If he starts today he's going to need to put in his best performance of the season. Does he still have it in him to get even close to his form pre-illness? I'm nervous for him.
Darren Fletcher
- Thread starter Maciej
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
I'm a big fan of Darren Fletcher, but from what I've seen he's still struggling with his fitness. I had hoped that by this point he'd have started to get more energy back, but there is still time. I hope he's not still suffering symptoms, if he was I wouldn't be shocked to hear we've been keeping that info under wraps.
Though perhaps I'm just remembering Fletch at his best and remain a little frustrated at not having had that iteration available for so long.
Though perhaps I'm just remembering Fletch at his best and remain a little frustrated at not having had that iteration available for so long.
From what I've seen he is still a bit away from being able to play in the big fixtures like this. You can tell that he isn't fully back from his illness and I don't think he will get the same energy levels that he had pre illness.
So we are going to have to give him time to adjust his game to reflect this. Chucking him in against City isn't what I would like to see right now.
He will always suffer the symptoms gooDevil that's the illness its a chronic bowel condition. It really saps your stamina you lose your energy reserves. We are seeing this with Fletcher it's sad to watch but no player is bigger than any club and we will move on. Hard as it sounds that's the reality for us and Fletcher but he deserves his time to try and recover as he has earned this much. I just wish he would go out on loan and see for himself I'm sure a QPR or such would happily give him game time every week. Would be a great acid test for him and we would only benefit also. No time for sentimental thoughts in football I hope Fergie makes a decision in the summer on him Giggs and Scholes. Hopefully he gets back but odds are stacked against him unfortunately.
He is still suffering it, you can't rid yourself of it I don't think, it can just be managed through diet and luck.
But what he does now is one thing but when he got going for us he was one of our key players and was important to the team both in a general sense and against the big teams. He wasn't just a player who could do a job inhibiting the other team, he was a good player in his own right.
But what he does now is one thing but when he got going for us he was one of our key players and was important to the team both in a general sense and against the big teams. He wasn't just a player who could do a job inhibiting the other team, he was a good player in his own right.
One of the dumbest myths on the caf. He was a better fit against Barca than the midfielder we had to play, but the gap in quality in those matches was way bigger than whatever impact Fletch would have brought.
For me he's the same player as he used to be on the ball, but off the ball he's not the same player we used to draft in for the big games to run, close down players and put his tackles in. And its very unlikely he'll get that back with his condition.
Anyone with any theories what the current situation with Fletcher is? So far over this 'busy festive period' he's barely featured so are we just keeping him around as an extra body or is he ever going to be (for want of a better term) fully back in the first team squad?
A bit worrying that he hasn't been called upon other than for a few minutes as a sub. We need someone to spell Carrick as our holding midfielder. Would be a risk to play him now against Wigan after sitting on the bench for the last few matches. We really could do with his energy though because wigan will be their usual gameraising selves and press us all over the pitch.
Well he played against Reading away which suggested we reckoned he could do a job in a tough game but he looked off the pace and since then there haven't been many chances for him. Which is odd given that we've had a couple of games at home that you would think he could have done a job in, if fit. So basically, I reckon he might still be a bit off in terms of fitness and his physical health, so we don't want to risk him to start a game at the moment.
Any news on his illness causing problems recently? He's not even sub today. I know he has a re-occurring condition but that was not stopping him getting game time early this season.
He's been conspicious by his absence over the Xmas period with Anderson injured. Early season it looked like cover for Carrick was his role in the squad in those early season CL and League cup games but he's not started a game for over a month and the Xmas period is when Fergie normally calls in his reserves.
I daresay he will start against West Ham but it's not a great sign for his comeback that Fergie's not trusted him with a league start during the most busy period of the season.
He's been conspicious by his absence over the Xmas period with Anderson injured. Early season it looked like cover for Carrick was his role in the squad in those early season CL and League cup games but he's not started a game for over a month and the Xmas period is when Fergie normally calls in his reserves.
I daresay he will start against West Ham but it's not a great sign for his comeback that Fergie's not trusted him with a league start during the most busy period of the season.
Is he not perhaps even paying some reserve football? It was notable how unfit/off the pace he was when he did play.
I hope its nothing to do with a reoccurrence of his condition though. He needs to bulk up a bit - which is probably tricky for him.
He's not playing reserve football either according to the recent team sheets available on manutd.com.
He's been on the subs bench over xmas and came on for Hernandez against Newcastle. He's clearly not injured. He's just not getting games.
Any news on a injury then?
True that. Completely forgot about the Toon match.
I'm a bit surprised we haven't seen more than 1 Fletcher sub appearance in the last 6 games. He did make the bench without coming on in 2 of those, but he's been out of the squad completely for the last 2 games.
Of course there haven't been any reserve games for him to play in since Dec 18th.
Fletcher didn't appear in the last two Getty training pics sessions, neither today's or one from the 21st of December. If he was just injured you'd think SAF would say something.
Of course there haven't been any reserve games for him to play in since Dec 18th.
Fletcher didn't appear in the last two Getty training pics sessions, neither today's or one from the 21st of December. If he was just injured you'd think SAF would say something.
Fergie said it's due to the heavy pitches over Xmas:
Darren Fletcher's involvement, meanwhile, could depend on the state of West Ham's pitch. "The ground has been really heavy recently and I don't think the pitches have suited him,"
which does imply he's not back up to fitness which is a shame.
Darren Fletcher's involvement, meanwhile, could depend on the state of West Ham's pitch. "The ground has been really heavy recently and I don't think the pitches have suited him,"
which does imply he's not back up to fitness which is a shame.
