No Scholes, No Glory?
‘Red Mist’ Chris & ISpy
Does the likely three month absence of Paul Scholes threaten seriously United’s chances of silverware this season?
The midfielder will undergo surgery tomorrow to remedy a knee ligament problem and has been ruled out of football until next February. He will miss 13 Premiership games, the remainder of United’s Champions League group games and the start of the FA Cup campaign.
The loss of Scholes is a major blow to United’s pursuit of trophies. Amid the bling, the motors and the sex romps, there is Scholes, blithely ignoring it all, an old school footballer with old world values. Scholes doesn’t do endorsements. Scholes is the last person likely to be involved in a tabloid kiss-and-tell tale. He is just a footballer, so good that legend has it, he’s been on the receiving end of Ferguson’s wrath just once in his career.
His return to form last season helped United to the Premiership crown and success in the FA Cup and Champions League. Was it a coincidence? Most observers would say that when Scholes plays, United play and here lies the problem for Sir Alex in the coming months.
Scholes brings knowledge, timing, perception and reliability to United’s midfield. He wont disappear when the going gets tough. He’s been among the best midfielders in the world for the last decade, rated by luminous foreign stars as the best Englishman of his generation. That loss is bound to affect the evolution of United’s play as the league settles down after next month’s international break.
However, Ferguson has planned for the passing of the remaining members of the golden generation. As bad as it may sound, Scholes misfortune will offer a glorious opportunity for another United midfielder to stake his claim. Scholes was always an automatic choice. Now, United’s midfield is up for grabs. Who will be the most committed and seize their chance?
Owen Hargreaves
Already pencilled in as United’s £20 million ‘water-carrier.’ The Hargreaves Scholes axis was Ferguson’s midfield dream ticket, giving United at last, a centre staff to counter the might of Gerrard and Alonso and Fabregas and Gilberto.
Hargreaves, so long as he remains fit, has a crucial role in United’s midfield this season. That role just got bigger in Scholes absence. Hargreaves is unlikely to be too troubled by the burden but can he stay on the pitch long enough to bring authority to United’s play?
Michael Carrick
After a year like his, perhaps Carrick believes good fortune finally knows his name. Everyone’s tip to be pushed out by the arrival of England rival Hargreaves, the midfielder also suffered from Ferguson’s continued appetite for 4-4-2. This was something of a surprise as the manager was expected to turn to the dour but effective 4-3-3 format in a bid to transform United from Champions League nearly men into winners.
United’s traditional team pattern will be even more anchored now that Scholes is out, giving Carrick every incentive to establish himself as the heir apparent. Does he fit the bill? Carrick is loved by football professionals for his economy and perception. He can pass well and rarely wastes possession. Ferguson compliments Carrick for the positional sense that enables him to do the midfield dirty work without the theatrics of say, Blackburn’s Savage. But Carrick has yet to demonstrate that he has Scholes shooting skills or that he can find the net with sufficient regularity. Playing alongside Hargreaves would give Carrick the license to move further forward. Would he be able to silence through goals the critics who say he doesn’t hurt the opposition enough?
Anderson
It seems that the Brazilian is everyone’s flavour of the month. Saturday’s team sheet against Arsenal will tell us just how much the manager rates the newcomer. If Anderson plays, it will be a massive signal that he is the man to replace Scholes and that the ‘fast-track’ experiment has worked beautifully. If Anderson is consigned to the benches, it would reinforce the general impression that the skilled Brazilian needs more time to settle in and become acclimatised to white hot Premiership competition. After all, three months ago, he was rated ‘one for the future.’
No-one doubts the midfielder’s ability. Anderson keeps the play moving, is simple in his passing and has let no-one down since the League Cup disaster against Coventry had the Guardian newspaper writing his professional obituary. That was premature as are the over-blown claims now being made on the player’s behalf after only a handful of games.
Anderson needs to build on the solid base he has created and must also show he can score goals if he is to make a claim for Scholes crown.
Honourable mentions
Darren Fletcher: Treading water and marking time but still a useful player and can do a reasonable job in the middle.
John O’Shea: Mr Versatile and a valued squad man. Will almost certainly get more action in the middle but with half his career already gone, where is O’Shea going?
United’s midfield options now are better than at any time in the past decade. There are no players like Djemba-Djemba or a ‘Champions League tiger’ like Liam Miller to have the faithful reaching for their rosary beads.
Yet, as good as Carrick, Anderson and Hargreaves have shown themselves to be, the loss of Scholes is enormous. Hurry back maestro.
