Paul Scholes

[spideybuff]

How good is Paul Scholes really?

This is a question that always has me thinking. Today Tevez was rating him again saying he is ''unbelievable''. The thing is, I am not sure how many of you notice, but EVERY single team (at least outside England) always mention Paul Scholes as the man to watch when talking about ManU.

And then, virtually every player or coach who work with him always have something to say about him, unsolicited. meaning, they will just be in a interview or conversation and they will bring his name up without somebody saying ''so what about Paul Scholes?"

Yet he is never on anybody's radar when talking about player of the year in England or best player in the world. I personally find he is a good player,not great, but the way fellow pros talk about him he sounds like he is phenomenal.

Maybe some more learned guys on the forum could educate me and show me what it is that the pros see that I don't. And by that I mean, what makes him better than Ronaldo, Beckham, Lampard and Gerrard in they eyes of his coaches and teammates...not things like he have the best volley in the game and he does the simple things well.

[JDB]

What all of those guys have that Scholes doesn't is that they are more noticeable.

Score more goals, more flashy and all with the exception of Lampard are harder runners than Scholes. Scholes is not a slouch physically, he puts himself about, but he is small and asthmatic and cannot tackle well.

What Scholes has in abundance that players value is the much touted "football brain". His first touch is good enough to class him with the best in the world and he has the kind of sense to know what his options are with the ball before he even receives it. He will beat a man with his first touch and movement (similar to Rooney) rather than try to break a man back with a beat. He does have the ability to beat a man to make space in the box and he has a keen predatory instinct knowing when to time his runs into the box to score.

He will also give you the full range of passing in and around the box. Crosses if he out wide, slide rule passes, lobs or chips if he on the inside. He also has the wickedest long pass at the club after Beckham. He just knows where all his team-mates are and he knows how to find them and he is unselfish and pros and coaches value that.

There is nothing worse than having players who don't understand team ball and routinely make the wrong decision or make the right one too late (that was Ronaldo problem when he was younger). He rarely wastes the ball or gives up possession.

Add to all of that a devious bullet from outside the box.

With all that being said he was spoilt for United and England playing a very specific role as a creative midfielder just off of two strikers when that get upset with Veron for Utd or Sven playing a very deep lying striker, or using Scholes as that player, for England) it took him a while to readjust his game.

That is not really a knock on Scoles as he built a career playing a role like Zidane and I imagine that Zidane wouldn't look very good as an out an out forward either. He also suffered a little when United made the transition away from Keane.

Now he plays a role more similar to what Yorke does, controlling the play from deep without trying to be an enforcer, and he still gets forward with the play on slow build-ups or on quick ones when he is in the right position.

I really appreciate him as a player and have his name and number on the back of a couple of my jerseys and if his number was 8 his name would have been on all.

[JDB]

I should also say that the thing that makes Fabregas sooo special is that he that football brain/technical ability as well and he is fit as a fiddle and athletic.

It is no surprise that they both breakthrough at a young age.

Fabregas could play a more advanced midfield role or drop back deep making him versatile enough to play in any team set-up. You will never hear people questioning a team's formation or composition concerning Fabregas as you would with Lampard/Gerrard because he is more versatile ( a better footballer) than either of those two. He could play with Hleb and Rosicky or he could play with Flamini and Gilberto with no problem because he instinctively knows what to do..

Anderson is another one too who is showing real good signs. I thought he was just a skills man going forward but he is showing real strength and awareness. He still has the passing and dribbling ability and eye for goal to make him a World Class all-round midfielder. Funny thing is, just like Scholes, he is not really getting big press or recognition yet but the boy is a gem of a player.

[jr sams]

That is a spot on description of Scholes.
He also appears to be a very coachable player

[Coop's]

If i was to give a MVP award on ManU Scholes would get it,his presence on that team is more felt than seen,he commands respect on the field by both his teamates and the opposition,very rear does he have a bad game,more of a team player than about himself.

