[roonster09]

Happy for him. He is growing in confidence and also has manager's trust.

His pass for second goal was good, that's the sort of passes we should play, play quicker passes to attackers and to the feet and space.

 

[meamth]

The natural heir to Carrick?

He got a long way to go no doubt, but his defensive play as a central midfielder is beginning to show. Who needs Dier?

 

[KM]

The natural heir to Carrick?

He got a long way to go no doubt, but his defensive play as a central midfielder is beginning to show. Who needs Dier?

He's nothing like Carrick. I think Dier or Obi Mikel is a better comparison. I think he'll save us a decent chunk of money in the future, with the performances against Sevilla and Chelsea, he can be a good rotation option for us.

 

[meamth]

I

He's nothing like Carrick. I think Dier or Obi Mikel is a better comparison. I think he'll save us a decent chunk of money in the future, with the performances against Sevilla and Chelsea, he can be a good rotation option for us.

I meant that he will take Carrick's place as the tidiest midfield option in the team. Or is it too soon?

 

[beergod]

I

I meant that he will take Carrick's place as the tidiest midfield option in the team. Or is it too soon?

Too soon. Right now he is replacing Fellaini as Jose's go to man to do dirty work in midfield to let the attackers play.

 

[VancouverUtdFan]

Sir Alex knows.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Darren Fletcher was another

No he wasn't. He was extremely highly rated at youth level and Fergie was going to make us our youngest ever player but couldn't because of FA rules and the fact he was on schoolboy terms with us. Fletcher was incredibly highly rated from within the club from like the age of 14/15.

I just find it incredibly disingenuous to even suggest that the leap from reserve / youth level to the first team is anything but colossal.

 

[Robbie Boy]

I shake my head at the state of this thread.

How can anyone write him off so readily? He has played what, 10 matches for us? He played well against Sevilla, played very well today, and is steadily improving in a notoriously difficult position. What more do fans (consumers) want?

Most are saying he looks ok, so not sure why you think the majority are writing him off. There's mental hyperbole on both a positive and negative perspective in here, but that's par for the course with the Caf.

 

[Adnan]

No he wasn't. He was extremely highly rated at youth level and Fergie was going to make us our youngest ever player but couldn't because of FA rules and the fact he was on schoolboy terms with us. Fletcher was incredibly highly rated from within the club from like the age of 14/15.

I just find it incredibly disingenuous to even suggest that the leap from reserve / youth level to the first team is anything but colossal.

Fletcher was never considered a hot prospect and many people were surprised he was even given a chance in the first team. Some even joked it was due to him being Scottish.

 

[meamth]

Too soon. Right now he is replacing Fellaini as Jose's go to man to do dirty work in midfield to let the attackers play.

I know, but i think passing can be trained to young players like Mctominay. That key pass from him to Lukaku is good sign for him to develop into that role.

 

[BlahRules]

Fletcher was never considered a hot prospect and many people were surprised he was even given a chance in the first team. Some even joked it was due to him being Scottish.

That's because he was being played ahead of Ronaldo and was not playing better than him.

He was a hot prospect and would have made an appearance before the age of 18 if it was not for his injury.

He started to show more form and talent when he started playing centrally albeit he did not play many games when he higher quality talent playing in the middle of the park. As Fletcher matured he became a key role to our team and would have stayed there long if not for his injuries which took him out completely.

 

[Adnan]

That's because he was being played ahead of Ronaldo and was not playing better than him.

He was a hot prospect and would have made an appearance before the age of 18 if it was not for his injury.

He started to show more form and talent when he started playing centrally albeit he did not play many games when he higher quality talent playing in the middle of the park. As Fletcher matured he became a key role to our team and would have stayed there long if not for his injuries which took him out completely.

If he was a hot prospect then it should be easy to pin point what facet of his game he excelled at, at youth level.

Hot prospects were Ravel, Pogba and more recently Chong and Gomes. All four players are technically supreme. Fletcher wouldn't even be in the same ball park as far as potential goes.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Fletcher was never considered a hot prospect and many people were surprised he was even given a chance in the first team. Some even joked it was due to him being Scottish.

He really was.

 

[Robertd0803]

Fletcher ended up being great while others tipped for stardom ended up nowhere.

Anyway McTominay was fantastic yesterday for a young lad in a huge game it didnt faze him one bit. The trust Jose has him already is a credit to him.

Second, McTominay is becoming one of my favourites for his post-match interviews alone. He just stands there in cyborg-rest mode and then seemingly comes out of hibernation to answer the question, with the same lack of fuss that she shows on the field, before going back into rest mode.

Yeah noticed this too

 

[Lash]

His long range passing was hit and miss yesterday, but a few very good balls forward and few under-hit-right-idea ones. I am officially a fan boy. Great performance from the lad, can see him nailing that spot down now.

