Sign him on

Still got it, some lovely touches and still can't tackle.

Been by far the best English midfielder in his time. The best of them all.

Such a shame he turned his back on England

Winstonswhite wrote:Such a shame he turned his back on England

Shame they chose to play him out of position due to the Gerrard and Lampard love fest...

I don't blame him for being ****** off and jacking it in.

Aaah were you one of the lads that threw his toys out the pram when you didn't play centre forward?!

Nope, I was a defender happy to play anywhere across the back.

Difference is I wasn't one of the best central midfielders of a generation pushed out wide to accommodate a central pairing of Lampard and Gerrard that clearly wasn't working despite repeated outings.

I appreciate it must have been frustrating but I can't understand anyone saying they won't play for any team because it's not their favourite position. Even more so if it's the national team.

It was a waste playing him out there where he was ineffectual.

He did the right thing in my mind, UTD was his first love and they played him in his true position.

Gerrard and lampard were both better than him in his true position though.

anyone remember watching him as a kid on the Turf in the Lancashire Cup final ? Utd beat us 4-2, pretty sure he scored twice and ran the entire game

Winstonswhite wrote:Gerrard and lampard were both better than him in his true position though.

People will have different views on that but mine is that Scholes was better than both those even though they were excellent. He was an incredible player.

Winstonswhite wrote:Gerrard and lampard were both better than him in his true position though.

Winstonswhite wrote:Gerrard and lampard were both better than him in his true position though.

All history now...water under the bridge,that boat has sailed!

taio wrote:People will have different views on that but mine is that Scholes was better than both those even though they were excellent. He was an incredible player.

This.

I was at Old Trafford today and he was a class above anyone else on the pitch with his passing.

https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Paul_Scholes

I'm sure many people will have see this stuff before but the quotes from those in the above link remind us what a footballing great he was.

taio wrote:People will have different views on that but mine is that Scholes was better than both those even though they were excellent. He was an incredible player.

Of course he was an incredible player and stats often don't tell the true story but he was way behind Gerrard and Lampard in every single stat except fouls committed. And played for arguably (not in Gerrards case!) a much better side.

The 3 best English midfielders I've seen in my lifetime though

Winstonswhite wrote:Of course he was an incredible player and stats often don't tell the true story but he was way behind Gerrard and Lampard in every single stat except fouls committed.

Trophies won.

Quite a bit ahead on that stat.

Sidney1st wrote:It was a waste playing him out there where he was ineffectual.

He did the right thing in my mind, UTD was his first love and they played him in his true position.

He was a fantastic player , his first love was Oldham.

I dont care about the stats on this. I trust what I and so many others have seen. Scholes played an enormous part in Man United's success.

Socrates wrote:Trophies won.

Quite a bit ahead on that stat.

Like I said, he played for a better team but he scored less goals, less assists, less passes, less tackles etc etc

As far as England are concerned, the last time I remember them being entertaining in a tournament was Euro 2004. Scholes retired after the tournament.
Ironically, Slippy G's biggest contribution to that tournament was playing Zidane in for his winner in the opening group game.

Lampard - Scored lots.
Gerrard - Capable of dominating a game (Istanbul), capable of bottling at the highest pressure points (France, Chelsea slip, final appearance versus Manchester united).
Scholes - Pioneered the 'late arrival in the box', scored lots, created lots and dictated the pace of games both domestically and on the highest stage. Also played to the highest standard right up until the day he retired.

Lampard and Gerrard weren't fit to lace Scholes boots.

There's an interview with some of the world's best players where they all say scholes was one of the most talented players of the generation, when someone like iniesta says he was a wonderful player you have to stop and listen

Shore claret wrote:There's an interview with some of the world's best players where they all say scholes was one of the most talented players of the generation, when someone like iniesta says he was a wonderful player you have to stop and listen

Some of them are quoted in the link I posted above.

Winstonswhite wrote:Gerrard and lampard were both better than him in his true position though.

You're funny.

Winstonswhite wrote:Like I said, he played for a better team but he scored less goals, less assists, less passes, less tackles etc etc

Scholes played bulk of his club career in a central two.

Lampard and Gerrard played bulk of theirs in a three.

You may as well compare apples and pears. Scholes didn't have a Makelele or a Mascherano sitting behind him which meant he could get forward more, play more risky passes and generally play more freely.

Scholes controlled games of football in a way Lampard and Gerrard never did.

Winstonswhite wrote:Of course he was an incredible player and stats often don't tell the true story but he was way behind Gerrard and Lampard in every single stat except fouls committed. And played for arguably (not in Gerrards case!) a much better side.

The 3 best English midfielders I've seen in my lifetime though

Did you not see Gascoigne? How about Hoddle? John Deary??

