Paul Scholes Retires ...

[Hanky]

Scholes is one of the best midfielders the league has seen. In his peak much better than Gerrard IMO.

[The_Rev]

I don't quite understand how Scholes is so highly rated.

Don't get me wrong I think he was a good player.

But I don't think he was as good as Gerrard.

Maybe it's because I watched him after he had peaked (can't really remember him playing for England.)

Also I prefer Gerrard because he played a lot more for England.

I can remember a period when Scholes always used to score, like he was the old Lampard.

But yeah, I think he was good, but not that good.

For me Gerrard was better.

Then you are totally and utterly wrong.

Just my humble opinion.

You are perfectly entitled to your wrong opinion.

Scholes is just a magnificent footballer. He is more like Xavi than Gerrard, everything United do goes through Scholes at some point and while he scores the odd screamer his game isnt about charging around and getting on MotD highlights reels.

Scholes is an extraordinary passer of the ball, his range of passing has no equal as far as I am concerned. He can put a 50 yard cross field pass on a sixpence, and he can find the gap with a short ball that nobody else can see. You really need to spend a game just watching him to appreciate just how brilliant a footballer he is. There are some great compilations on YouTube.

(collection of assists, check

&feature=player_detailpage#t=168s out)

Midfield Maestro Some of the chips and dinks at the start of the video are sublime.

The class of Paul Scholes Passing video. Not a highlights reel over 15 years, the footage is taken from a handful of games and its superb.

[BOF]

Yes. Sometimes opinions are simply wrong. When Xavi Hernandes and Zinedine Zidane can see something in a footballer that you can't, it might be time to think you might be missing something. Something other than the humility to admit you're wrong

[TRS-T]

Yeah I'm sure he is a great passer, great first touch, Barca like player etc etc but look how Gerrard has carried Liverpool for years.

Gerrard used to single-handedly win games for Liverpool.

Maybe you guys just appreciate a different type of player.

I prefer Gerrard to Scholes.

I also prefer players like Robben (fast dribblers running with the ball) to players like Xavi (composed, beatiful passing etc.)

This is probably why I don't appreciate the beauty of Scholes.

[Chindie]

He's one of the few English players I can remember seeing that genuinely had extraordinary vision. It was never so much that he could hit a pass for me, but more that he even saw that the pass was on and viable. I can remember when I was younger with Manchester United on the telly for whatever reason that it almost seemed like he did have the clichéd script of the game in his head and he knew that that pass was on and that would lead to this... .

And of course when he scored it was usually spectacular. Anyone for the patented Beckham to Scholes volley corner? Great goal.

If he could have learnt to... time () his tackles he'd have been one of the best midfielders ever, unquestionably for me. As it is he's just a really really **** good one. In Europe they'd have killed for him, he'd have been a superstar in many countries, more than he was here by a long shot.

[MrDuck]

Yep, his vision was brilliant. I've only seen two other English players with that sort of vision - Glenn Hoddle and Matt Le Tissier. Funnily enough they were both chronically under-appreciated in their own country as well.

[Redman]

Scholes v Gerrard?

Scholes was the better ball-player but Gerrard the better ball-carrier and ball-winner.

I'd give the edge to Gerrard because he's the more complete footballer.

[MrDuck]

Scholes v Gerrard?

Scholes was the better ball-player but Gerrard the better ball-carrier and ball-winner.

I'd give the edge to Gerrard because he's the more complete footballer.

Cos your opinion would be totally objective on this wouldn't it?

[Redman]

Scholes v Gerrard?

Scholes was the better ball-player but Gerrard the better ball-carrier and ball-winner.

I'd give the edge to Gerrard because he's the more complete footballer.

Cos your opinion would be totally objective on this wouldn't it?

Well, my opinion is subjective but I don't think it's biased.

There are things Gerrard can do that Scholes could do better. But there are also things Gerrard can do that Scholes couldn't.

To me, that makes Stevie the better footballer overall.

[MrDuck]

Scholes v Gerrard?

Scholes was the better ball-player but Gerrard the better ball-carrier and ball-winner.

I'd give the edge to Gerrard because he's the more complete footballer.

Cos your opinion would be totally objective on this wouldn't it?

Well, my opinion is subjective but I don't think it's biased.

