[SambaBoy]

I feel sorry for him. He's obviously wants to do so well and cares about the club. He's a proud man so his performances must be hurting him or at least how much he has fallen off the scene but he will keep thinking he can turn this around and that he is a good game away from becoming the player he was but that's just not the case.

I can see him going to Celtic at the end of the season but his time is up here at least in a playing sense. Fantastic servant and a true pro so if he wants to retire then we should be doing everything to keep him on in some sort of role within the club.

 

[Judge Red]

It's difficult to be too harsh when his career should be over after what he's been through, but his career IS over at this level.

 

[TheReligion]

Yeah not a good cameo from Fletcher today. Still we have plenty of options in the midfield it is just Hererra and Blind are both out of contention currently. He won't get a look in when all of our options are back.

 

[Raven Blade]

Too many mistakes come from him these days. I'm sure he'll try and do a job for us every time we pick him but he must know that he's running out of time here. We're grateful but can't afford to let sentiment cloud our judgement. His bottom level is only get lower with time.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

Really don't understand this type of mentality. Our performance towards the end of the game wasn't Fletcher's fault. We were winning 3-0 at home. While it may not be pleasing for some supporters, it made sense for us to keep the ball.

Barely put a foot wrong and he's being lambasted. At that stage of the game no one was doing much attacking. We were in a mode to see out the game. He helped in that and provided an option for defenders to pass to and helped keep possession.

He couldn't play a simple pass, he is just too slow + he has made a massive mistake against Ayoze in the 78th minute.

If he would have at least one decent game this season then i could a little bit understand if someone says "I don't understand this type of mentality"
But he was awful in every match this season....and that is a fact!!!!

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Too many are a bit apologetic with Fletcher, and you can see why. But he's just not very good now is he?

I look forward to Blind's return.

 

[OneUnited24]

Too many are a bit apologetic with Fletcher, and you can see why. But he's just not very good now is he?

I look forward to Blind's return.

Its a real shame. I still think our defeat in the 2009 final was down to us missing him in midfield, would have been the perfect player alongside Carrick.

Still i think its evident that we cant even call upon him and IMO is another one to let go - all apart of trimming the fat

 

[Amir]

Can't put the fact we've gone to first gear down to Fletcher, it would have happened anyway. But then, he's hardly used this chance to show what he can do, which is probably because he doesn't have much to offer now. His game was always based on physical abilities and he's lost a lot of that. Not everyone can compensate through gaining other abilities, such as passing, vision, etc.

I don't see why people are complaining about Van Gaal bringing him on today, though. We wanted to give Carrick a breather, a needed a defensive minded midfield and we didn't have other choices. It was well worth it.

 

[ZDwyr]

I actually thought it was one of his better appearances this season, which probably says a lot about what I think of his others. He clearly only came on to rest Carrick and was the only option we have. If Blind, Herrera or Fellaini had been available I have no doubt it would have been them who came in. Fletch is finished, unfortunately.

 

[Pexbo]

I actually thought it was one of his better appearances this season, which probably says a lot about what I think of his others. He clearly only came on to rest Carrick and was the only option we have. If Blind, Herrera or Fellaini had been available I have no doubt it would have been them who came in. Fletch is finished, unfortunately.

Aside from that one feckup he wasn't bad per se. We did however lose our intensity and tempo the moment Carrick came off for him and completely lacked the ability to recycle play quickly and get it to our forward players in space. A good part of that though was probably down to the planned tactic of suffocating the game and playing it at our own pace in preparation for Spurs.

He's done at this level though and he can't be more satisfied with the way the club has looked after him through his difficulties. Right now, replacing him with Strootman would make us so much stronger in terms of depth.

Carrick, Strootman, Blind, Di Maria, Herrera, Fellaini, Rooney and Mata.

What a difference that would be from a few years ago:

Carrick, Scholes (37), Giggs (38), Fletcher (Ill), Cleverley, Anderson,

 

[sunama]

Re: Strootman
Have you actually watched Strootman recently?
He isn't particularly good since he came back from injury.
He has hardly played any games and is still recovering.
The last game I believe was Roma Vs Sassuolo.
http://www.goal.com/en/match/roma-vs-sassuolo/1836375/ratings

He scored an uninspiring 2/5 (= 4/10)
"A subdued return to the starting lineup for the Dutchman, who lacked the drive to compete"
At present, unless we get him on loan deal (like we had with Falcao, try before we buy).

Roma's best midfielder is probably Pjanic - that's the guy who is worth buying.

 

[Pexbo]

Re: Strootman
Have you actually watched Strootman recently?
He isn't particularly good since he came back from injury.
He has hardly played any games and is still recovering.
The last game I believe was Roma Vs Sassuolo.
http://www.goal.com/en/match/roma-vs-sassuolo/1836375/ratings

He scored an uninspiring 2/5 (= 4/10)
"A subdued return to the starting lineup for the Dutchman, who lacked the drive to compete"
At present, unless we get him on loan deal (like we had with Falcao, try before we buy).

Roma's best midfielder is probably Pjanic - that's the guy who is worth buying.

I've been saying all winter thought that we shouldn't buy him in January so I'm working on the assumption he's working his way back from an 8 month lay off and will be back to his best by the end of the season - which is when we move for him.

 

[NoPace]

Didn't look good today, but for a 3rd string DM he's doing his job well enough.

He looked sharp for most of the pre-season. He needs to get back to that level to play legit minutes here.

If he wants to play more, I think he'd start for a few Prem teams lacking in anything adequate at DM. Karl Henry stars for QPR now. Burnley's players are mostly bad. There will be 3 new teams up needing Prem experience. Also a team like Sunderland or Newcastle who have a pretty good DM but could use more depth there.

