Darren Fletcher | 2013/14 Performances
- Thread starter Fiskey
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It was a stupid post.Delighted to read this.
Fletcher was never world class but he genuinely turned into a very good player. I remember all of the Caf being gutted that Fletch missed the final against Barcelona as he bossed Arsenal in both of the Champions League semi finals.
Read the same on The Official website as well. We've missed him so much. That 'dark side' that Arsene Wenger was pissed about; it will do us a lot of good in the rest of our games. We need to get back to the top and he will be very instrumental on our pursuit.
I'm not saying that he will turn this all around by himself. But I can feel it lifting up our whole team well.
I'm not saying that he will turn this all around by himself. But I can feel it lifting up our whole team well.
Imagine - a midfield of Carrick and Fletcher. It would almost be like not missing a midfielder again
Can't wait to see him lining up from the start at OT again.
There was a time people were disgusted at the thought of he and Carrick in a two-man midfield but I'm really looking forward to it now. Sure it doesn't scream class and power but the pair of them playing close to their full capacity (with obvious question marks on Fletcher) we could improve significantly.
I really liked the balance of the team with Jones and Evans at the back, so if the return of Fletcher and Carrick from illness and injury can get Jones back in defence I think we'll benefit all round.
I remember when he made a few comebacks over the last two years where he simply didn't look physically fit but he's clearly spent a lot of time getting his body into shape too and if he says he is no longer suffering from ulcerative colitis, then that's that. It's the first time anyone has actually said it's no longer a problem.
There was a time people were disgusted at the thought of he and Carrick in a two-man midfield but I'm really looking forward to it now. Sure it doesn't scream class and power but the pair of them playing close to their full capacity (with obvious question marks on Fletcher) we could improve significantly.
I really liked the balance of the team with Jones and Evans at the back, so if the return of Fletcher and Carrick from illness and injury can get Jones back in defence I think we'll benefit all round.
I remember when he made a few comebacks over the last two years where he simply didn't look physically fit but he's clearly spent a lot of time getting his body into shape too and if he says he is no longer suffering from ulcerative colitis, then that's that. It's the first time anyone has actually said it's no longer a problem.
I don't want to create an unnecessary argument in this thread but I think at his peak Fletcher's performances were more effective than his so-called world-class peers in head-to-heads.
At his peak he was better for us than Carrick was during that period of time. Its a pity we lost him at his peak. Otherwise he could have gone on to become our captain.
Any news on if he is in the squad for Stoke tonight?
It's because Carrick form was very poor at the time, but now after Carrick is on-form again, and if Fletcher does come back to the level he was, that would be a very good midfield.
Carrick's form was never as poor as his doubters made out to be. He has always done well, just getting the recognition now.
He had an extended period where he didn't look like the same player. Came after we were schooled vs Barca in the CL final.
That hardly means he was world-class though, does it?
He was definitely never good enough to be labelled in that bracket, it was a ridiculous notion based off a completely over the top thread made on here.
Well obviously compared to the player he is now, it looks different but in terms of what he offered the team, I wouldn't call him poor. It's just he is great now.
He wasn't world class but he was becoming a very good player there and personally think that with the Carrick off the last couple of seasons then we'd have one of the best midfields in the league (of course in fairness the quality of midfielders in the league has gone down). In europe we'd still be lacking a top class player there but we should be solid enough that we keep ourselves in the big games against the best teams and nick something on the counter with RVP/Rooney.
But he performed better than players in the so-called world-class bracket in matches against them. I don't know if you would call him individually a world-class player but his performances were really up there.
He was definitely a very good player at his best, just never in the upper echelon, certainly good enough to be one of our first choice midfielders.
Lots of players have done the same, it doesn't mean they're as good as them.
He did that quite consistently. I would have preferred him over them if I had to face a big team, not so much when facing a smaller team. Yeah his individual qualities can't be called world-class. But his performances as a midfielder are something we can only dream of today from our bunch.
Nah he definitely had a poor period. It didn't last as long as some would have you believe but it was definitely noticeable at the start of that season.
Again though, that says more about the state of our midfield than how good he was.
I'm not taking anything away from him here, he was great, and a brilliant asset to have, he was just never good enough to be labelled 'world-class', which people on here have tried to do, frequently. Nobody outside Man Utd would agree with the statement.
Every player has poor spells but with Carrick, it was form, nothing do with his ability. He has always been a top player.
I don't think anyone is disputing that.
He has had a huge number of doubters over the years.
Yeah that's fair enough, I suppose though there's no telling where he could have gone had he been properly fit these last 3 years or so. It's a shame really I mean I doubt he would have gotten in the top bracket but he could have got pretty close and then with his determination and spirit it might have been enough to overcome some of the best players at times, I hope he can get to a level where he can be a good option for us but can't see him getting back where he was before.
The other thing to remember is say with Carrick, he's been great over the last couple of seasons and he's done that having to do more than his fair share in the middle, another player like Fletcher who could properly share the burden with him could have gotten even more out of his game, and likeways I'm sure playing consistently with a confident Carrick could have brought more out of Fletcher.
