Scholes Out For 3 Months, How Will Manchester United Fare Without Him?
Yesterday we learned that Manchester United legend Paul Scholes will have surgery on his knee on Thursday (Nov 1) and will be out for 3 months after that.
It brings back memories of 05/06, when Manchester United lost Scholesy for a whole season and a squad battered with injuries fought above and beyond what was expected of them, just falling short of giving Chelsea a real scare for the title. What could Manchester United have done if Scholes did not have his vision problems then?
I hope we don’t have to ask ourselves this question again at the end of the season. There was always a chance that Scholes would miss the Saturday game against Arsenal but to miss 3 months is a blow. Nevertheless, Manchester United have the quality and strength in depth to cope.
In a returning Owen Hargreaves they have a midfield general who hustles his players - something we haven’t seen since Roy Keane. Hargo, like Carrick, wants the ball all the time but the biggest difference between those two is that Hargo shouts for it, Carrick merely moves into position and expects it. With Scholes out I expect Hargo to become the first-choice midfielder (assuming he stays fit) and once Carrick returns, he should partner him in midfield.
The injury will mean that Anderson will get his fair share of games this season (starting from the game at Emirates), and hopefully he can do justice to the hype surrounding him the same way Nani has.
This season’s squad has the depth that’s been missing for the last few seasons - others may complain about the money being spent but the fact is that we’ve not only brought in quality players but we’ve bought potentially world-class players who will grow together with our current superstar duo, Rooney and Ronaldo.
Any team boasting Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo, Anderson, Nani and Hargreaves as their front six have a good shout at scoring at the Emirates, no?
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The absence of Scholes can be seen in two ways.
Firstly, he is the strongest and most reliable passer in the division (Opta stats for the whole of last season prove this) and ball retention at the Emirates won’t be as easy without him. On top of this, there is no substitute for the simple, forward pass and nobody executes it so often and so effortlessly as Scholes.
But, and this is my second point, the injection of pace, skill and enthusiasm provided by Hargreaves and Anderson may prove to be just what the doctor ordered against Arsenal.
There is no way of knowing how the midfield battle will pan out but, for a game like this when Scholes would have been the first name on the team sheet, his absence may prove to be a blessing in disguise.
Whichever way you look at it, United fans know that any side Ferguson puts out at the moment is going to give it everything.
And, for any Arsenal fans on this board, even without Scholes, we’re expecting three points.
If he sticks with Anderson then we will be fine, despite his inexperience he has played extremely well. If (when fit) Carrick is put in then I get the feeling it would be too defensive a la Liverpool.
hey gus i am a manu fan and i think the best formation to beat arsenal is to play 3#5#2
brown-vidich-ferdinand
hargreaves
ronaldo-carick(fletcher) -anderson-GIGGS
rooney tevez
if we pack and win the midfield i believe we will win the match and if we win this match we will win the MIGHTY TITTLE.
its absurd that we dont have scholes for some time but i believe that the way Anderson has displayed his potentials in the previuos games, United will always remain untouchable in England. however when it comes to the Arsenal game on saturday, United will win considering the fact that Sir. Fergie was at Anfield on saturday, its a matter of taking control of the midfield(Hargreaves and Anderson) then playing upper balls, and as long as the “Holy Trinity” (Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo) are fed with balls, the run of four goals continues. United forever.
wow this is sad… i thought scholes was one of the most dependent player in manchester united