Luka Modric

[Isotope]

At 32, Modric is more mobile than Scholes at 32. Scholes had a better shot and had better timing in the box, especially for headers as you say. On the other hand, I can understand those who say Modric has surpassed him. You are taking Scholes’ best attributes from an AM and DLP.

Dictating games and long range passing, Scholes for me. Overall, it’s close.

I still think Scholes is better. Yeh maybe not better as a CM, but as a more "exciting" CM. He's not a dedicated metronome like Xavi, or a last third playmaker like Iniesta, or a "mere" goalscoring CM/AM like Lampard. He's a bit mix of everything. And I think that's make him more "attractive" than Modric. At least, for me. Although I'd say Modric is the closest .. closest CM to Scholes that I've seen.

Just imagine if the current England NT have a peak Scholes in their XI. Kane might score a lot more from open play.

 

[manunited1919]

Does anyone know what this guy eats?
Seriously.
Modric had so much energy after 120 minutes that I am willing to do the Luca Modric Diet.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Christ, we’re really through the looking glass now when folk are saying Modric isn’t better than Scholes ever was. Revisionism at its finest here.

It's highly debateable. Since when do you think Modric has been a top player? He certainly wasn't at Spurs. Scholes excelled at the highest level for 12/13 years as a goalscrorer, as a box to box CM a deep lying playmaker. Let's not pretend Modric has been brilliant for a decade now. Last 4/5 years? Sure.

 

[SouthPredators4]

Personally, i think Paul Scholes attributes were perfect for the Premier League's gungho style rather than the patient build up, intricate passing, tactcally tuned, which was and still is the most important at the continental and international competitions. Scholes wouldnt have made a similar impact on the current RM side and likewise Modric for the treble team. Similarly, a WBA would needed a Scholes more than a Modric since Scholes can do a bit of everything while Modric brings worldclass players up another level. That said, i rate Modric much higher than Scholes for having the ability to retain possession under extreme pressing and able to have the mobility to excel in very tight spaces.

 

[mystarrocks]

He was one of the reasons why i like spurs during his time here.His control, passing and short burst into tight spaces is the one missing in our current setup. He is the perfect united type midfielder if we could sign one, sad for me personally to not see him in our jersey. The run he made in extra time to keep the ball alive, wow.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

People have far too much rose tinted spectacles about the past.

As if some of those ex Yugoslav players even touch Modric. Prosinecki was playing in the Championship with Portsmouth at the age Modric is the most infleuntial player in Real Madrid CL wins and guiding his nation through to World Cup Semi Finals.

Modric is one of the best midfielders of all time.

Prosinecki career was ruined by his bad injury at Real Madrid when he was still only about 22\23. He never really recovered enough to be a 90 minute player again, kept getting re-injured and his dedication went downhill.

However he was a young phenom that was already at an all-time midfield playmaker skill level from very early on, i'm not sure i've seen another European creative midfielder in my lifetime that was so good in playing a major European cup winning role so early. He could certainly "touch" Modric in terms of peak-level individual ability, though arguing he had anywhere near as good an overall career would be stupid.

Modric has had the best career of the ex-yugoslavs in terms of team accomplishments and that plus his excellent talent means he should be right up there in the overall discussion of greatest from the area. The players i've seen from the region that i think were even more talented individually like Dragan Stojkovic, Dejan Savicevic and Safet Susic either had careers that were held back by injuries or weren't playing in an environment where they were ever going to be winning CL's like Susic at PSG. Completely different time pre-late 90s in terms of how difficult it was for an EE player to get to somewhere it was possible to win multiple european trophies.

 

[B20]

I still think Scholes is better. Yeh maybe not better as a CM, but as a more "exciting" CM. He's not a dedicated metronome like Xavi, or a last third playmaker like Iniesta, or a "mere" goalscoring CM/AM like Lampard. He's a bit mix of everything.

Again, you are conflating different stages of his career. Scholes the goalscorer was not around when Scholes the playmaker excelled. and vice versa.

 

[Isotope]

Again, you are conflating different stages of his career. Scholes the goalscorer was not around when Scholes the playmaker excelled. and vice versa.

On his peak, Scholes was 10+ goals/season. And that while playing in midfield two. Modric has never scored more than 4 goals/season, playing in midfield three with Madrid.

It's easy to imagine if Scholes was playing in midfield three, and given more license to go forward, he'd score a lot more. One season he played behind RvN, he scored 20 goals. And it might be more if he had more time to get adjusted.

