Comments on: Have We Been Too Quick To Slate Fletcher?

By: Gerry Armstrong

Gerry Armstrong — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:33:49 +0000

For me Kevin darren fletcher is below par. He simply is not good enough for la liga. He is a terrible footballer. Park Ji Sung on the other hand will blossom to be greater than the likes of Fernando Gago and Jose Maria Gutierrez Hernandes. His quality in the air is similar to a bullet header by Ronaldinho, Darren Flatcher could not even fit into Levante and the poor football that they play.

Love Gerry X0X0X0X

By: austin reynolds

austin reynolds — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:40:20 +0000

one more point. fletcher is a lot more talented than people give him credit for.
phil neville has been mentioned in comparison but in my opinion fletcher is a lot more talented, and although weve seen him put in some excellent mom displays i know he can play even better. the guy has it in him to play at a much higher level. he has an excellent football brain that i feel will blossom as his confidence grows.
theres also not a player in the squad that can close down and press 2 or 3 opponents as well as fletch can.
love him to bits.

By: austin reynolds

austin reynolds — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:34:12 +0000

glad were “nearly” all in agreement about fletcher. after reading pdms’ comment at the top i thought , “here we go” and was reading to write a stinging reply!
anyway, having read the rest of ur thoughts ive calmed down now and dont even feel the need to defend fletch cos evry1 else has.
there seems to be a good core of real football people, and proper utd fans commenting on this site that understand the game, which is refreshing and heart warming when i think of some of the buffoons ive argued with on other talk forums like teamtalk!
keep it up boys……………… follow follow follow!

By: denton davey

denton davey — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:07:20 +0000

Lovedale - thanks for that link. to Anderson’s supreme skill. It was perhaps the most memorable moment of skill in the match. The kid has been an absolute and complete revelation in midfield but, strangely, did not look entirely comfortable in a more attacking role, playing as a support striker/link man against Lyon. This is really surprising because that’s what we were led to believe this is his “best position” - and why he was signed as a ” replacement” of the GingerNinja.

For me, Anderson would be the first midfielder on the team sheet whenevrer possible. He seems to link up very well with Hargreaves, Carrick and Fletcher but not so well with Scholes because Paul/Anderson seem to get in each other’s way.

With regard to Fletcher, the “comments” in ManchesterEveningNews - in response to the article in which Fergy is quoted as praising his fellow countryman - have been overwhelmingly positive. I think that this is indicative of the slow evolution of opinion in his favour. Also, he is properly compared with Phil Neville - another player of unlimited enthusiasm and somewhat limited skill - who frequently rose to the big occasion when called upon. I was sorry to see Pip leave OT because he has shown in his time at everton that he is a guy who would be an asset to any team.

It looks like Fletcher is himself evolving into that kind of stalwart journeyman kinda like Massimo Ambrosini for ACMilan who only gets in the game when one of Gattuso/Pirlo/Seedorf/Kaka is crocked but who is good enough to play for the 2006 World Champions. And, if Fletcher can provide that level of service for TheLads then - yes indeed - people have been far too quick to write him off (and far too stupid to trust SAF’s judgement !)

By: Taehr

Taehr — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:55:22 +0000

He must continue this form

By: Sagar

Sagar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 06:46:15 +0000

he has certainly had more than his fair share of critics.

in this day and age people are too impatient with players…some players bloom a bit later

By: lovedale

lovedale — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:09:31 +0000

I didnt know where to put this:
http://101greatgoals.magnify.net/item/J8PGKCWM22MHHVY9
Anderson - a tackle and a brilliant cross field accurate pass - all in two seconds. Where the fuck would you play this guy?

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:35:49 +0000

Fletch is the ultimate big-game player. big European games, FA Cup ties, league games against the Arsenals, Liverpools and Chelseas - i’m struggling to recall an occasion where he has played in those circumstances and been any less than outstanding (Milan away last season maybe, but who wasn’t abysmal that day?). The guy above saying ‘pray we don’t have to call on him in a critical situation’ clearly hasn’t seen Darren put in man of the match displays against Arsenal on more than one occasion, or against Liverpool at OT last season.

I actually agree with the main body of the article when it’s said that Fletch was poor the season before last and the season before that. he had his good games and his poor ones, but invariably he suffered from being played out of position on the right or from basically being used as Keano’s ‘legs’ when the great man’s mobility started to wane. last season he really stepped up whenever called upon in the first team, and he’s continued that this season.

No-one would say he should be starting every week or be first-choice ahead of the other fantastic options we have in central midfield, but the constant failure to recognise just what a terrifically valuable squad player he is does my head in. Fergie said last year that it’s the Fletcher’s and O’Shea’s as much as the Rooney’s and Ronaldo’s that win the team trophies and he’s not far wrong.

Last night for the first time at the match I heard the ‘famous’ Darren Fletcher song to the tune of 500 Miles by the Proclaimers sung on the Stretford End (admittedly only by a handful of us), and long overdue it was. Hopefully this is a sign that gradually people are starting to realise Fletch’s true worth (although the complete failure by those around me to recognise the quality of that outside-of-the-foot pass to Rooney late on makes me think it’s going to be a veeery gradual process).

By: Tre

Tre — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:33:27 +0000

He’s the perfect squad player and he’s dedicated to the club. I really like Fletcher, not as a regular starter but as a squad player who steps up in big games later in the season, like now, to fill in the gaps. Plus, I think it’s great to have a Scot in the squad as well as someone who’s come up from the academy.

By: Tom F

Tom F — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:12:30 +0000

I have always backed Fletch. He is quality whn playing in his proper role and he may not provide a thrill a minute but his no nonsense style says a lot. He started against Roma in last seasons mauling and it’s unfair to write the guy off when he is asked to play on the wings.

I have always supported him, especially on this blog as everyone moans about the poor bastard, as well as Carrick. I am glad to have the two british midfielders playing for United.