Agreed, sad to see it but he looked a shadow of the player he used to be.
Darren Fletcher | 2013/14 Performances
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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I was referring to last season when Carrick didn't need to endure partnering fletcher.
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This has to be the worst individual performance this year, in a season full of them. My god a training cone would be better.
Someone make a compilation of his shit performance today. I'd put his todays performance in list of one of the worst I've seen from United player in long time.
He's not good enough. He was just about good enough to feature when he was at his absolute peak, so the idea that he would be good enough now after his illness is fecking laughable. Just get rid of him.
Dogshit from Fletcher.
Agree no room for sentiment he's taking a squad number and clearly not good enough (though not alone) Rio, Buttner, Vidic, Giggs, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Nani, Hernandez and Fletcher that is 10 should all be moved on as players. Guys like Smalling Jones Evans Valencia Fellaini need to step up next year or risk being moved on also.
Agree. Carrick was dire yet Fletcher was even worse. Hard to believe how awful he was. What was he doing for their goal ?
Even though it's been apparent since 2009 that Fletcher and Carrick can't play together no matter how much Fletcher appears to care at times, he's lost it. He might have had the illness and respect to him for getting through that but it's a major time for United where we can either compound a mid-table status for a period of time (like an Everton or Liverpool) or we can be cut-throat and realise certain players are simply not good enough.
I know some of you will be in the Carrick thread saying he is absolutely finished but I think a decent manager will be able to use him whilst I believe Fletcher now is playing at his optimum because of the after-effects of 3 years in and out of football, surgery and the illness in general.
I feel bad for saying it, but if he can find a decent club willing to take him on I'd be happy to see Fletcher leave because he epitomises the issues in midfield as much as anyone. This isn't a knee-jerk comment, it's an opinion i've had for a while. Massive respect to the guy but a top-level player he is no more.
I know some of you will be in the Carrick thread saying he is absolutely finished but I think a decent manager will be able to use him whilst I believe Fletcher now is playing at his optimum because of the after-effects of 3 years in and out of football, surgery and the illness in general.
I feel bad for saying it, but if he can find a decent club willing to take him on I'd be happy to see Fletcher leave because he epitomises the issues in midfield as much as anyone. This isn't a knee-jerk comment, it's an opinion i've had for a while. Massive respect to the guy but a top-level player he is no more.
His worst performance ever.
Painful watching him today, absolutely painful.
He came through the youth, give him a coaching role....
So 15 players in 2 years. Dream on
Perhaps the worst performance ever seen by a player in an 'elite club' ever. Every time he ran or turn it looked like he had 50 kg weights chained down to his ankles encumbering him. Every time he got the ball he took about 3 or 4 unnecessary touches and treated it as if it was a bomb that was going to off in 2 seconds. When he touched the ball you could just tell he was going to lose it. Didn't help that he was partnered with Carrick either, as it seemed they were both in some sort of a bet/contest to see who could put in the worst midfield performance of the year. Said this before the Bayern 2nd leg, I just don't want to see him play again for United again and I got stick for it by someone.
Both him and Carrick offered nothing today and it was fitting that they both were ultimately responsible for letting in the goal.
We'll take him over here at Beckham's Miami team.
no longer good enough. We can't keep talking about his illness or his being a youth product. Time to move on get rid of all under performers
sadly a shadow of the player we lost to injury 2/3 years ago
time to move him on
time to move him on
He and Carrick ruined us today. There is no less creative centre midfield pairing in the entire league. between the two of them today, they showed about a half of a pair of balls.
Completely agree. The wide men and forwards were poor but still create something half decent once every few times they get the ball. These 2 were just awful today.
I never said 15 players in 2 years!??
I agree. Its such a shame.
What? People are actually surprised an average player who used to have a good engine has come back after nearly 3 years of illness and isn't very good?
Well I never.
Well I never.
His illness has fecked him over. Good player at his prime, not good enough anymore.
Just for fwiw, at one point when I was getting really frustrated with our tempo and counting touches, he took 7 to control a short pass from Mata before passing it on short to Young out wide. 7 touches.
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Just for fwiw, at one point when I was getting really frustrated with our tempo and counting touches, he took 7 to control a short pass from Mata before passing it on short to Young out wide. 7 touches.
.Poor sod tried his best but a slow player in his prime is even slower now after illness. Time to move him on, Celtic maybe, the level of Scottish football would suit him well.
Clearly not good enough for a team that needs major rebuild to the engine room.
Clearly not good enough for a team that needs major rebuild to the engine room.
He had a poor game with most others no doubt. Feel some of you are being overly harsh. The problem is the set up as a whole. Carrick/Fletch could be more expansive but it wasn't like they were passing up on loads of obvious balls or runs. They may be too cautious in their approach but there's a clear lack of variety in our approach with the wide players simply not offering and movement in behind. Given they can't cross it either it leaves us stuck especially when Sunderland set up as they did.
He had energy before the illness. HArried players 90mins. Without that part of his game, he;s painfully average.
Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher may need surgery on a toe he broke in the last game of last season and could miss the start of pre-season under new manager Louis van Gaal.
The Scotland captain will see a specialist this week and could be out for at least a month if he needs an operation.
Any absence would be another blow for the 30-year-old who only returned to first team action at the turn of the year after a lengthy lay-off due to a bowel problem.
He is desperate to get a full close season under his belt after making a full recovery from ulcerative colitis which had threatened to end his career and troubled him for more than two years.
Fletcher made 12 appearances after his return in December, including the 1-1 final day draw at Southampton. He started and finished the game and was only made aware of the broken toe after the match.