There are things Gerrard can do that Scholes could do better. But there are also things Gerrard can do that Scholes couldn't.

To me, that makes Stevie the better footballer overall.

Stevie Me certainly takes the honours in the diving cheating bastard category

[Redman]

Scholes v Gerrard?

Scholes was the better ball-player but Gerrard the better ball-carrier and ball-winner.

I'd give the edge to Gerrard because he's the more complete footballer.

Cos your opinion would be totally objective on this wouldn't it?

Well, my opinion is subjective but I don't think it's biased.

There are things Gerrard can do that Scholes could do better. But there are also things Gerrard can do that Scholes couldn't.

To me, that makes Stevie the better footballer overall.

Stevie Me certainly takes the honours in the diving cheating bastard category

Yeah, he does a good starfish impression.

But being English, he gets away with it. Just like Scholes always got away with some of the most cowardly and cynical challenges ever witnessed on a football pitch.

[MrDuck]

Yeah, shame Scholes had that dark side too his game.

But otherwise, I'll refer you back to page 1 of the thread.... If you can find a similar list of quotes about Gerrard, then fair enough. Otherwise, case closed.

Edgar Davids : "I'm not the best, Paul Scholes is."

Zinedine Zidane : "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder."

Zinedine Zidane : "Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation."

Edgar Davids : ""Every one of us (midfielders) is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes."

Cesc Fabregas : "He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League."

Eidur Gudjohnsen : "I'm more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week...Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I've ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him."

Marcello Lippi : "Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team - that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. Scholes is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot. He is an all-round midfielder who possesses character and quality in abundance. In my opinion, he's been one of the most important players for United under Sir Alex."

David Beckham :"He's always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me 'what's he like'? They respect him as a footballer, and to have that respect from some of those players is great."

Xavi : "In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete — is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything.

[Redman]

Hold your horses - let's wait until Gerrard's retired first!

[LondonLax]

Those quotes were made whilst he was still playing, they are not new.

[Harchester]

One of my mates made this video, showing Scholes's great vision.

[Hanky]

But being English, he gets away with it. Just like Scholes always got away with some of the most cowardly and cynical challenges ever witnessed on a football pitch.

Gerrard makes the same. He just gets away with less of his.

[Redman]

Those quotes were made whilst he was still playing, they are not new.

Point being that Gerrard is still playing and has plenty to time to collect further praise from his contemporaries.

If there was any point, I'd scour the net for similarly glowing testimonies (and they are out there) but there isn't any point because there's no right or wrong answer here.

[Redman]

But being English, he gets away with it. Just like Scholes always got away with some of the most cowardly and cynical challenges ever witnessed on a football pitch.

Gerrard makes the same. He just gets away with less of his.

Nah - Gerrard has made a few dodgy tackles in his career but he's never been afraid to challenge for a 50-50.

Tackling isn't a difficult skill, is it? It just takes a bit of courage. That's why Scholes never mastered it.

[TRS-T]

Yeah, shame Scholes had that dark side too his game.

But otherwise, I'll refer you back to page 1 of the thread.... If you can find a similar list of quotes about Gerrard, then fair enough. Otherwise, case closed.

Edgar Davids : "I'm not the best, Paul Scholes is."

Zinedine Zidane : "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder."

Zinedine Zidane : "Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation."

Edgar Davids : ""Every one of us (midfielders) is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes."

Cesc Fabregas : "He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League."

Eidur Gudjohnsen : "I'm more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week...Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I've ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him."

Marcello Lippi : "Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team - that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. Scholes is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot. He is an all-round midfielder who possesses character and quality in abundance. In my opinion, he's been one of the most important players for United under Sir Alex."

David Beckham :"He's always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me 'what's he like'? They respect him as a footballer, and to have that respect from some of those players is great."

Xavi : "In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete — is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything.

Just because they are footballers, it doesn't make their opinion anymore right or wrong.

An opinion is just that - an opinion.

Also, these footballers are biased because they are all similar types of players to Scholes (Zidane, Fabregas, Xavi etc) so they are more likely to appreciate a player of Scholes' type.

But in my view, Gerrard is/was better than Scholes.

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

Actually, the fact they are footballers who played/alongside them does make their opinion more valuable because they know what it's like to play with/against them.