[kicker]

Smart, very technical player with a fierce shot...

Not really a match winner (for whatever that is worth), but solid & reliable.

Biggest weakness- mis-timed and generally poor tackling.

I always wonder why he quite int'l football so early.

[giggsy11]

You have to watch a few United games past and present to appreciate Scholes and some England games. He is what Gerrad and Lampard strive to be and will never be. Cool under fire, can make any pass under any situation, great football brain,calming influence on the pitch, pulls the strings and controls the game. Turned down an offer to go to Italy in the 90's.  He still considered the best English midfielder in England and would be automatic selection ahead of Gerrard and Lampard and that is an undisputed opinion in England. Zidane stated he was his favorite player and Edgar Davids also rates him highly. He is also liked because he just cares about playing football not about making headlines or tooting his horn! Stopped playing for England because Sven was playing him on the wing!

[Ngozi]

Scholesy have a kinda awareness around him which makes his positional play impeccable and he is able to link the middle to the forward line because he is always putting himself in position to recieve the ball....its that same awareness that helps him time his runs into the box for him to score his goals and we don't have to tell you about his finishing......In the treble season Fergy was asked who was the most clinical finsiher in the club and he went with Scholes then solskaer

[freakazoid]

yeah scholes is another one of the unsong heroes but  really men talking bout scholes is the player to watch on manu is absolute poppycock. Ronaldo  carries this team alot yes he has a strong back up cast. not to steal scholes thunder in this thread , hands down ronaldo is the heart of manu

[Big Magician]

scholes is a Champion

[Grande]

yeah scholes is another one of the unsong heroes but  really men talking bout scholes is the player to watch on manu is absolute poppycock. Ronaldo  carries this team alot yes he has a strong back up cast. not to steal scholes thunder in this thread , hands down ronaldo is the heart of manu

I say since yuh is a Barca fan yuh know yuh football better than that horse.

When C. Ronaldo out of de lineup for Man U, I find they do fine.

Rooney is the player that makes the difference for Man U. He brings what I would call heart to dat side...and not just the sheer talent he have, but the never-say-die attitude. They does suffer without him. Since Rooney drop the thuggish behaviour and start playing calm and intelligent, he brings a presence you can tell is different.

Big player...too bad we can't see what Capello will bring out of him dis year 

[Coop's]

yeah scholes is another one of the unsong heroes but  really men talking bout scholes is the player to watch on manu is absolute poppycock. Ronaldo  carries this team alot yes he has a strong back up cast. not to steal scholes thunder in this thread , hands down ronaldo is the heart of manu

I say since yuh is a Barca fan yuh know yuh football better than that horse.

When C. Ronaldo out of de lineup for Man U, I find they do fine.

Rooney is the player that makes the difference for Man U. He brings what I would call heart to dat side...and not just the sheer talent he have, but the never-say-die attitude. They does suffer without him. Since Rooney drop the thuggish behaviour and start playing calm and intelligent, he brings a presence you can tell is different.

Big player...too bad we can't see what Capello will bring out of him dis year 

       You guys talking but how long Ronaldo and Rooney playing for Man U,both of them still proveing themselves,Scholes is a veteran on that team and has always been the backbone of Man U,is two men Fergie not selling Scholes and Giggs. 

[Ponnoxx]

Grande...I does tell men that all the time...without Rooney Man U is not as good...C.Ronaldo good but he is not a clutch player that could take on a game when they need him especially against big teams...On the topic of Scholes...retire from international football way to early... Good technique...can spray the ball to both sides of pitch....good vision and movement...dribbling is decent also not to mention his shooting ability and accuracy is exceptional...However he is very poor on tackles...somewhat lacking pace(these days) but basically he is a great player

[Grande]

yeah scholes is another one of the unsong heroes but  really men talking bout scholes is the player to watch on manu is absolute poppycock. Ronaldo  carries this team alot yes he has a strong back up cast. not to steal scholes thunder in this thread , hands down ronaldo is the heart of manu

I say since yuh is a Barca fan yuh know yuh football better than that horse.

