Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[pauliewalnuts]

Though I hate Man United, Scholes is one of my favourite players on the PL era.

Even though he got massive respect from pretty much everyone, I still don't think he got as much as he should have, he still managed to be underrated.

[not3bad]

Watched Scholes playing at Villa Park and had to admit he was brilliant.

[Ads]

He must be the worst tackler in the history of football though, every one a lunge and a booking.

[pauliewalnuts]

He must be the worst tackler in the history of football though, every one a lunge and a booking.

Ironic, on a Delph thread ;-)

[OCD]

Though I hate Man United, Scholes is one of my favourite players on the PL era.

Even though he got massive respect from pretty much everyone, I still don't think he got as much as he should have, he still managed to be underrated.

He seems to be more respected now in retrospect than he was during his career. For instance he was wasted as an England player by being stuck out on the left for most of the time in favour of a 4-4-2 system with Gerrard and Lampard in the centre. Really we should have either played 3 in the centre or picked and chose for the occasion or opponent whilst making sure Scholes wasn't wasted. Or that he felt valued so that he didn't retire early.

[Concrete John]

Scholes was undoubtedly a class player, but everytime he got tackled or disposessed he was straight to the ref and usually got the free kick.  But then that was common of all Man Utd's players in the Ferguson era.

[danno]

Scholes was undoubtedly a class player, but everytime he got tackled or disposessed he was straight to the ref and usually got the free kick.  But then that was common of all Man Utd's players in the Ferguson era.

Suppose that's made even worse when you think that on average he normally completed 90% of his passes.

[Villa in Denmark]

Even though he got massive respect from pretty much everyone, I still don't think he got as much as he should have, he still managed to be underrated.

He seems to be more respected now in retrospect than he was during his career. For instance he was wasted as an England player by being stuck out on the left for most of the time in favour of a 4-4-2 system with Gerrard and Lampard in the centre. Really we should have either played 3 in the centre or picked and chose for the occasion or opponent whilst making sure Scholes wasn't wasted. Or that he felt valued so that he didn't retire early.

And there in a nutshell is why England are lightyears behind at international level.

Even now we're for the most part stuck dogmatically with 442, for as far as I can see no better reason than it worked for Ramsey 48 years ago.

At the time we were pissing about with Scholes on the left of a 442, he was playing just of either a front one or front two for his club and looking like one of the best link-men / midfielders in Europe and being a constant goal threat himself.

Re his retirement from international football, I think it was intimated that Fergie had told him that if he wanted a new big fat contract he'd needed to stop playing for England. After years of banging his head up against a wall, could you really blame him if that was the case?

For years, if we could have looked beyond 442, and possibly even today, you could if you really wanted to, find a formation that could accommodate Lampard and Gerard without completely buggering the rest of the team up.  If you were to use both 4-2-3-1 would probably work best, with Gerard one of the two to limit the amount of running he'd have to do.

As for Delph, he could make either a central or wide left position in 4-3-3- or 4-2-3-1 his own.  Great that we're finally getting to see what all the fuss was about 5 years ago.
Hard to believe that he's only just turned 24.  Hopefully we'll see him at his best over the next 6-7 years when he's at his peak.

[Matt Collins]

Scholes was incredible. Both Zidane and Vieira said he was the best in the world when they were playing

I wouldn't agree with that but he was a fabulous player

[dcdavecollett]

Scholes was, indeed, a brilliant player who, had he been booked for every bad tackle he made or on every occasion he told a match official to f*** off, might have completed ten matches over his entire career.

Of course, playing for ManUre does bring its advantages...

[dave.woodhall]

"Ho, ho, ho, there's another bad one from Scholesy. He never has learned to tackle has he? Ha ha ha"

[Brend'Watkins]

I think there must be an unwritten code if you play for England and represent one of the traditional top 4 at club level.  You are allowed to swear repeatedly at referees and linesmen without repercussions, you are allowed to attempt umpteen dangerous tackles without getting a straight red, you are allowed to dive to get penalties.  It's not classed as diving if you are one of the select few you are actually being very clever in winning penalties with your actions further endorsed by pundits who once represented the same.

That said, Scholes was the best of that Man U bunch, a really brilliant player.

[MoetVillan]

Im with you Dave.  The love in for a midfielder who could not tackle is lost on me.  If he had been playing for another team, he would have spent plenty of time on the sidelines.  See Catermole.  Doesnt matter how good you are, your value to the team is reduced if you dont play.  (Hutton is the exception)

[Ads]

The fact he was a fantastic player is why Scholes got a way with it and Catermole, being the usless cry baby that he is, doesn't.

[MoetVillan]

i dont entirely agree.  If Clattermole had been in the class of 92, surrounded by a team that referees loved, he would have been remembered differently.  And if Scholes had come through in Plunderlands class of 2008, ditto.  Im not saying they are the same player, just ratd differently due to circumstances.  Look at John O Shit and Wes-give-the-ball-away-Brown.  Lucky players to have come through surrounded by excellence.  Now....not so great