 

[rover]

though i understand blind is not available but i think this is still no good to deploy fletcher into the no 6 role. the responsibility to shield defenders and to coordinate the play is too big a job to him now i think. the pressure could only make him to commit more errors.

i think fletch is still okay to come in for one of the other midfielders role though. definitely there is less pressure to playing there and would have received more cover

 

[Nighteyes]

He was shocking but I'd rather he get minutes when we are 3-0 with a game in 2 days time than come on when we have a slender lead.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Was a decent performance. His best of the season. By no means terrible. Standard redcafe response in this thread to a single bad error, late in the game. "OMG, he was shite!"

 

[gooDevil]

I'm a bit surprised we don't have a young midfield prospect he's willing to try, it's not like we were a danger to concede 3 in the last 10 minutes.

 

[SonnyTheHaloPro]

Hate to say this but I think he should be moved on, because when/if he players, he is probably going to cost us points. He doesn't offer anything and is taking up valuable minutes that Pierrera, Januzaj could be using imo.

Unfortunately I just knew he was going to have a mare up yesterday, and he pretty much gifted Newcastle a goal scoring opportunity out of nothing.

 

[Galactic]

Another unconvincing performance from him so far. Seems to have lost so much composure these days.

 

[Barca84]

Watching him is becoming embarassing almost. If he was a horse he'd be staring down the barrel of a gun.

 

[FujiVice]

Not good at all today. Looks like he should be warming up for Yeovil.

 

[dr.twinny]

Another day, another rubbish performance.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Another unconvincing performance from him so far. Seems to have lost so much composure these days.

That's an understatement I've seen sunday league midfielders that are better

 

[Robbie Boy]

If anyone thinks he was decent today, then they must have extremely low expectations. I love Fletcher and he's been a brilliant servant, but he's just not up to it anymore. There's no need for people to keep on defending his performances. No one is slagging him off as a person or saying that he hasn't been a brilliant servant, but he just isn't up to it anymore.

 

[Walrus]

Really poor, yet again.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

That is shocking from him again again again

He isn't the only one.....but he plays that level since the start of the season

 

[Fergies Formula]

Retire now

 

[Speak]

If anyone thinks he was decent today, then they must have extremely low expectations. I love Fletcher and he's been a brilliant servant, but he's just not up to it anymore. There's no need for people to keep on defending his performances. No one is slagging him off as a person or saying that he hasn't been a brilliant servant, but he just isn't up to it anymore.

Not this again.

 

[gregwar]

surely he knows he's done now. might be his neville moment.

a shame, i like fletcher, but he's lost too much.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Not this again.

Erm what? Did you read my post?

 

[Rado_N]

Not this again.

What's wrong with that?

 

[Speak]

Erm what? Did you read my post?

What's wrong with that?

I don't know how many times I've read that Fletcher's been a great servant, and I still don't understand how it's the case.
I agree with the rest of your post though. Nice guy, nothing bad can be said against him, but it's time for him to go down a level or two or retire.

 

[Robbie Boy]

I don't know how many times I've read that Fletcher's been a great servant, and I still don't understand how it's the case.
I agree with the rest of your post though. Nice guy, nothing bad can be said against him, but it's time for him to go down a level or two or retire.

He was an instrumental part of a-lot of our recent success and has been at the club since he was a youngster. He always strikes me as a model professional and was a very good player in his prime. Of course he's been a great servant.

I don't believe on keeping players based on sentiment and he definitely isn't up to it anymore. That was really the tone of my post. I would understand you picking out that point if the tone of my post was about he's been a great servant and we should give him games because of that - but I clearly said the opposite.

 

[Triple.Threat]

I'm sure he sees the writing on the wall. No way he could still believe he can still make it at this level.

Time to move on.

 

[Cooksen]

I love fletch and thank him for every effort that he has done.

But when Blind comes back and we hopefully sign Strootman he retires with grace and gets a great sendoff at the end of the season.

 

[Sylar]

He should do a gary neville.

 

[Walrus]

I don't know how many times I've read that Fletcher's been a great servant, and I still don't understand how it's the case.
I agree with the rest of your post though. Nice guy, nothing bad can be said against him, but it's time for him to go down a level or two or retire.

I would agree that he has been a great servant. Came through and stayed when the fans were against him and he was made a bit of a scapegoat. Persevered and broke into the first team, became a solid partner for Carrick in the middle for a few years until his illness.

Not really sure why it is being questioned - why would you say that he hasn't been a great servant?

Not excusing his performances this season of course - he is finished and needs to retire, that is similarly not in question.

 

[Natener]

Was good making quite a few nice interceptions and lay offs for Yeovil. Not so good for Man Utd though.

 

[Rado_N]

I don't know how many times I've read that Fletcher's been a great servant, and I still don't understand how it's the case.
I agree with the rest of your post though. Nice guy, nothing bad can be said against him, but it's time for him to go down a level or two or retire.

Well I'm not being funny but that's your problem, and if you don't understand how he's been a good servant to this club then it's not worth trying to explain it.



Back to today, I would say that a performance like that should make it obvious to LVG that he shouldn't be playing any longer, but I'd have thought for sure he'd be the one to make way for Di Maria so who the feck knows.

 

[Speak]

He was an instrumental part of a-lot of our recent success and has been at the club since he was a youngster. He always strikes me as a model professional and was a very good player in his prime. Of course he's been a great servant.

I don't believe on keeping players based on sentiment and he definitely isn't up to it anymore. That was really the tone of my post. I would understand you picking out that point if the tone of my post was about he's been a great servant and we should give him games because of that - but I clearly said the opposite.

Okay, fair enough.