Still Following the Trawler

My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.  Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation. Zinedine Zidane 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. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more. Xavi Good enough to play for Brazil. I love to watch Scholes, to see him pass, the boy with the red hair and the red shirt. Socrates Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes – he is the best midfielder of his generation. I would have loved to have played alongside him. Pep Guardiola I tell anyone who asks me – Scholes is the best English player. Laurent Blanc I have no hesitation in putting a name to the ...

Day’s after our Champions League defeat at the hands of Barcelona, we bid fair well to the greatest midfielder of his generation. After 675 games and 19 major honours with United, Paul Scholes departs United as a legend: one of the modern era’s few true gentleman. One of the few players in this day and age of greed and over indulgence who famously walks in and out of contract negotiations within minutes. Who keeps himself to himself, staying out of the limelight and rarely performing interviews. Who simply goes to work, plays the game, get's showered, goes home. The modern game has today lost its rugged romantic, its traditionalist, its loyalist, its perfectionist – the essence, in mind and spirit, of Sir Matt Busby's Babes. Manchester United 1994 - 2011

Edwin van der Sar Manchester United 2005-2011 265 appearances Clean Sheet Record (1,311 minutes without conceding) 4 League Titles 1 Champions League 1 Club World Cup 1 League Cup

...The players who will make history... So, the time is nearly among us. This has been probably the longest week of my life - unable to concentrate at work, encapsulating myself with every ounce of pre-match build-up I could find and reading the f**k out of every expert preview and patronising guide on 'how United can beat Barca'. But I'm not interested in that - because quite simply, we'll beat Barca if we don't allow them time on the ball and in turn minimise the impact of their attacking players. Play with assertion and confidence like we did against Chelsea in the Champions League, again against them in the title decider, or even against Schalke over both legs in the Semi's, and we will be Champions of Europe. Ultimately, if we play as a unit we can do it. And below are the chosen ones who can lead us to the promised land once again... Goal Van der Sar Age : 40 Champions League Appearances 2010/11 : 9 An absolute no brainer. One of the greatest 'keepers ...

Nike Football

My final reflective piece looking back at our final in Rome two years ago, is my overly emotional (but highly justified) piece the day after. 29th May 2009 was a dark day, full of disappointment and 'what if's' as we failed to rise to the occasion and in turn got taught a lesson by the best team in the world. Many people's perception this time round is that we'll all be feeling exactly the same on the 29th May 2011. But call it raw passion, loyalty or belief - I think it'll be different. Very different. Anyway. I know we'll step up this time round and avoid this... the day after... Posted by   The Cockney Red THURSDAY, 29 MAY 2009 I don’t really know where to begin. I don’t really know why I’m even bothering with this to be honest. But I’ve hidden away from it all day and as much as I thought it would help to mentally remove myself from the realities of last night, it really hasn’t. So here it is. It arrived, and then, somehow, we forgot how to play. Nothing...

Jonathon Wilson, the Guardian , on how to stop the unstoppable, almighty, incredible, best team in the entire fucking Universe that is Barcelona. The Telegraph's Henry Winter reckons Bob Paisley taught Fergie a thing or two Soccerlens'   match preview Stretford End Arising analyses are best XI and how they  can win us the Champions League But according to Surreal Football , United haven't got a hope in help