I don't think it's injury more than I think he's not winning his fitness battle. If he was fit, he'd be in and around the squad.
Of course it could be an injury but I'm convinced it isn't.
Shame it's not quite happened for him.
Thanks for that, good to know!
I'm willing to give Fletcher all the time he needs, but it's been hard seeing him lacking his famous endless energy.
Should have played today
Why is that?
Surprised not to see him start today but to be fair, given his complaint I'd imagine it might be a week to week thing depending on how he's feeling.
He needs games right. Unless his injured
He wasn't even on the bench. I'm sure Fergie would play him if he is fit.
It's because of the pitches.
The condition he has means he will have flare ups and periods he needs to rest, this looks like one of them. The pitches would hardly be a major problem looks like imo Fergie is trying to protect him.
Is it a fear that the heavy pitches would take too much out of him because he's already physically a little frail? I don't know, I can't see how long this can possibly last with him being so limited.
He's looked far off the pace physically, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised that when the pitches are even heavier Ferguson is reluctant to push him.
It does raise questions about Fletcher's ability to come back and make a telling contribution. So far his contribution has largely been playing in dead rubber-matches protected by two other runners in midfield and still look off the pace.
It does raise questions about Fletcher's ability to come back and make a telling contribution. So far his contribution has largely been playing in dead rubber-matches protected by two other runners in midfield and still look off the pace.
well,
if we are in the UCL, Fa Cup and challenging for the FA Cup. We can't just survive on Carrick, Cleverly, and an anderson only available half the time.
Cause when Scholesy starts we lack balance. And when Anderson is injured, we have just two players in midfield who can be played without affecting the balance of the team to such an extent. Plus carrick is the only player of the kind we have. With us having to play so many matches and fletch not being reliable, we have to have to buy a midfielder.
if we are in the UCL, Fa Cup and challenging for the FA Cup. We can't just survive on Carrick, Cleverly, and an anderson only available half the time.
Cause when Scholesy starts we lack balance. And when Anderson is injured, we have just two players in midfield who can be played without affecting the balance of the team to such an extent. Plus carrick is the only player of the kind we have. With us having to play so many matches and fletch not being reliable, we have to have to buy a midfielder.
Anyone suspect that he has had a recurrence of his condition? Fergie said that Fletch hasn't featured because of the heavy pitch conditions at OT. But then why wasn't he even on the bench for the FA cup tie at West Ham?
Why would Ferguson lie about his condition when everybody knows about his condition ? No reason to lie then
I secretly suspect that. I had to research the disorder as a part of my degree (although more from a therapeutic perspective) and one thing that I remember is that even with mediaction/diet control, random relapses do tend to occur.
Although we wont really know unless he is out for a prolonged period or SAF says. He did seem ok when he came on at the end of the Newcastle game though (?I think).
there could be something in that.
His first few appearances he looked very healthy. It might have been the adrenaline or what have you but his last few appearances he's looked haggard and tired.
Hopefully he's just getting back in the swing of things. I really hope he can come back at full strength for United's sake and his sake. I have heard he is a bit of a football nut and you can tell you loves the club.
His first few appearances he looked very healthy. It might have been the adrenaline or what have you but his last few appearances he's looked haggard and tired.
Hopefully he's just getting back in the swing of things. I really hope he can come back at full strength for United's sake and his sake. I have heard he is a bit of a football nut and you can tell you loves the club.
I don't see that ever happening, he hasn't even gotten close to his best this season and has largely been very bad.
I honestly think his time here as a player should be done, I think sentimentality is the only thing stopping this from occurring.
He hasn't even been on the bench since coming on for the last 2-3 minutes against Newcastle (and horribly misplacing a pass). If he can't handle the heavy pitches because of his condition, it's not exactly a good sign for his ability to continue his career at this level.
I wouldn't rule out the heavy pitches being an excuse, though. We may all know of his problem, but keeping people regularly updated about ups and downs he may be having is not something we'll be doing. If he's been struggling again, I can't see us telling people until there's something definite.
If he'd been fit, it would have been one hell of a boost to our midfield. As things stand, he's a bit of a lame duck. He's there, but barely making up the numbers. Even though we're all supporting him, it's seems unlikely he'll even be truly back. And we will need a Fletcher/Hargreaves type of signing, the sooner the better.
I wouldn't rule out the heavy pitches being an excuse, though. We may all know of his problem, but keeping people regularly updated about ups and downs he may be having is not something we'll be doing. If he's been struggling again, I can't see us telling people until there's something definite.
If he'd been fit, it would have been one hell of a boost to our midfield. As things stand, he's a bit of a lame duck. He's there, but barely making up the numbers. Even though we're all supporting him, it's seems unlikely he'll even be truly back. And we will need a Fletcher/Hargreaves type of signing, the sooner the better.
What worries me about his career ( for his sake), is that the hard work he put in during the summer could all end up being useless.
He hasn't featured at lately, and while he mightn't of been picked, I still think he could well be suffering with his condition again.
Only time will tell to try and see how he's managed to deal with it.
He hasn't featured at lately, and while he mightn't of been picked, I still think he could well be suffering with his condition again.
Only time will tell to try and see how he's managed to deal with it.
I have the exact condition and relapses continue throughout your life. His energy levels will have dropped considerably and that's a big blow for Fletcher considering what type of player he is.
Has anyone heard any update on him lately? He's disappeared lately, and it would be nice to hear how he's getting along now.
Think with the season there in England right now, might not see him till next month going by what Sir Alex said.
I guess, we'll see how his improvement goes till the end of the season and take a call together in the summer.
I guess, we'll see how his improvement goes till the end of the season and take a call together in the summer.