Thread by @FootyThreads_, Gerrard, Lampard…….and Scholes.A thread: We’ll start off by looking at some of [...]

Gerrard, Lampard…….and Scholes.

A thread:

We’ll start off by looking at some of their attacking numbers.

(Goal contribution= A goal or an assist.)
(GCpG= Goal contribution per game.)

Whole career, GCpg:
Lampard: 0.49

Gerrard: 0.43

Scholes: 0.3

UCL, GCpG:
Lampard:0.5

Gerrard: 0.47

Scholes: 0.27

Premier league, GCpG:
-Lampard:0.46

-Gerrard: 0.42

-Scholes: 0.32

National team, GCpG:
-Gerrard:0.39

-Lampard:0.38

-Scholes: 0.36

We can see Frank Lampard leads the way in terms of goals and assists, with Gerrard right behind him, and Scholes way out behind.

We can also look at their team play numbers, from their prem career.
(Following stats from the premier league website)

Passes per game:
-Scholes:61.6

-Gerrard:55.6

-Lampard:48.3

Touches per game:
-Gerrard:76.2

-Scholes:71.7

-Lampard:65.0

Through balls per game:
-Lampard: 0.74

-Gerrard:0.72

-Scholes: 0.28

Crosses per game:
-Gerrard: 6.3

-Lampard: 3.9

-Scholes: 0.3

-We can see from these numbers Steven Gerrard is the most involved with teammates going forward, and being most consistent, still yet to place third in any measure.

-Paul Scholes passing the most, but really, really behind in the creative measures.

-We can also use data from http://Whoscored.com to compare Gerrard and Lampard's numbers in the prem and ucl since data began.
-(Wont include Paul Scholes as his numbers were far behind, partly due to his age when data began in 2009).

We see Gerrard with a better per game stat in:
Long balls, key passes and crosses.

Also leading in pass success%.

-Lampard didn’t come out on top in any teammate/creativity related stat.

-Gerrard also had the higher average match rating, and the more Motm awards.

So far, Paul Scholes trails the other two when looking at numbers going forward and creating.

-Maybe his defensive numbers would make up for this, as he often played deeper than the other two?

- Looking at premier league numbers, Steven Gerrard is far ahead from the other two, leading the per game stats for: Blocks, Interceptions, Tackles, Tackles won, Clearances, Headed clearances and Aerial battles won.

- Lampard comes in 2nd in all of these, Scholes in last place.

- Steven Gerrard also has the highest tackle success rate of the 3 (0.72%), proving his ability to keep the ball after the tackle is made.

- Despite doing far less defensive work than the other two, especially Gerrard, Paul Scholes has the most yellow cards per game of the 3.

So, with Steven Gerrard being by far the most defensively involved and creative going forward, and Frank Lampard leading the way in Goal scoring, things aren't looking good for Scholes...

Maybe Scholes is held in high regard for his big game record, in cup finals for example.

Cup Final records:

Gerrard:
GCpg=0.55

Lampard:
GCpg=0.38

Scholes:
GCpG=0.14

-Scholes also didn't start in all 3 of Man united's 3 UCL finals, being dropped in 2 and suspended in 1.

-FA Cup Final Man of the Match
Gerrard 1
Lampard 1
Scholes 0

-UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match
Gerrard 1
Lampard 1
Scholes 0

-Paul Scholes has never received Motm in a Cup final, so 'big game player' must not be why he's held in high regard...

-However, not all midfielders can have their quality defined by numbers, some are ball playing pace makers.

-Xavi and Iniesta for example, who despite not having the best numbers, were constantly seen as the best midfielders in the world, showered with individual accolades...

-So lets look at the individual accolades of the 3:

Lampard:

-Balon d’Or: 2nd place (1)
-Fifa player of the year 2nd place (1)
-PFA Prem Team of the Year: (3)
-Premier league player of the season(1)
-Prem player of the month (4)
-FWA footballer of the year (1)
-England player of the year (2)
-Fifa world xi (1)
Total:14

Gerrard:

Balon d’Or: 3rd place (1)
UEFA footballer of the year: (1)
Pfa player of the year: (1)
PFA Prem Team of the Year: (8)
Prem player of the month (6)
FWA footballer of the year (1)
England player of the year (2)
Fifa world xi (3)
UEFA team of the year (3)

Total: 26

Paul Scholes:

Prem player of the month (4)
PFA Team of the year (2)

Total: 6

We can also look at Balon d’Or nominations and votes.

Steven Gerrard: 6 nominations, 220 votes

Frank Lampard: 5 nominations, 169 votes

Paul Scholes: 5 nominations, 0 votes.

-Scholes with less Balon d'Or votes than premier players like Adrian Mutu and Papa Bouba Diop.

-During his 20 year career there were 14 different winners of United’s player of the year award. Scholes was never one of them.

-Antonio Valencia, Javier Hernández, Gabriel Heinze and Andrei Kanchelskis all picked up the award whilst Paul Scholes was at the club...

- His fellow players, managers, journalists and football writers, all didn't seem to rate him as highly as Gerrard and Lampard during his playing days, yet since he's retired, the legend of Paul Scholes seems to grow as time goes on.

Im sure in response to this, people will bring up quotes (some real and some fake), in an attempt to prove he was on par, or even above Gerrard and Lampard.

- Quotes from players get you nowhere, many players have claimed Gerrard or Lampard was the best of the 3.

- Kaka, Bryan Robson and Wayne Rooney ( A teammate of Paul Scholes), are 3 of many who have said Steven Gerrard was the best of the 3.

- Imo, Stevie G sits on top of the 3, followed shortly by Frank Lampard.

-Paul Scholes became a 'Legend' when he retired, as the possession based Barca style dominated.

- But looking at numbers, ratings, individual accolades, why on earth is Paul Scholes even in this debate?

Like, RT or debate (you'll fail).

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