Manchester United medical staff and doctors decided the injury did not need surgery initially but the toe has been slow to heal and the club and player want a fresh opinion to decide if an operation is necessary.
http://www.teamtalk.com/manchester-...ery-and-may-miss-Manchester-United-pre-season
The Scotland captain will see a specialist this week and could be out for at least a month if he needs an operation.
Any absence would be another blow for the 30-year-old who only returned to first team action at the turn of the year after a lengthy lay-off due to a bowel problem.
He is desperate to get a full close season under his belt after making a full recovery from ulcerative colitis which had threatened to end his career and troubled him for more than two years.
Fletcher made 12 appearances after his return in December, including the 1-1 final day draw at Southampton. He started and finished the game and was only made aware of the broken toe after the match.
Manchester United medical staff and doctors decided the injury did not need surgery initially but the toe has been slow to heal and the club and player want a fresh opinion to decide if an operation is necessary.
http://www.teamtalk.com/manchester-...ery-and-may-miss-Manchester-United-pre-season
I wonder what van Gaal's verdict on Fletcher will be. I don't expect the Dutchman to be show any sentimental side when assessing each of our midfielders, despite the illness issues Fletcher has had to deal with, so it'll be a ruthless approach and pure judgement on how each midfielder can and will perform under his philosophy and system, instead of the players stature at the club.
Seeing as it's a straight decision between being deployed as a holding midfielder or as a box-to-box midfielder, I don't expect LVG to favour or expect him to perform at a high enough standard in either role. The Scot's main asset as a player was his energy and work-rate and seeing as that's drastically diminished due to his illness, it doesn't really make him suitable as a box-to-box midfielder. Likewise, as a holding midfielder, he doesn't possess a secure enough passing game and touch to really influence LVG's possession game from deep.
He's more of a holding midfielder now, but will perform that role adequately, not outstanding. The manager might believe he can extract more from Fellaini in a box-to-box role and Cleverley who when on form is synonymous with possession football, ball-circulation and movement. This is going off the assumption that Carrick's future is secure of course.
Seeing as it's a straight decision between being deployed as a holding midfielder or as a box-to-box midfielder, I don't expect LVG to favour or expect him to perform at a high enough standard in either role. The Scot's main asset as a player was his energy and work-rate and seeing as that's drastically diminished due to his illness, it doesn't really make him suitable as a box-to-box midfielder. Likewise, as a holding midfielder, he doesn't possess a secure enough passing game and touch to really influence LVG's possession game from deep.
He's more of a holding midfielder now, but will perform that role adequately, not outstanding. The manager might believe he can extract more from Fellaini in a box-to-box role and Cleverley who when on form is synonymous with possession football, ball-circulation and movement. This is going off the assumption that Carrick's future is secure of course.
The problem is not Fletcher, or Carrick, or Fellaini, or Cleverley. The problem is playing 2 of them together. If we want to be successful next season and in the future we should play 0/1 of those players and never 2 of them together.
When I first read your 0/1 I thought you were saying that only one of these players should be in contention, and 0 of that 1 person should be playing.
Defensive contribution
Strong - Carrick
Good - Fellaini
Decent - Fletcher
Decent - Cleverley
Attacking contribution
Decent - Fletcher
Decent - Carrick
Poor - Cleverley
Poor - Fellaini
You want to have a midfield where both players make a strong attacking contribution and a strong defensive contribution. That is very rare. You can have a midfield where both have at least a good contribution for attacking and defending. 1 is good/strong, the other is strong/good. Vidal is an example of such a player.
Defensive contribution
Strong - Carrick
Strong - Vidal
Attacking contribution
Good - Vidal
Decent - Carrick
With Mata providing a strong attacking threat as your 3rd midfielder, that team has a strong midfield and the team is strong. Can make it even stronger by having another midfielder who is strong/good or good/strong.
Strong - Carrick
Good - Fellaini
Decent - Fletcher
Decent - Cleverley
Attacking contribution
Decent - Fletcher
Decent - Carrick
Poor - Cleverley
Poor - Fellaini
You want to have a midfield where both players make a strong attacking contribution and a strong defensive contribution. That is very rare. You can have a midfield where both have at least a good contribution for attacking and defending. 1 is good/strong, the other is strong/good. Vidal is an example of such a player.
Defensive contribution
Strong - Carrick
Strong - Vidal
Attacking contribution
Good - Vidal
Decent - Carrick
With Mata providing a strong attacking threat as your 3rd midfielder, that team has a strong midfield and the team is strong. Can make it even stronger by having another midfielder who is strong/good or good/strong.
Fletcher has reaached the stage were he needs to leave United and finish his career elsewhere like Phil Neville, O'shea, Brown, Butt. He's never going to return to his 2008-10 level.
An operation would be a huge blow. I'm convinced we'll see a much improved Fletch next season if he gets a proper pre-season under his belt.
He could so a decent job at Sunderland and team up with old pals.
Now is the time for him to quit football sadly. It was sad seeing him play like that, he was honestly one of our worst midfielders at the end of last year.
It would be a huge shame considering how much he's spoken about the need to get a proper pre-season under his belt. For what it's worth the club tweeted he'll be fit for the first friendly, but maybe that was before they decided to seek a second opinion.
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So he didn't need that operation and he's starting pre-season training on schedule?
Good stuff. I can see him making a lot of people in this thread eat their words. Having a full pre-season under his belt will make such a massive difference.
Good stuff. I can see him making a lot of people in this thread eat their words. Having a full pre-season under his belt will make such a massive difference.
I don't think that is going to happen in all seriousness.
He will get a crack like everyone else, I cant see him offering an awful lot.
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