CARRICK IN AWE OF 'SPECIAL' SCHOLES
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Michael Carrick believes he is going to learn plenty by playing alongside Paul Scholes.
Although Carrick produced an effective performance on his Champions League debut against Celtic last night, the £18.6million midfield man was overshadowed not just by two-goal hero Louis Saha but Scholes as well.
Just like Wayne Rooney, Scholes has spent the past three weeks kicking his heels in frustration after being banned for his pre-season dismissal in Amsterdam.
However, while Gordon Strachan's side were largely able to shackle Rooney, they had no answer to Scholes' promptings.
The 31-year-old set up the last two goals in United's win, with Strachan and Sir Alex Ferguson agreeing he had been the major difference between Britain's best-two supported sides on a pulsating evening at Old Trafford.
It is not a judgment which would meet with any disagreement from Carrick, who has already discovered what a brilliant player Scholes is.
"Paul Scholes is just fantastic," said Carrick.
"When you play alongside him, you realise what a special talent he is.
"He is so intelligent and clever, he makes the game look really simple and showed it against Celtic by creating those two goals."
The disguised pass to release Saha for United's second was inspired, while, given seconds to make his decision, the ball which released the Frenchman in the build-up to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's winner was equally impressive.
"Paul has this ability to make the game look really easy," said Carrick.
"Believe me, it is a pretty hard skill to be able to slot people through gaps when everything is going on around you. Paul can do that and I felt he was the big difference between the teams."
Although Ferguson tried manfully to bring in a defensive-minded reinforcement to his midfield before the transfer deadline closed, moves for Owen Hargreaves and Marcos Senna met with no success.
It means that, while they make lack something in terms of destructive play, the partnership between Carrick and Scholes is set to be extended, particularly as both Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-sung have now been consigned to frustrating spells on the sidelines.
"It is up to the manager," said Carrick.
"It worked well against Celtic but who knows what will happen against Arsenal on Sunday.
"The more I play, the more I will learn about the other lads' games, the more we will get the rhythm flowing and the better our overall performances will be."
Although defensive frailties and poor passing meant United's performance could not be judged as the best of the fledgling campaign, it was enough to bring them a fifth straight win.
Even without Giggs and Park, the Red Devils have every reason to approach Sunday's meeting with Arsene Wenger's men in confident mood.
As a former Tottenham star, it is a game which holds special significance for Carrick.
However, even if United win and open up a 13-point gap on their old rivals, the 25-year-old thinks it is too early to start writing the Gunners off.
"It is too early to start looking past the game itself," he said.
"We have had a super start to the season and we just want to carry it on.
"It is a huge game and if we win it, we will be in a strong position. But it would still be too early to write them off." -
too bad scholes is not getting any younger
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Yeah, a real pity... He and Giggs are the only ones left from the original fantastic four... along with Keane and Beck.
They formed the best midfield group in years. They had pace, dribbling skills, a freekick specialist, creative playmaker & a tough tackling aggressive holding midfield leader.
Sadly, they are all 31 and above now with Keane having retired...
Even till present day and at their age, these 2 remainding are still doing the job... it shows you how good they were when they were 4 and at their peak. -
Yea. The 4 of them can beat any team's midfielder on their day. And there's Butt and Phillip Neville on the bench as backups.Originally posted by zocoss:Yeah, a real pity... He and Giggs are the only ones left from the original fantastic four... along with Keane and Beck.
They formed the best midfield group in years. They had pace, dribbling skills, a freekick specialist, creative playmaker & a tough tackling aggressive holding midfield leader.
Sadly, they are all 31 and above now with Keane having retired...
Even till present day and at their age, these 2 remainding are still doing the job... it shows you how good they were when they were 4 and at their peak.
Those were the days.
Cheers.
C.K -
i miss those daysOriginally posted by CKeer:Yea. The 4 of them can beat any team's midfielder on their day. And there's Butt and Phillip Neville on the bench as backups.
Those were the days.
Cheers.
C.K
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SCHOLES IS MAC TARGET
By Martin Lipton
ENGLAND boss Steve McClaren will again try to persuade Paul Scholes to come out of international retirement after losing Owen Hargreaves for four months with a broken leg.
Bayern Munich midfielder Hargreaves, who cracked a fibula in Saturday's 2-1 Bundesliga loss to Arminia Bielefeld, will miss next month's Euro 2008 double-header against Macedonia and Croatia and may not play again this year.
That news will sharpen McClaren's desire to get Scholes, who scored 14 goals in his 66 England appearances between 1997 and 2004, to go back on his decision to quit the England scene after he lost faith in Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to play him on the left in Euro 2004.
McClaren's assistant Terry Venables said: "Watching United play against Celtic last week it hit home what a loss Paul is to the national team." -
I wonder where is PS gonna fit in the midfield. already packed with Gerrad & Lampard. And there is Carrick and Jenas.Originally posted by zocoss:SCHOLES IS MAC TARGET
By Martin Lipton
ENGLAND boss Steve McClaren will again try to persuade Paul Scholes to come out of international retirement after losing Owen Hargreaves for four months with a broken leg.
Bayern Munich midfielder Hargreaves, who cracked a fibula in Saturday's 2-1 Bundesliga loss to Arminia Bielefeld, will miss next month's Euro 2008 double-header against Macedonia and Croatia and may not play again this year.
That news will sharpen McClaren's desire to get Scholes, who scored 14 goals in his 66 England appearances between 1997 and 2004, to go back on his decision to quit the England scene after he lost faith in Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to play him on the left in Euro 2004.
McClaren's assistant Terry Venables said: "Watching United play against Celtic last week it hit home what a loss Paul is to the national team."