 

[B20]

On his peak, Scholes was 10+ goals/season. And that while playing in midfield two. Modric has never scored more than 4 goals/season, playing in midfield three with Madrid.

I'd say his peak as a playmaker was ca. 06-09. He scored 7, 2 and 3 goals in those three years.

 

[Isotope]

I'd say his peak as a playmaker was ca. 06-09. He scored 7, 2 and 3 goals in those three years.

Scholes was already a playmaker in that famous 99'. In 06-09, he was a DLP, playing a more reserved role with Carrick.

 

[hellohello]

It's highly debateable. Since when do you think Modric has been a top player? He certainly wasn't at Spurs. Scholes excelled at the highest level for 12/13 years as a goalscrorer, as a box to box CM a deep lying playmaker. Let's not pretend Modric has been brilliant for a decade now. Last 4/5 years? Sure.

That's just bullshit. I think Fergie called him the best player in England as early as 2011 or 2012 or something.

 

[jderbyshire]

A mate of mine, before the Russia game got 50/1 on Modric winning the Ballon D'Or.

My first thought was "LOL" - but he insists he'll be a shoe-in if Croatia win the WC.

Do you think he'd be awarded it, having won the UCL & the WC?

 

[Buchan]

A mate of mine, before the Russia game got 50/1 on Modric winning the Ballon D'Or.

My first thought was "LOL" - but he insists he'll be a shoe-in if Croatia win the WC.

Do you think he'd be awarded it, having won the UCL & the WC?

Hypothetically speaking, yes, he should. I highly doubt he will, however, even if Croatia do go all the way.

 

[Jim Beam]

A mate of mine, before the Russia game got 50/1 on Modric winning the Ballon D'Or.

My first thought was "LOL" - but he insists he'll be a shoe-in if Croatia win the WC.

Do you think he'd be awarded it, having won the UCL & the WC?

He will have the chance if Croatia wins the WC. And even then I think he will have to score or assist a deciding goal or something like that.

Extremely unlikely, all together.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

That's just bullshit. I think Fergie called him the best player in England as early as 2011 or 2012 or something.

He also called Phil Jones potentially our greatest player ever. He was good for Spurs but not as good as I expected him to be based on his early displays for Croatia. And not on Scholes' level who was excellent for much longer. I do think Modric's peak level is higher.

 

[Ban]

Sure he's a bit overrated here but then again I've seen some underrate him too. One poster wouldn't have him in top 20 ever since 2002. That's just wrong. As for Scholes comparisons closer to goal Scholes was better but as a DLP Luka is a bit better imo.

 

[Zen]

That's just bullshit. I think Fergie called him the best player in England as early as 2011 or 2012 or something.

Unfortuantely he simply wasn't rated - especially on here during a period everyone was still in love with good old Wesley. Modric was great at Spurs, the team around him simply wasn't up to his standards just yet.

You'll find plenty of posts of myself wanting him though. Theres a reason Chelsea were willing to drop £50m on him the year before Real Madrid somehow got him for £15m less....for reasons?!!? But then again, they also got Kroos for a robbery price.....the Pogba move happened too late to align CM price tags in with the prices of everywhere else.

 

[StillPlayingFooty]

Gotta give it to the guy who can do those kind of sprints at extra time.

 

[Zen]

Sure he's a bit overrated here but then again I've seen some underrate him too. One poster wouldn't have him in top 20 ever since 2002. That's just wrong. As for Scholes comparisons closer to goal Scholes was better but as a DLP Luka is a bit better imo.

Top 20 ever since 2002? If you rate him that highly.....then I've never seen anyone claim him to be up there, so I'd love to love where you see these who are overrating him are. He certainly wouldn't entertain top 10 discussion in that time for me....and that's no slant on him.

 

[Ban]

Top 20 ever since 2002? If you rate him that highly.....then I've never seen anyone claim him to be up there, so I'd love to love where you see these who are overrating him are. He certainly wouldn't entertain top 10 discussion in that time for me....and that's no slant on him.

Top 10 but ok but top 20, he's definitely there imo or he should be.

 

[hellohello]

He also called Phil Jones potentially our greatest player ever. He was good for Spurs but not as good as I expected him to be based on his early displays for Croatia. And not on Scholes' level who was excellent for much longer. I do think Modric's peak level is higher.

