Darren Fletcher's future

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Seeing we have Scholes, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves and sometimes even O'shea&Giggs playing central midfield it makes me wonder if there will be any room for Fletcher. Last season he has some really good games and I thought maybe he could step up and get even more games this season. In Scotland he's God himself and SAF have really put a lot of faith in him. I believe we haven't seen the best of Fletcher yet but with the lack of games and opportunities it looks unlikely for him to get closer to the team. Now with Scholes out for some time he should be able to compete with the other guys on the stage. What do you guys think his future will be?
 

Pogue Mahone

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Seeing we have Scholes, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves and sometimes even O'shea&Giggs playing central midfield it makes me wonder if there will be any room for Fletcher. Last season he has some really good games and I thought maybe he could step up and get even more games this season. In Scotland he's God himself and SAF have really put a lot of faith in him. I believe we haven't seen the best of Fletcher yet but with the lack of games and opportunities it looks unlikely for him to get closer to the team. Now with Scholes out for some time he should be able to compete with the other guys on the stage. What do you guys think his future will be?
Looking bleak, to be fair.

Maybe a season on loan at a Premiership club?

Be a shame to have kept faith in him so long then sell him before we get to see if he really does have what it takes. He's still quite young, to be fair. And he's always looked like a late developer.
 

dan_alex

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This is the first season since Fletcher has broken through that I am beginning to think maybe he should be sold.
I'd still prefer to keep him as a very good squad player. I have thought over the past few years he has had the potential to be a very very good player. His vision and long range passing when on form can be world class. Unfortunately, I think it's taken this amount of time to become clear that he's not always on form, and is a fairly limited player.
Not to mention we now have younger midfielders with more potential than him, Nani and Anderson.
 

Trigg

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I think it depends on his ambition. He's not going to be a first teamer I doubt. If he has the ambition to want to play week in - week out he may decide its better for his career to move on.

If he's happy to slot in every now an then and be part of the first team squad then I think he'll stay for a few more years yet. I'd have thought that Anderson, Carrick, Scholes and Hargreaves will all start before Fletcher so his games may be very limited.
 

lucius

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on wed night vs sporting he was trully awful. back to his worst clueless days of 3 years ago. so many of our moves in the 1st half broke down cos he can't pass the ball. And a midfielder who can't pass the ball or tackle is a big liability. How the game changed in the 2nd half when he was subbed.
let him go in jan transfer window. it would be better for him as well - he could play regularly at some other Prem team, and not be a perennial bench-warmer.
 

Trigg

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His performance was awful in the first half, but so was every other players on the pitch. He wasn't the sole reason to the shabby first half, he was just one of the reasons so its unfair to lay the blame at Flecther.

I do think he doesn't add anything when he plays. He can't pass better that the others, he cant track back better than the other so what does he offer to the team? I can't honestly see a reason for him to start above anyone else.
 

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on wed night vs sporting he was trully awful. back to his worst clueless days of 3 years ago. so many of our moves in the 1st half broke down cos he can't pass the ball. And a midfielder who can't pass the ball or tackle is a big liability. How the game changed in the 2nd half when he was subbed.
let him go in jan transfer window. it would be better for him as well - he could play regularly at some other Prem team, and not be a perennial bench-warmer.
He may have been awful but he CAN pass and tackle, it must be difficult for him this season hardly playing and then trying to produce. Still that looks to be his future.
 

Trigg

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He can Pass and Tackle but doesn't do those things better than the other players we have. Which is why he won't and doesn't play at that much.
 

GloryHunter07

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To be fair Scholes will likely retire in a couple of seasons time and we will need fletch in the squad
 

MrMarcello

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I read in the rumor mill that he could be a replacement for Arteta when the latter leaves Everton in the summer. Said the price for Fletcher would be 3-4m.
 

krazyrobus

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Fletcher is this decade's Nicky Butt. Usually he can be relied upon to do a solid job when asked. If we do get Veloso then it is time for him to move.
 