I don't ever recall Carrick and Fletcher striking up a good partnership though, do you? I guess you could put that down to neither being at their best simultaneously but I remember even on here at the time a lot of people were bemoaning the fact that the two of them couldn't play well together.
Not really on here. Besides, that was never my point. I said he had a large period where he didn't look like the same player.
I thought it was one of those that was harshly viewed, as I said there was a lack of creativity in it but I think that was something Fletcher was growing in to and as you said it came at a point where Carrick was going through a slightly lull and so they weren't at their best at the same time. The other problem is that it came at a point where we lacked the attacking options we had now and had over the last couple of years. If I recall right it was mainly in the 2010 season where we were heavily reliant on Rooney for goals, with Berba not quite clicking. Plus in fairness neither have amongst posters favourite players. Fletch eventually won over the majority but think it's only in recent seasons that Carrick has won over most.
I think with Carrick coming out of his lull and being more imposing these last few seasons that creativity issue wouldn't have been a problem, but also with the addition of first Hernandez and then RVP/Kagawa, allowing us either Rooney/Kagawa to play just ahead of them then we wouldn't have had that same issue either, plus I think part of the problem in the last season and a bit with some of the wingers like Valencia is needing them to play from deeper due to needing them defensively to help the midfielders and a lack of range, with Fletch and Carrick they would be able to control the game better and Fletcher's presence for me would have freed up Carrick to use his range more and let the likes of Valencia push higher up the pitch where he prefers to play.
I mean I can see where people were coming from that it wasn't the most exciting but I think it was something they were both growing in to and with the attacking options to the squad over the last couple of seasons it would have got better. Plus tbh it'd still be a big upgrade on what we've had this season/last season.
I'm so happy to see one of my favorite United players back in the shirt for good.
They had this weird mix where Fletcher was dictating the pace of the game and Carrick deferring to whoever he was playing with, which was workable, but you just know that their partnership would be so much better if they had swopped roles. Carrick at that stage was playing within himself and very often, you saw him taking the simple pass sidewards or backwards when you know he had the ability to bring it forward if he wanted to. Fletcher, while not being the best of passers, knew his limits and played very intelligent passes which you wouldn't expect from him. He showed that aspect against Villa, with that nice pass to Welbeck (I think), given how Fletcher had kept improving on his game each year, it wouldn't be too surprising if Fletcher were to go on and become the best player in our midfield, but alas, his illness struck him and we were left with a big hole in midfield, which could have been worse if Carrick hadn't made the step up and became the player he is today.
With more time, I wouldn't have betted against them succeeding as a midfield pairing, they were both highly intelligent midfielders and without the egos of a certain English midfield pairing, there was no reason why they could't work together when their skill sets complemented what our team needed at that time.
He'll take it off to be washed.
Carrick and Fletcher were the midfield that obliterated Roma in the 7-1, they had good potential to go all the way. Alas, not to be so. However now that Fletcher is back, I hope this allows to play Kagawa and whoever else in the midfield so we can play a midfield 2 and 3 at the same time. I reckon Cleverley would thrive with both Fletch and Carrick with him. Fletch is more mobile than Carrick, and despite the illness, he probably could still play the role of a ball winner, albeit not as aggressive as he once was.
Yeah true, that was the shame of that period around 2010 when Carrick was in a slight dip and of course these last few seasons without having Fletch properly around they did have potential as a duo and agree with the bit about kagawa, I think if Fletch can get in to a position where he can play regularly, even if it's not box to box, the two of them could give the base we've lacked to allow the attacking players to flourish, though we still need another player there.
Not sure on Clev though, I think as we've seen with England as a more attacking player which he would likely be in that set up I think he just lacks the attacking ability to do that role and when kagawa, januzaj and rooney around, hard to see why he would be picked over them as the third player unless we wanted to go defensive.
He was good again when he came on. He seems to have so much time on the ball, even when under pressure. Obviously, the game was already won, as with Sunday, but the signs look extremely promising.
Looks different class compared to Cleverley, Fellaini, Ando etc. Nice to see someone with an assured touch in the midfield. If we can get him back to 75% of the player he was before his illness, he'll be very useful.
Something tells me Fletch will be better than that even. He has the determination for it.
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Meh wouldn't really say that. He's came on when we've been cruising and it's been very easy for him. It'll be different from the off.
His return can be such a boost for a number of reasons. Imagine his hunger. And he's a captain, it'll rub off.
He needs to play in the next 3 games...hopefully start in two of them...
hee hee
I never thought he would make it back, I'm glad to be proven wrong.
Spot on. Get to feck with all this 'world class bracket'. At his best, he was one of the first names on the sheet, especially for big games. I've seen him performing better than those world class star players time and time again. That's good enough for me, whether you call him shite/mediocre/decent/good/world class means feck all.
He looked good in the last couple of games. Always available for a pass, could get across the pitch quite well, too.
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