Darren Fletcher is enjoying the best season of his United career so far, which certainly bodes well for the future when considering he is just 24-years-old.
Fletcher has had his criticis over the years but he is finally starting to answer them (myself included). He has attributed his improved form to putting on weight, progress in the gym, and a more selfish streak in his game.
“I’ve put on weight since the summer,” said Fletcher. “I consciously gained five kilos, which has really helped. I’ve been doing a lot of work in the gym and that has really paid off. In previous years, I’d go into the gym and it just didn’t seem to have any effect physically. I didn’t see much improvement. But this year it has worked. I’ve also made a deliberate effort to be more selfish, getting into the box and taking up goalscoring positions. Usually in games I’d sit back and concern myself with the other team’s counter-attacking.”
Fletcher then went on to talk about what is required of a player to stay in our team and how he has focussed to ensure that’s what he does.
“To stay in the United team you can’t just go out there and do just enough,” Fletcher added. “You need to do more. I didn’t want to tie myself down to be a one-dimensional midfield player. I felt I had to add goals. I want to be the player that gets back and puts in tackles, the player that can hold the midfield and someone who scores – be it a late run, a header, anything. I started this season wanting to be flexible, and all-rounder – to show I can pass, shoot, defend and have all the responsibilities of the modern midfielder. That comes with confidence, age, maturity and experience gained in previous seasons. I’m playing the best football of my career and a lot of it is down to playing a lot of games. If you get a consistent run in the team, then your form improves.”
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200% commitment from this lad…watching the likes of him and Park chasing every ball whether we are winning or losing 3-0 makes me proud to support United.
fucking good lad. good for us to have him in our squad. SAF was right.
when Ronaldo was out of the game at the beginning of our season he reminded me of portugal winger. he scored goals and was always at the end of out atacks. this was the main revelation for me.
surely he has improved and all the credit to him and mister Fergusin.
He’s been great this season. Top player to have in the team…always looking to improve and never complains.
I love him, but he’s still a squad player who will always be Hargreaves back up. If Hargreaves ever gets fit that is.
He had a great start to the season (best he has played for Utd in my opinion) but I think he is fading now.
What’s the bet he proves me wrong tomorrow (hope so).
his improvement only highlights how awful o’shea is.
when these 2 first came through they were both equally terrible. fletcher has improved incredibly, and now deserves to be in the team when he is.
o’shea is still at the same level as when he started.
As I have said many times before, if he played for Villa or West Ham, Liverpool and Chelsea would be trying to buy him for £18m!
He’s a great asset to our squad and never goes missing in big games, I am sure him and Carrick will start tomorrow with decent results when battling away in midfield.
24 and there’s so much more!
I have to say this season he has stepped up.While our midfield numbers are still good,we really needed him to do that.Hargreaves,Carrick and Scholes got injured and Anderson has found it hard in his second season so it was really refreshing to see the lad take some responsibility.Tomorrow as always he will give 100% and i expect him and Carrick to cancel out their midfield.
DanS, that is not very fair of you. you cannnot say he is fading. since scholes returned, there has been a shake-up in the midfield. fletcher will come good in time. another product of our prestigious academy. as for tomorrow, i really do not care what the scoreline is. i just want a victory for manchester united without our team conceeding a goal.
I don’t really think you can compare fletcher and o’shea. One had an incredible début season which he has never since repeated while steadily looking more and more dodgy and the other has been quietly improving over the years. I think there opposites really.
Fletcher is obviously the better of the two now as well.
I thought he had bulked up , looks a lot stronger this season. Great attitude, great engine and rarely lets us down. Could have gone in summer but wanted to stay and fight for his place and for that you can only praise the lad.
Will definately start tomorrow with Carrick, who in my opinion is one of the best central midfielders in the Premiership. A top drawer player, very classy. Hugely under rated. And Fletch is still only 24.
I hope he starts tomorrow. We haven’t been seeing him of late, and I would love to see him alongside Carrick or Anderson. Preferably Carrick though.
Thanks for proving me wrong Darren. Well done.
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