 

[arthurka]

His long range passing was hit and miss yesterday, but a few very good balls forward and few under-hit-right-idea ones. I am officially a fan boy. Great performance from the lad, can see him nailing that spot down now.

So was Matic his long range or mid range passing was all over the place. Scott has a great engine and was fantastic yesterday.
Herrera got a lot of praise for keeping Hazard out of the game last season, young Scott did that even better.

 

[Lash]

So was Matic his long range or mid range passing was all over the place. Scott has a great engine and was fantastic yesterday.
Herrera got a lot of praise for keeping Hazard out of the game last season, young Scott did that even better.

Yeah, I actually thought Matic was really poor in the first half, different animal in the second though. Yeah it was nice to see a bit of graft in there for once and he didn't look like getting booked for the job he was doing on him either!

 

[roonster09]

So was Matic his long range or mid range passing was all over the place. Scott has a great engine and was fantastic yesterday.
Herrera got a lot of praise for keeping Hazard out of the game last season, young Scott did that even better.

Don't think he did better job than Herrera. Herrera was brilliant in that game, Hazard barely created anything and for the first time I saw Hazard not even attempting a dribble.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Don't think he did better job than Herrera. Herrera was brilliant in that game, Hazard barely created anything and for the first time I saw Hazard not even attempting a dribble.

It's pure revisionism. Herrera done a far better job. That's not taking anything away from Scotty McT but it's fact.

It's so funny that people constantly attempt to downplay just how good Herrera was last season. Yes, it's not been good for him this season but stop rewriting history.

 

[roonster09]

It's pure revisionism. Herrera done a far better job. That's not taking anything away from Scotty McT but it's fact.

It's so funny that people constantly attempt to downplay just how good Herrera was last season. Yes, it's not been good for him this season but stop rewriting history.

Yeah, also Herrera apart from keeping Hazard out of the game, he played peach of a pass for Rashford and then scored 1 goal.

It was like he was our complete attack and defense in the game.

McTominay did good job and he just young player which lot of scope for improvement. All things considered, he is playing good games.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Fletcher was never considered a hot prospect and many people were surprised he was even given a chance in the first team. Some even joked it was due to him being Scottish.

Complete nonsense. Which is all the more inexcusable coming in response to a post from @Robbie Boy with evidence about how highly rated he was. He’s not making up the stuff about Fergie wanting to give Fletcher first team football at a younger age than the PL would allow. That’s on the record. Fletcher was, by a margin, the hottest prospect to come through our academy since the class of 92.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Yeah, also Herrera apart from keeping Hazard out of the game, he played peach of a pass for Rashford and then scored 1 goal.

It was like he was our complete attack and defense in the game.

McTominay did good job and he just young player which lot of scope for improvement. All things considered, he is playing good games.

Aye, bar his big mistake yesterday he done ok. I felt he started slow and was actually relatively poor in the first half, but he certainly picked it up second half and can hold his head high after the week he's had.

 

[Greck]

Herrera created a goal in that game so he edges it but Mctominay had a better defensive performance on Hazard imo for the simple reason that he didn't need brainless fouls to do the job. Herrera already got sent off in one fixture and would have gotten carded or even sent off in the second under a different ref

 

[Robbie Boy]

Complete nonsense. Which is all the more inexcusable coming in response to a post from @Robbie Boy with evidence about how highly rated he was. He’s not making up the stuff about Fergie wanting to give Fletcher first team football at a younger age than the PL would allow. That’s on the record. Fletcher was, by a margin, the hottest prospect to come through our academy since the class of 92.

The way some remember Flecther around here is strange. I get that maybe some are too young to truly remember him breaking through, but 5 minutes of research would shed some light on just how highly rated a young Flecther was. It's incredible that some seem to believe that he was some nobody who was plucked from obscurity and just happened to make it here. The truth couldn't be more different.

 

[Thisistheone]

Played a blinder yesterday considering his age. Responded well after the Chelsea goal.

Showed the fighting spirit and tenacity we badly need. Loved how pumped he was at the final whistle as well. Great desire and he's now firmly part of the first team for me. Would be disappointed if he's not playing against Liverpool.

 

[Sandyman]

I love these kind of stories. Still a long way to go for him, but he is playing with confidence and showing the right attitude. Hopefully, he can step it up a notch next season.

 

[pacifictheme]

Mctominay is doing great so far, really pleased - but people need to put more respect on Darren fletcher's name.

Darren fletcher made 324 appearances during our most successful era, was in the PFA team of the year 2009/10 ahead of the likes of Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard etc

He became an internal part of a team that reached the CL final, regularly stamped his authority on big, big football matches and was Ferguson's first pick in central midfield

If he hadn't suffered Ulcerative Colitis (a life changing illness) he'd likely have made 500 appearances for us, and would be regarded as being at Carrick's level in the all time pantheon of united players.