There's a big difference trying to predict something and giving your opinion on actual performances, so I'm not sure what the Phil Jones comment got to do with his comment on Modric.

If you watched him a lot for Spurs, and that's your opinion of him, then that's fair enough. But as someone who saw most of his games for Spurs my view is that he was already then one of the best CM's in the world. And in my mind he didn't suddenly play better at Real Madrid than he did the last two seasons with Spurs, he simply played with better players (this point may be debatable for some).

Scholes was excellent for a long time, and he is my favourite player who played for United, lots of respect for him as a player. But to claim he is better because of longevity before Modric' career has ended is premature for me.

Unfortuantely he simply wasn't rated - especially on here during a period everyone was still in love with good old Wesley. Modric was great at Spurs, the team around him simply wasn't up to his standards just yet.

You'll find plenty of posts of myself wanting him though. Theres a reason Chelsea were willing to drop £50m on him the year before Real Madrid somehow got him for £15m less....for reasons?!!? But then again, they also got Kroos for a robbery price.....the Pogba move happened too late to align CM price tags in with the prices of everywhere else.

Agree with this 100%

I think the main reason he was sold for less was that strengthening a PL Rival would send the wrong signal. I'm still happy we sold him abroad, even if it meant less money.

 

[Enigma_87]

It's highly debateable. Since when do you think Modric has been a top player? He certainly wasn't at Spurs. Scholes excelled at the highest level for 12/13 years as a goalscrorer, as a box to box CM a deep lying playmaker. Let's not pretend Modric has been brilliant for a decade now. Last 4/5 years? Sure.

Modric in his last year at Spurs was world class.

 

[wythyred]

For me he is a top 5 central midfield player of the last decade (Post 2010).

As for the Scholes comparison i think Scholes was a much more complete player than Modric. There is not a whole lot between them as a DLP but Scholes was an incredible AM.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Modric in his last year at Spurs was world class.

Alright. But we are comparing him to another great player as well.

 

[Massive Spanner]

For me he is a top 5 central midfield player of the last decade (Post 2010).

As for the Scholes comparison i think Scholes was a much more complete player than Modric. There is not a whole lot between them as a DLP but Scholes was an incredible AM.

Who was better is subjective, and a tough call, but I don't believe that for a second. Modric doesn't have any weaknesses as a CM that I can tell. He's as complete as you get. I'm not sure how Scholes could have been more complete than that.

 

[Enigma_87]

Alright. But we are comparing him to another great player as well.

Not comparing them directly as they are different players and IMO would be even better fit than Modric/Kroos with a holder behind them. Just putting it out there as many didn't rate Modric that high at Spurs compared to Madrid, although in his last 2 seasons there he was good as any other midfielder out there and just below Xaviesta.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

Modric was much the same at Spurs as he is at Madrid imo, any differences being marginal and largely related to things other than his individual contribution. I find a lot of fans that only follow the very top end of football can't easily spot a great player not playing in an outright great team though..even a side like spurs that were only a bit below the top-tier of teams. Or they at least don't have the confidence\willingness to praise them as much as they deserve in comparison to whoever is in the same role for the absolute elite.

 

[jeff_goldblum]

Always been a big fan of Modric, remember seeing him come on as a sub on the left-wing for Spurs under Redknapp and thinking he looked great, if a little lightweight. Really glad his quality shone through enough for him to get the nod in his best position. I'm not sure he's in the top-tier of midfielders of all time, although there are very few he'd trade his career with. Definitely one of the top midfielders of the last 10 years though, he's been playing at a very high standard for about 6 or 7 years now but it's only in the last couple of years he's started to outshine a much younger Kroos in Real Madrid's midfield and whilst his last season at Spurs was brilliant it was Bale and Scott Parker who were Tottenham's main men that year.

Still, Madrid have done brilliantly out of Levy's unwillingness to sell within the Premier League, would have loved to see him here. Would have slotted perfectly into the gap in our midfield we tried to fill post-Fergie with signings like Di Maria and Schweinsteiger, his performances at this World Cup have been a highlight of the tournament for me.

 

[Sir Scott McToMinay]

Scholes was already a playmaker in that famous 99'. In 06-09, he was a DLP, playing a more reserved role with Carrick.

Nah, he wasn’t, Keane was our playmaker and metronome during that time. Scholes wasn’t even an obvious starter then.

 

[Don Alfredo]

Top 10 but ok but top 20, he's definitely there imo or he should be.

