Greatest English midfielder since Gazza in my opinion.
How good was Paul Scholes?
- Thread starter Paxi
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
He spent the vast majority of his career next to Keane or Carrick. It's not too shabby. Most midfielders around the world would take that I think.
Judging them based on their performance does though. Xavi is one of the best NT performers ever, while Scholes was underwhelming.
United legend, great player, not one of the greatest of all time for me though.
He could control the tempo of a game, Scored important goals for us, and although a quiet family man, he showed that he could mix it with anyone on the field. He was never captain material because of never shouting at players, but he showed in his own way that he could get the whole team going with his football, urging players into the game and controlling the tempo of the football.
To me, he was just a marvelous little player who got on with the job, and then went home to his family.
To me, he was just a marvelous little player who got on with the job, and then went home to his family.
Yeah judge their individual performances sure. What those teams won though isn't really relevant.
I still think you have to take into account the quality of the teams they were playing for.
The football United played was the reason why Scholes was not so much highly rated as Xavi. If we played the tiki taka he would have been more famous. Players like Keane et al are not known for their ball control and hence the other players with Scholes were not not on the same wavelength either. I also felt that Ferige played him too deep most of the time. If we played a diamond then he would have been brilliant on top of the diamond. I think his lack of ability in dribbling is also another factor than may have hindered him.
He was a great player no doubt about it. Xavi will be seen as a better player and will go down as a true footballing legend and rightly so. Scholes won't outside of Manchester tbh.
Great player but perhaps stood out even more in England than he would have done elsewhere due to rarity value in a land of Ince and Gerrard type players. As for where he ranks among contempory midfielders, alongside Alonso and Pirlo but behind Xavi.
World class, truly world class. The vision, passing, touch, game intelligence and shooting were magnificent. Had no pace and couldn't tackle, but, like all great players, he made the game look easy and never looked rushed. He dictated the pace of games. A joy to watch him all those years.
Poor man's Cleverley.
And he was a poor man's Darron Gibson.
Probably the best midfielder England has ever produced, and a perfect role model for other midfield greats, namely Xavi.
I was the best ever
He was a genius. Amongst the very few elite group of midfielders of his generation.
He didn't get the accolades he deserved due to him being the character he was and England's coaching staff being sub-standard.
He didn't get the accolades he deserved due to him being the character he was and England's coaching staff being sub-standard.
False. Scholes will also go down as a legend/already is.
I think Zidane and the like might disagree
"Paul Scholes is a role model. For me and I really mean this, he's the best central midfielder I've seen in the last 15, 20 years. I've spoken to Xabi Alonso about him. He's spectacular, he has it all: the last pass, goals, he's strong, he doesn't lose the ball, vision. If he'd been Spanish he might have been rated more highly. Players love him."
- Xavi
"My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation."
- Zidane
I know we've had Rondaldo, Giggs, Beckham etc etc over the years but Scholes was the always the first name I would look for on that teamsheet. Incredible player and one of the best midfielfers in the history of this sport.
- Xavi
"My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation."
- Zidane
I know we've had Rondaldo, Giggs, Beckham etc etc over the years but Scholes was the always the first name I would look for on that teamsheet. Incredible player and one of the best midfielfers in the history of this sport.
I wouldn't even call him the best midfielder Man Utd have produced. Robson, Charlton, Ferguson. You could make a case for Keane being better than him, too.
Amazing midfielder though, one of the best of his generation for sure.
My all-time favourite United player.
fabulous footballer - best I have seen at old Trafford since started going in '89.
Giggs totally ruined that for me
Does anyone remember his hover pass? He would pass the ball usually about 20 -25 yards and the ball would stay barely off the ground(maybe an inch) on the same level. Still don't know he did that.
You're ranking Darren Ferguson alongside the likes of Robbo, Scholesy and Sir Bobby?!
Aaaah yes, the daisy-cutter. Rooney can pull off a nice one of those too.
where the hell did I get Ferguson from? I meant Edwards!If you're talking about central midfielders then Paul Scholes was probably in the Top 5 that we have ever had.
I have no way of comparing him to Xavi, Iniesta, Zidane, Modric and others because I simply did not watch them week in/week out with the same critical view.
I think there are different types of midfielder...the defensive type like Keane, the attacking type like Charlton and Scholes and the box to box like Edwards and Robson.
So if we are comparing Scholes to anyone at United it would be Bobby Charlton whose game was most similar. Bobby Charlton scored more goals, certainly had a much better international career and won the Ballon D'or...so he just edges it past Scholes for me.
In terms of modern day Premier League attacking midfielders then I haven't seen anyone better than him over 20 years.
I have no way of comparing him to Xavi, Iniesta, Zidane, Modric and others because I simply did not watch them week in/week out with the same critical view.
I think there are different types of midfielder...the defensive type like Keane, the attacking type like Charlton and Scholes and the box to box like Edwards and Robson.
So if we are comparing Scholes to anyone at United it would be Bobby Charlton whose game was most similar. Bobby Charlton scored more goals, certainly had a much better international career and won the Ballon D'or...so he just edges it past Scholes for me.
In terms of modern day Premier League attacking midfielders then I haven't seen anyone better than him over 20 years.
If Xavi and Zidane both say he was the best of his generation that should be enough imo. They know better than anyone on here what it takes to be a great midfielder.
Scholes has a better international record if you look at the numbers
Are those quotes from Xavi and Zidane unembellished? I read them when they first came out and it wasn't close to this degree of reverence. It seems like the quotes get exaggerated with time.
I honestly do not think so - he was a great player and he is highly respected by players of that era. Will he be renowned in 20/50 years though as a legend of the game like Xavi will? I really don't think so.
He will amongst anyone who knows anything about football.
There will never ever be another Paul Scholes...
And he had to play on the left wing - which forced him to retire early because our clueless manager kept persisting with the Gerrard/Lampard shit show.
Scholes edges it for me, I think they are similar in how they see the game but Scholes had a weaker team around him overall and evolved from a striker to a CM to a deep lying playmaker in a tougher league that hinders chances in the CL.
Not directly at you, but in general, this is the kind of attitude that hurts british football imo. You have simply speaking more often than not, two kind of ways of judging a midfielder. Meaning, one does he score goals or 2 does he run much. The english midfielders almost always consist of these qualities, hardly ever a great playmaker. Nowadays you cant dominate without atleast one.
This still makes me angry whenever I think of it. How often did they have to be in the same team to prove that it wouldn't work? And to accommodate the continuing Gerrard/Lampard farce Scholes gets punted out wide. What a disgrace
Weird measuring stick, no Xavi but who is? Bar Zidane almost no midfielder is from the last years.
I only mention Xavi because he had been compared throughout the thread. It's an unfair comparison imo.
How old are you? Did you watch Roy Keane?
He was great on the ball - it's lazy shite to suggest otherwise