Aging Scholes still in form- Manchester City not a well knit squad
Premier League clubs spent more than 300 million pounds this year to add new faces to their squads but it is one of the game’s oldest stalwarts who rolled back the years the current week.
Paul Scholes was instrumental in the Community Shield when Manchester United defeated Chelsea while he again ran the show against Newcastle as he pulled the strings from the midfield masterfully. Scholes is surely one of the best players to have ever graced the League and the fact that he is English makes it even better. His technique, movement and passing are examples for whoever wants to follow.
Scholes at the age of 35 still has the hunger and desire that is a glaring testament to Sir Alex Ferguson’s man management ability. Throughout his 19-years career, ‘Fergie’ has never pressured Scholes for anything at Old Trafford but instead has encouraged him to do whatever he wants and also play for as long as he wishes. This formula is weaving its magic to this day. Fabio Cappello requested Scholes to end his international exile and play for England at the world cup and the veteran may not have had the same impact in the Three Lions midfield as he does in the United midfield but Capello’s late approach to the man suggested that even at the age of 35 he is still regarded as one of the best in the game.
Getting a winning start in the Premier League is of utmost important for a team like United and it’s not about playing petty and attractive football, instead it’s about getting the points on the board. No team can win the title in the first few months of the League but the title can surely be lost in the first few games as only a handful of defeats in them can have a detrimental effect on any team’s title challenge. It’s not the best time to judge any of the teams as they often make sure of a good start but they should keep in mind to not to push too hard that they might risk running out of gas towards the business end of the season. It’s all a calculated risk and Fergie over the years has mastered the art. For any player the first 10 or so games of the season are very important and perhaps the most difficult also but Ferguson will be very pleased with whatever he has seen from his troops so far this year and its all thanks to one of his oldest and most trusted soldier who even with age against him refuses to budge and puts in performance after performance; game after game.
While on the other side of the same City, Utd’s rivals Manchester City look anything but a cohesive unit at the start of their campaign. Roberto Mancini in the drab 0-0 draw with Spurs looks more like a rabbit caught in the headlights rather than a magician pulling tricks out of the hat. It was not all too dissimilar to the ‘champions league play-off’ at the tail end of the last season when Spurs won the game 1-0, thanks to Peter Crouch. The team from London would have done the same had it not been for the heroics of Joe Hart. Manchester City looks like a team of 11 individuals rather than a well knit unit and that is something Mancini will have to address very soon or he too will be shown the door like his predecessors.
City played the game at White Hart Lane with 11 strangers on the pitch. These strangers will have to acquaint themselves to each other or face dire consequences and where better to look for an example than their own bitter city rivals just across the Piccadilly Station.
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