When C. Ronaldo out of de lineup for Man U, I find they do fine.

Rooney is the player that makes the difference for Man U. He brings what I would call heart to dat side...and not just the sheer talent he have, but the never-say-die attitude. They does suffer without him. Since Rooney drop the thuggish behaviour and start playing calm and intelligent, he brings a presence you can tell is different.

Big player...too bad we can't see what Capello will bring out of him dis year 

       You guys talking but how long Ronaldo and Rooney playing for Man U,both of them still proveing themselves,Scholes is a veteran on that team and has always been the backbone of Man U,is two men Fergie not selling Scholes and Giggs. 

not like anybody looking to buy them anyway 

but true...Rooney is the heart of the side but for me him, Giggs and Scholes are their best players. I jess saying that Man U does do fine without the veterans now - couldn't say the same in the late 90's though

[giggsy11]

yeah scholes is another one of the unsong heroes but  really men talking bout scholes is the player to watch on manu is absolute poppycock. Ronaldo  carries this team alot yes he has a strong back up cast. not to steal scholes thunder in this thread , hands down ronaldo is the heart of manu

I say since yuh is a Barca fan yuh know yuh football better than that horse.

When C. Ronaldo out of de lineup for Man U, I find they do fine.

Rooney is the player that makes the difference for Man U. He brings what I would call heart to dat side...and not just the sheer talent he have, but the never-say-die attitude. They does suffer without him. Since Rooney drop the thuggish behaviour and start playing calm and intelligent, he brings a presence you can tell is different.

Big player...too bad we can't see what Capello will bring out of him dis year 

       You guys talking but how long Ronaldo and Rooney playing for Man U,both of them still proveing themselves,Scholes is a veteran on that team and has always been the backbone of Man U,is two men Fergie not selling Scholes and Giggs. 

not like anybody looking to buy them anyway 

but true...Rooney is the heart of the side but for me him, Giggs and Scholes are their best players. I jess saying that Man U does do fine without the veterans now - couldn't say the same in the late 90's though

United need the continued presence of Scholes and Giggs because they bring intengibles that you can only get from the experince gained through having played in various situations and comin tru.They also continue to model professional behavior and the United way of doing things for those who join the club. It will be a very sad day when they both retire.

[JayTheWrecker]

Man Utd fans will know that i'm no fan of the club 

but even i can't speak highly enough of Paul Scholes

i would have loved him to have played for Chelsea

not only exemplary on the pitch but off it as well - a true model professional

[real madness]

scholes is a solid player and does the little things/dirty work that makes a difference.. he is not flamboyant so he will never stand out like CR.

most successful teams has a player who is the "engine room" that keeps them in the game.

for example (pres men will understand it)

when pres was successful in the mid 80s, all the hype was around colin osbourne and anthony sherwood (no doubt they were 2 very talented players) but duane dyer was the unsung hero, he did all the dirty work in midfield and kept the team alive in many games until sherwood and osbourne took control.

[spideybuff]

scholes is a solid player and does the little things/dirty work that makes a difference..

Everybody entitled to their opinion and I value all the contributions on this thread as they make lots of sense. But one thing I don't see Scholes as the ''engine room'' or ''dirty work man'' who does the little things. That was Nicky Butt and Roy Keane for ManU and men like Makelele, Flaimini and Gattuso...but definitely not Paul Scholes.

[heete]

wit that description of scholes a player that comes into my mind is Cambiasso. cuz sometimes i wonder how this man starts for Argentina player for Real Madrid and plays now for Innter Milan but with this description here I now see why he has all these accolades. plus cambiasso plays left wing or midfield without being uncomfortable

[real madness]

scholes is a solid player and does the little things/dirty work that makes a difference..