Messi
Ronaldo
Ronaldinho
Suarez
Etoo
Henry
Xavi
Iniesta
Neuer
Buffon
Robben
Nedved
Kaka
Pirlo
Vidic
Ferdinand
Lahm
Zanetti
Nesta
Cannavaro

Yeah, it is not outrageous to say he is not in the Top20 players since 2002. He may be roughly as good as some of the players on the list, but you could still choose them over him if you want.

Just a quick list drawn up from my mind, not definitive in any way.

 

[Murray3007]

massive fan of Modric, would have love him here to replace Scholes,

Messi
Ronaldo
Ronaldinho
Suarez
Etoo
Henry
Xavi
Iniesta
Neuer
Buffon
Robben
Nedved
Kaka
Pirlo
Vidic
Ferdinand
Lahm
Zanetti
Nesta
Cannavaro

Yeah, it is not outrageous to say he is not in the Top20 players since 2002. He may be roughly as good as some of the players on the list, but you could still choose them over him if you want.

Just a quick list drawn up from my mind, not definitive in any way.

in fairness not sure how you can just say the top 20 players, almost impossible to compare players not from the same position, from a midfield point would have him as the same level as Xavi, prob below a Iniesta

 

[shamans]

He's surpassed Scholes as a CM. Same range of passing but close control and stamina are far above Scholes

I don’t know if he has passed scholes or not but no way does he have the same range as scholes.

 

[shamans]

Again, you are conflating different stages of his career. Scholes the goalscorer was not around when Scholes the playmaker excelled. and vice versa.

Even as playmaker Scholes was a goal threat

 

[sunama]

A mate of mine, before the Russia game got 50/1 on Modric winning the Ballon D'Or.

My first thought was "LOL" - but he insists he'll be a shoe-in if Croatia win the WC.

Do you think he'd be awarded it, having won the UCL & the WC?

Your mate might be onto something and if Croatia win the WC....he'll almost certainly break into the top 3 shortlist and may possibly win the Ball on Dor.
Now, the people who think Martial will win Ball on Dor - those are the guys who I think, are completely and utterly off their heads.

 

[sunama]

He's surpassed Scholes as a CM. Same range of passing but close control and stamina are far above Scholes

I wouldn't quite say that.
Whenever MUFC players were asked who the best player they have ever worked with, at the club, is. They'd pretty much always say, Scholes.
Had he had black hair, a foriegn sounding name and been available in 2018, people on this forum would ask us to pay £200M+ to buy him. That's how good Scholes was.

BTW, taking nothing away from Modric - he is a very special player.

 

[3KDré]

I wouldn't quite say that.
Whenever MUFC players were asked who the best player they have ever worked with, at the club, is. They'd pretty much always say, Scholes.
Had he had black hair, a foriegn sounding name and been available in 2018, people on this forum would ask us to pay £200M+ to buy him. That's how good Scholes was.

BTW, taking nothing away from Modric - he is a very special player.

It's really strange seeing how widely Scholes is rated. Many of the opposition fans I know rate Lampard and Gerrard above him. Xavi and Zidane rate him as pretty much the tier below them (which is very high as they are two of the best ever).

 

[Cascarino]

It's really strange seeing how widely Scholes is rated. Many of the opposition fans I know rate Lampard and Gerrard above him. Xavi and Zidane rate him as pretty much the tier below them (which is very high as they are two of the best ever).

Zidane rated Gerrard very highly

 

[Isotope]

Nah, he wasn’t, Keane was our playmaker and metronome during that time. Scholes wasn’t even an obvious starter then.

Now you just make things up.

 

[Ban]

Messi
Ronaldo
Ronaldinho
Suarez
Etoo
Henry
Xavi
Iniesta
Neuer
Buffon
Robben
Nedved
Kaka
Pirlo
Vidic
Ferdinand
Lahm
Zanetti
Nesta
Cannavaro

Yeah, it is not outrageous to say he is not in the Top20 players since 2002. He may be roughly as good as some of the players on the list, but you could still choose them over him if you want.

Just a quick list drawn up from my mind, not definitive in any way.

I stand by my point. Besides those kind of lists are a bit daft.

 

[Ban]

It's really strange seeing how widely Scholes is rated. Many of the opposition fans I know rate Lampard and Gerrard above him. Xavi and Zidane rate him as pretty much the tier below them (which is very high as they are two of the best ever).

Opposition fans nor ranking Scholes highly shocker.