Whilst most pundits and neutrals are already in agreement that Manchester United don’t stand a chance against Barcelona in the Champion’s League final, United’s fans have already begun speculating wildly about how they can earn a victory against the Spanish giants. How should Sir Alex Ferguson set his team-up? Do you attempt to play Barcelona at their own game, or do you shut up shop à la Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan of last season?
Another key decision going into the game is whether you entrust experienced old-head Paul Scholes to ply his trade against the likes of Xavi and Iniesta in the middle of the park. We know what Paul Scholes offers United: a wide range of passing, an ability to keep hold of the ball, tough-tackling and the ability to get forward and grab the occasional goal.
Barcelona’s high-pressure game requires that whenever they’re not in possession of the ball, they hunt for it in packs, closing down in numbers and with pace. As a result, patches of space open up over the rest of the pitch and a quick shift of play could well be rewarded. Paul Scholes has both the speed of thought and the ability to get the ball into space for the likes of Antonio Valencia and Nani to attack.
On the other hand, Scholes isn’t as young as he used to be and may well find himself chasing shadows at Barcelona. I also mentioned his ‘tough tackling’, which let’s face it, can leave a lot to be desired at times. His tackling is poor and little needs to be said about Barcelona’s tendency to go to ground at the slightest encouragement. As both Arsenal and Real Madrid have learnt this season, you can’t afford to go down to ten men against this lot, and to that extent Scholes is a big risk.
Moreover, Scholes has developed a tendency to sit deep and control the flow of the game from in front of the back-four. That’s a tactic I just can’t see working against the likes of Barcelona. It would invite too much pressure unto the United defence, something that could end up being disastrous.
I personally hope that Sir Alex Ferguson fields a starting-XI that will not be too afraid to get up close and personal with this Barcelona side. By that, I mean a Manchester United side that can chase, pressure and harrow the Pep Guardiola’s team. That would mean Anderson, Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick playing as part of a midfield three.
Sir Alex Ferguson faces a dilemma over whether to offer Paul Scholes a swansong against Barcelona. It’s clear to me, however, that to do so would be a mistake. Scholes is a wonderful player, but given his combative attitude and his lack of pace, he just isn’t the man to face Barcelona.
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