We can produce stats to back up any argument. Probably be better in this instance to go off what your eyes tell you, and if you don't really trust them, trust the word of some truly world class midfielders like Zidane and Iniesta, both of whom have publicly stated just how good they thought Scholes was.

And he played for a better side because HE was in it.

taio wrote:Some of them are quoted in the link I posted above.

I've heard the Mike Coffey story, when ronaldo joined the club he went to training and was showing off with his ball skills, scholes was watching took the ball of him plonked the ball down smacked it hit the tree from 40 yards. Turned to ronaldo said you do that, apparently it took him about 40 minutes.
Also used to play cricket against him, he was a really nice lad .

bobinho wrote:Zidane and Iniesta, both of whom have publicly stated just how good they thought Scholes was.

Massive urban myth.

Diesel wrote:Massive urban myth.

No it ain't

..tiz too.

There's a linky up top of this thread somewhere. Click on it. Read it. No mention of Iniesta on this one, i'll give you that, but there are a few names I think you will recognise. If their opinions are not to be respected, then I don't know how else to get my argument over.

Scholes was THE man. Even Stan said so...

Sugar coated career, week as **** in the tackle, massive liability.

Cracking player but was he ever rated as highly outside of Old Trafford when he was playing as he has been in the past 3 years?

JohnMac wrote:Cracking player but was he ever rated as highly outside of Old Trafford when he was playing as he has been in the past 3 years?

Yes, most of the quotes referred to were several years ago.

Shore claret wrote:There's an interview with some of the world's best players where they all say scholes was one of the most talented players of the generation, when someone like iniesta says he was a wonderful player you have to stop and listen

Yes true. It's only because of this certain football fans have the opinion they do. No English fan ever questioned why Scholes wasn't in the middle instead of Gerrard or Lampard.

Darthlaw wrote:Gerrard - Capable of dominating a game (Istanbul)

Yeah, he dominated that game so much that they were 3-0 down at half time

A midfielder that couldn't tackle
If he'd had played for any other club other than man united we wouldn't be having this thread
Good solid player but Gerrard he aint

Winstonswhite wrote:Gerrard and lampard were both better than him in his true position though.

If you ever tell me that the sky is blue, I will look out of the window to check...

Suggest the Scholes doubters read this

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... t-him.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and as for Zidane's thoughts

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... d-ace.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scholes with either of SG or FL would have been better than them two together. They were far to similar.
Forget the stats. He moved the ball faster and more accurately than both of them.

Vegas Claret wrote:anyone remember watching him as a kid on the Turf in the Lancashire Cup final ? Utd beat us 4-2, pretty sure he scored twice and ran the entire game

I was on that game. To give it some perspective, our 'one for the future' taking part in that match was John Mullin.

Vegas Claret wrote:
anyone remember watching him as a kid on the Turf in the Lancashire Cup final ? Utd beat us 4-2, pretty sure he scored twice and ran the entire game

You're getting him confused with Phil Neville. Don't think Scholes played as he's a year older

Darthlaw wrote: Gerrard - Capable of dominating a game (Istanbul)

Scholes - Pioneered the 'late arrival in the box', scored lots, created lots and dictated the pace of games both domestically and on the highest stage. Also played to the highest standard right up until the day he retired.

Lampard and Gerrard weren't fit to lace Scholes boots.

Gerrard was ineffectual until Hamann came on at half time to stop Milan dead in their tracks, a truly world class defensive mid.

Your quote about Scholes' career is spot on.

I also like the fact he retired, returned to help drag them to a title and then retired again.

Superb clip from a superb player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1kLoQDruLE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sidney1st wrote:Gerrard was ineffectual until Hamann came on at half time to stop Milan dead in their tracks, a truly world class defensive mid.

Your quote about Scholes' career is spot on.

I also like the fact he retired, returned to help drag them to a title and then retired again.

In fairness, I was trying to add some semblance of balance to the Gerrard argument. Considering the number of times he bottled it, coupled with his overall trophy haul, I thought he was vastly overrated.

Just think, Chalobah has more premier league medals than Steven Gerrard!

But he's a ginger!! Can I say that?

Dyched wrote:Yes true. It's only because of this certain football fans have the opinion they do. No English fan ever questioned why Scholes wasn't in the middle instead of Gerrard or Lampard.

To be honest when England used to turn out the usual tripe when saint Gerrard and Saint lampard used to frequent the middle of the park, a lot of fans wondered why it wasn't changed.

Winstonswhite wrote:Vegas Claret wrote:
anyone remember watching him as a kid on the Turf in the Lancashire Cup final ? Utd beat us 4-2, pretty sure he scored twice and ran the entire game

You're getting him confused with Phil Neville. Don't think Scholes played as he's a year older

Don't think I am, but I stand to be corrected no problem !