Lets not forget what Darren Fletcher's achievements really were, PFA team of the year says it all

I still think, had he not been suspended for that CL final things could have been different. A barca player walked through our midfield unchallenged for 1 nil, fletcher at that time would not have allowed that to happen. He really was brilliant for us forna time.

 

[arthurka]

It's pure revisionism. Herrera done a far better job. That's not taking anything away from Scotty McT but it's fact.

It's so funny that people constantly attempt to downplay just how good Herrera was last season. Yes, it's not been good for him this season but stop rewriting history.

Where did I say Herrera didn´t do a great job last season? I for one like Herrera very much. I just pointed out that McT did a fantastic job and used that great game from Herrera as he got praised for it a lot and rightly so.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Where did I say Herrera didn´t do a great job last season? I for one like Herrera very much. I just pointed out that McT did a fantastic job and used that great game from Herrera as he got praised for it a lot and rightly so.

I didn't say you per se. It's just a general theme on here. People have suddenly forgotten just how brilliant Herrera was last season or they downplay his contribution. It's weird. I get that things haven't gone well for him this season and that's fine. But last season he was bloody immense.

 

[RuudTom83]

He gave a very Matic like performance at the weekend. Strength, Calmness and a few nice passes.

Pleased for the boy.

 

[United never give up]

I still think, had he not been suspended for that CL final things could have been different. A barca player walked through our midfield unchallenged for 1 nil, fletcher at that time would not have allowed that to happen. He really was brilliant for us forna time.

Completely agree - we might not have necessarily won the game but things would have been a lot closer if Fletcher had been playing instead of Anderson in that game

 

[BenjaminP]

I'm really excited about this kid. Fantastic performance against Sevilla away and Chelsea home. Two big games, two big performances.
We will buy another midfielder this summer, so it's nice that he gets his chances in big games this season.

 

[Brightonian]

Completely agree - we might not have necessarily won the game but things would have been a lot closer if Fletcher had been playing instead of Anderson in that game

100%, I've always thought so. He was in the very best moment of his career at that point, had put in some almost Keane-like performances. He was exactly the sort of player you would want in your side to face that Barcelona team.

 

[TinFoil]

Hope he picks scotland

 

[Adnan]

Complete nonsense. Which is all the more inexcusable coming in response to a post from @Robbie Boy with evidence about how highly rated he was. He’s not making up the stuff about Fergie wanting to give Fletcher first team football at a younger age than the PL would allow. That’s on the record. Fletcher was, by a margin, the hottest prospect to come through our academy since the class of 92.

What was outstanding about him? was it his Pogba like passing or supreme technical ability in close quarters like Ravel? I think you'll find that at youth level he didn't hold a candle to either player and he was just a young prospect unlike the two I mentioned who were both much bigger prospects than Fletcher at the same age. Fergie said alot of things in the past and I'm still waiting for Phil Jones to transform into the next Duncan Edwards..

 

[Pogue Mahone]

What was outstanding about him? was it his Pogba like passing or supreme technical ability in close quarters like Ravel? I think you'll find that at youth level he didn't hold a candle to either player and he was just a young prospect unlike the two I mentioned who were both much bigger prospects than Fletcher at the same age. Fergie said alot of things in the past and I'm still waiting for Phil Jones to transform into the next Duncan Edwards..

Did you watch Fletcher play for our academy?

 

[United never give up]

100%, I've always thought so. He was in the very best moment of his career at that point, had put in some almost Keane-like performances. He was exactly the sort of player you would want in your side to face that Barcelona team.

Funnily enough though - out of all the players who played in the Ferguson era - Darren Fletcher is the only one who I can see actually becoming a successful Manchester United manager one day

Sir Alex in his autobiography "Leading" mentions that he was astounded by fletcher's team talks when he managed the reserves during his illness. Fletcher is a very intelligent man, commands great respect, was tactically superb as a player and always demonstrated a great understanding of the needs of the team. Listening to him talk about football you can see how tactically astute and articulate he is

I think that once he's completed his coaching badges (which he says he's doing) and gets some managerial experience, I would much, much prefer Fletcher as a manager than someone like Giggs

 

[Adnan]

Did you watch Fletcher play for our academy?

Yes I did, I never thought he was good enough to make it at first team level because he wasn't blessed with natural abilith like a Ravel or Pogba. But having said that, he had a fantastic mindset and won me over eventually with his fantastic displays for the team in many big games and proved his worth as a very important player in the first 11...

10k posts too...

 

[Nick7]

That's bollocks. Fletcher was fantastic for our youth teams.

 

[RexHamilton]

I'm enjoying his progress this season. Central Midfield is a hard position for a kid to make his mark in. You're not going to bang in goals of make assists like a kid getting his chance on the wing or up front and you have much more responsibility when we don't have the ball that any mistake you make can be more damaging, but he is putting in solid performance after solid performance and it's great to see. Fair play to the lad.