second chance to savour every minute of watching him play cause you know you where seeing something that you will never see again.
sorry I can't embed video yet. More likes please.
This video shows how amazing Paul was. He can do the tika taka thing than ping a pass 40 years onto a full out running Rooney on the volley. 43sec in. Check out that volley pass. His accurate passing range was like no other. 40 yards on a dime that is running 30 km/h down the field. Amazing.
Watching him dance around players and control the game was magical to watch. When he came back out of retirement it was like having a second chance to savour every minute of watching him play cause you know you where seeing something that you will never see again.
sorry I can't embed video yet. More likes please.
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He made Keane look good.
My favourite football player ever. Always will be.
ffs.If he was from Brazil he’d be named Scholesinho
Paul Scholes is 43. Part of me still thinks he could do a job for us if he had a few months of training behind him. With his passing and his brain you don't need to run. Majestic player. I miss him
Not quite there as per the geniuses at the Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ity-2017-vs-Manchester-United-2008-rated.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ity-2017-vs-Manchester-United-2008-rated.html
When Xavi, Iniesta and the likes were part of the Barcelona youth academy, their teachers allegedly used Scholes as a clear example of what they wanted their midfielders to be able to do.
I mean, contrary to the popular belief that Scholes was a red headed angry terrier , he was of a floating/passing Barcelona type of midfielder, the kind Iniesta and Xavi ended up being later on. Very before his time, not very english/nordic in his style of play. Great shooting technique, esp volleys. Hard but fair. Seemed to actually give a shit. Amazingly talented.
I mean, contrary to the popular belief that Scholes was a red headed angry terrier , he was of a floating/passing Barcelona type of midfielder, the kind Iniesta and Xavi ended up being later on. Very before his time, not very english/nordic in his style of play. Great shooting technique, esp volleys. Hard but fair. Seemed to actually give a shit. Amazingly talented.
That's not a popular belief.
The best player I've ever watched in a United shirt. Forget Rooney, forget Ronaldo, it was always Scholes who I loved watching. Easily the best English midfielder from the past 25 years.
Yeah, not at all, although he was tough player tbh. Tougher than people give him credit.
That’s just ridiculous. Please stop.
some nonsense in that article. they rate Sterling the same as a prime Rooney, and Sane more than Tevez
He was one of the best central midfielders in the world...but importantly and worth mentioning he also played for a genius of a manager and was surrounded by some of the best players too.
You may be right. Could be that I project my old childhood view of him still today. Maybe because of a very tough tackle on Håkan Mild in a international against Sweden. ( I'm Swedish).
Born in the wrong country. In Spain or Italy he would have been the maestro. In England, he was shunted out wide to give place to the hard-working "lions" of Gerrard and the likes. One of our all-time greats. Not expecting to see anyone like him in the next 50 years or so.
I remember when we were 0-2 against Spurs at OT (end 5-2) and watching from the stands. It was the beginning of the second half, few minutes in, he absolutely smashed one of Spurs players. Was genuinely surprised, not just because he made the tackle, but it was with a purpose to lift the aggression of the whole team.
He was first and foremost skilful player, but that kind of things wasn't strange to him. Brilliant player, all together.
Early career all about the goals, later career, we realised that we had an absolute don of a ball playing controlling mid. The likes of which we moaned that we "still hadn't replaced" for years and years after, and still need now truth be told.
Unlike Gerrard and Lampard, could play in a midfield 2, but not as flashy as either, so underrated because of it. Often hit with criticism like he was never the standout player in the team unlike the other 2. Ignoring that he played in a superstar team, whereas Gerrard was often his team's key player by a million miles.
Pretty certain that anyone who played with him would say he's the best they played alongside.
Unlike Gerrard and Lampard, could play in a midfield 2, but not as flashy as either, so underrated because of it. Often hit with criticism like he was never the standout player in the team unlike the other 2. Ignoring that he played in a superstar team, whereas Gerrard was often his team's key player by a million miles.
Pretty certain that anyone who played with him would say he's the best they played alongside.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...hat-the-games-greats-have-said-about-him.html
This about sums it up I believe.
This about sums it up I believe.
I will never forget his performance against Fulham in February 2009. His best ever in an United shirt for me.
Anyone remembers what impact he had after he came back from retirement though ? From what I remember, Giggs was more effective than him in their latter years. 2012-13 specially, I kinda remember Giggs linking up well with RVP while Scholes was struggling more.
Anyone remembers what impact he had after he came back from retirement though ? From what I remember, Giggs was more effective than him in their latter years. 2012-13 specially, I kinda remember Giggs linking up well with RVP while Scholes was struggling more.
Yeah, in the 2005-06 season he almost didn't played because of eye problems. He actually came back better than ever, lol. Such a shame we never really saw him and Pogba together.
How good was Paul Scholes?
Good enough to keep possession and close out a game against 10 men.
Would've given an arm and a leg to have someone with his football brains in our team today.
Good enough to keep possession and close out a game against 10 men.
Would've given an arm and a leg to have someone with his football brains in our team today.
Scholes was incredible at his peak, but he also benefited from playing in a midfield that included Keano, Becks & Giggsy.
You could argue that was the best 4 man midfield ever to play in English football.
You could argue that was the best 4 man midfield ever to play in English football.
At least Scholes had no problem playing in a midfield two.
Must have been because he was so big, strong and athletic.I can remember shedloads of threads saying he couldn't. Every time we lost when he did, I think.
Brilliant, brilliant footballer. How he was not the first name on England XI bemused me and many, probably his team-mates.
Incredibly good player. Intelligent, consistent and in front of goal absolutely clinical.
Incredibly good player. Intelligent, consistent and in front of goal absolutely clinical.