Paul Scholes: Arsenal may play the prettiest football, but they flatter to deceive

Paul Scholes may have retired but he has left his stud marks all over Arsenal.

The former Manchester United midfielder delivered a brutal appraisal of Arsene Wenger’s chances of ending his silverware drought, declaring: ‘Arsenal just flatter to deceive. They may play the prettiest football, but it doesn’t always produce results, does it?

‘It doesn’t irritate me that people keep going on about them being the best footballing team because while they are doing that, we are winning games. They do play the best football to watch at times, but what is the point if you are not winning anything?

‘It doesn’t help, either, that they are potentially going to lose their best players in Fabregas, Nasri and Clichy. Is Nasri coming to United? I hope so!

Losing mentality: While Arsenal play the beautiful game, they suffer for a lack of results, says Scholes

‘These things do go in cycles, but the way we have been set out at United for the last 15-20 years, I would be surprised if we went six years without a trophy, like they have. You can’t say it won’t  happen, because you only have to think of what Liverpool went through, but I don’t think our manager will allow that to happen.’

After nearly 20 years of reporting back for pre-season training with his Manchester United team-mates, the former England midfielder found himself following events on television at home as the bulk of Barclays Premier League teams began preparing for the rigours ahead.

Withering assessment: Scholes

It was, he admitted, a ‘weird’ feeling looking in from the outside, after retiring at 36 in May, but he soon warmed to the task of analysing what to expect when the season gets underway next month.

He predicted a robust title defence by United, with Sir Alex Ferguson as fiercely committed as ever, but admitted they remain ‘a million miles’ adrift of their Champions League final conquerors Barcelona.

Scholes said: ‘I woke up, put on the news and saw all the lads going back in for pre-season training and I have to say it did feel weird.

‘I always knew my legs would tell me when it was time to retire and they did, so I’ve no complaints. I hope to be involved on the coaching side at Old Trafford. The manager is as driven and determined as ever — more so, if anything — and I like the way he has strengthened so far.

‘Chelsea and City will pose the biggest threat. To be honest, I had never even heard of the new manager at Chelsea (Andre Villas-Boas), but the way he has spoken so far has been impressive. He comes across as someone who knows exactly what he wants from his players and he’s had a good grounding with Jose Mourinho and Bobby Robson.

‘City haven’t really started spending yet, but once they do they will be looking to build on last season.’

Scholes at least has a precious souvenir from a chastening Champions League final.

‘At the end of the game, Andres Iniesta came over and asked for my shirt,’ he said. ‘It was very flattering, because you are talking about one of the best players in the world.

‘I had read a few nice things he’d said about me, but that was a great compliment to be asked to swap shirts with him.

Tough to take: Scholes looks on as Barcelona celebrate their humbling of United at Wembley

‘The other memories from that night are painful, though, probably as bad as two years earlier in Rome. You would have hoped we might have been able to bridge the gap a bit, but we were still a million miles away from them.

‘How to bridge that gulf is a big question, but you can be sure the manager will have drawn up plans for doing it. They are the benchmark and trying to catch up with them has to be the biggest challenge our manager has ever had.’

Scholes is certainly convinced Wayne Rooney can become as potent a force as Lionel Messi.

A clinical finish by Messi sealed United’s fate in the Wembley final in May, but Scholes is adamant Rooney can reach the Argentine’s level of individual brilliance.

‘Wayne can still go up several notches, for sure,’ he said. ‘We have not seen the best of him yet. There can still be an improvement in every aspect of his game and I think we’ll see it. He is capable of being the same for us as Messi is for Barcelona. He can be United’s Messi, that’s how good he is.

‘He went through a long barren spell last season but came through it towards the end. Maybe that’s another area for improvement, coming out of a spell like that a bit quicker, but when his head is right and he is right physically, he can do real damage to teams.’

Singled out: Scholes says Wayne Rooney (left) can inspire United

Scholes admitted Rooney had to win his team-mates over after alienating them with a transfer request and criticism about falling standards last season.

‘It didn’t anger us, particularly, but it’s disappointing when a player wants to leave and I think he was a little bit disrespectful with that statement,’ he said. ‘But he held his hands up and said sorry. He apologised to the full team in the dressing room. I don’t know if he was badly advised, but he was sorry.’

Scholes added: ‘In time, I can see him dropping back a bit and filling the role I had. He did it in a couple of games towards the end of the season and did well. He is more dangerous where he is at the moment, but he could adapt. It would just need a bit more discipline.’