Everybody entitled to their opinion and I value all the contributions on this thread as they make lots of sense. But one thing I don't see Scholes as the ''engine room'' or ''dirty work man'' who does the little things. That was Nicky Butt and Roy Keane for ManU and men like Makelele, Flaimini and Gattuso...but definitely not Paul Scholes.

yeah dirty work is not the correct phrase to describe scholes..but he does the little things that makes a differnce..regarding engine room i was not describing scholes, i was describing the type of players that dont get credit but who are very instrumental in a team success.

not all players have to play a keane or gattuso role or play a kaka/ronaldo role to be considered valuable..that was my point.

[Daft Trini]

yeah scholes is another one of the unsong heroes but  really men talking bout scholes is the player to watch on manu is absolute poppycock. Ronaldo  carries this team alot yes he has a strong back up cast. not to steal scholes thunder in this thread , hands down ronaldo is the heart of manu

I say since yuh is a Barca fan yuh know yuh football better than that horse.

When C. Ronaldo out of de lineup for Man U, I find they do fine.

Rooney is the player that makes the difference for Man U. He brings what I would call heart to dat side...and not just the sheer talent he have, but the never-say-die attitude. They does suffer without him. Since Rooney drop the thuggish behaviour and start playing calm and intelligent, he brings a presence you can tell is different.

Big player...too bad we can't see what Capello will bring out of him dis year 

       You guys talking but how long Ronaldo and Rooney playing for Man U,both of them still proveing themselves,Scholes is a veteran on that team and has always been the backbone of Man U,is two men Fergie not selling Scholes and Giggs. 

That is foot ball experience talking.... take note fellas.

I know Scholes have made some mistakes and is not as fast as he was, but he could give Shearer a crack at it for bullets from any foot...

Has been a backbone of Manchester United, and has enjoyed the benefits of enduring the Premiership for so long...

[spideybuff]

The best thing about this thread is it bring out the men who really know football. Like i say, ppl will generally look at Ronaldo and Rooney as the big players on the side but the point of this thread was because PLAYERS and COACHES rate Scholes as the best...and honestly, they know more than us.

So the youngsters who rate Rooney and Ronaldo as the heartbeat of the ManU side...take a second look.

[Ngozi]

scholes is a solid player and does the little things/dirty work that makes a difference.. he is not flamboyant so he will never stand out like CR.

most successful teams has a player who is the "engine room" that keeps them in the game.

for example (pres men will understand it)

when pres was successful in the mid 80s, all the hype was around colin osbourne and anthony sherwood (no doubt they were 2 very talented players) but duane dyer was the unsung hero, he did all the dirty work in midfield and kept the team alive in many games until sherwood and osbourne took control.

I agree with you on what Dyer did for pres but scholes isnt that type of player out of all the middle players he was the most attack minded out of keane,  butt and all of them he just does his role simply and well...........

[Cantona007]

A great servant coming to the end of a brilliant career. Paul Scholes; everytime you see him play, it is a masterclass in the art of midfield play.

He Scores Goals Galore...


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/24/paul-scholes-retire/print

Paul Scholes, the Manchester United and former England midfielder, is ready to end his playing career at the end of the new season and go into coaching.

Scholes, who admitted prior to the World Cup that he would have come out of international retirement to play for England if Fabio Capello had asked him earlier, says he has one more top-flight season left in him.

"I am coming to the end of my playing career and I maybe have one year left," the 35-year-old said.

"I have started doing my coaching badges back in England and hopefully one day I will be able to coach kids or coach some kind of team somewhere."

Scholes narrowly missed out on a 10th Premier League champion's medal when Chelsea pipped United to the title last season. But Ferguson believes Scholes still has the quality for another season at the top and the player is under no illusions about the impact the successful Scot has had on his long career.

"He has been great," added Scholes. "It goes without saying what a top manager he has been. The amount of players he has brought through the youth team is great and it gives hope to all the kids in the youth team that if they are good enough he will definitely use them.

"It has just been fantastic working with him and I think there is a good few years left in him yet."