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As a United fan, I would sell O'Shea before we sell Fletcher but as a Scot I'd rather Fletcher played regularly so Scotland can continue to improve.
 

thoward

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Much prefer him in midfield to O Shea but O Shea is more versatile. It could be that Carrick may end up leaving if he isn't playing enough though(if Hargreaves was to steer clear of injuries)
 

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The only chances Fletcher will get are Cups games and against easy opposition if Fergie considers to rest somebody
 

Pogue Mahone

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Much prefer him in midfield to O Shea but O Shea is more versatile. It could be that Carrick may end up leaving if he isn't playing enough though(if Hargreaves was to steer clear of injuries)
That's what I've been thinking for a while now.

If Fletcher had made ths most of his chances this season and kicked on from how he did last season (and Hargreaves got over his injuries) I wouldn't have been the last bit surprised to see Carrick go back to Spuds, in part-ex for Berbatov.

But that's looking increasingly unlikely.
 

Ekeke

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He can Pass and Tackle but doesn't do those things better than the other players we have. Which is why he won't and doesn't play at that much.
I disagree.

For instance he passes better than Hargreaves (tackles worse) and tackles better than Carrick (Passes worse). Fletcher's problem is he doesn't have stand-out attributes as much now Hargreaves is around.

Carrick is starting to suffer from this too because of Anderson.

Best passer in midfield we have Scholes.
Best tackler is Hargreaves.
With Scholes getting on, Anderson is nailed on as a replacement.
Hargreaves is only 26 or so - though he does get injured a lot.
Carrick is perhaps not offensive enough to challenge Anderson for Scholes' spot once he hangs up his boots, but he did well enough defensively last season alongside an attacking player.

This leaves Fletcher who isnt as polished in one area as any of the others. He's just a very hard worker with lots of energy. Which is now Owen Hargreaves whom we have just bought for £17 million.

It may be that its best for Fletcher himself to move on. But I still like him as a player and privded he gets enough games over the course of this season to make him happy, I hope he stays.
 

krazyrobus

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He hasn't had many chances himself. He was out for 6 weeks at some point this season as well.
 
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Seeing we have Scholes, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves and sometimes even O'shea&Giggs playing central midfield it makes me wonder if there will be any room for Fletcher. Last season he has some really good games and I thought maybe he could step up and get even more games this season. In Scotland he's God himself and SAF have really put a lot of faith in him. I believe we haven't seen the best of Fletcher yet but with the lack of games and opportunities it looks unlikely for him to get closer to the team. Now with Scholes out for some time he should be able to compete with the other guys on the stage. What do you guys think his future will be?
Fletcher will get games. The season is young yet. More Injuries will kick in. And as we get more successful, and fixtures pile up, more of the big name midfielders will rest. Fletcher will get as many games as one O'shea does. Especially in the busy Christmas-Feburary period. Thus believes the chief:cool:
 

Rolledo

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Fletcher's a good player. Plays with real heart. And if he's content with his bit-part role there's absolutely no reason for us to get rid.
 

Twisted_Woody

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We Fletcher for depth. If we lose 2-3 midfielders, he'd be starting. If we sell him, we're up shit creek for cover. As some of the other posts have said, Scholes will be retiring in a few years so that'll free up a place in midfield.
 

MrMarcello

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Much prefer him in midfield to O Shea but O Shea is more versatile. It could be that Carrick may end up leaving if he isn't playing enough though(if Hargreaves was to steer clear of injuries)
That would be Carrick's choice I'd think. Losing Carrick to keep Fletcher is not going forward - it's regressing. Carrick is far more talented and is a key player to United's future. Fletcher is one of those tidy players that are very common in football (i.e. Cahill, Reo-Coker, Parker, Butt, etc.).
 

B Cantona

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Who cares, there are thousands of Fletchers out there. If he goes, someone of similar or even better talent comes in. If he stays, he'll play very little. This is a happier situation to the last few years, and shows how much our squad has improved
 

Utd heap

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If Fletcheer did leave for a team outside the top 4 (most likely) he'd most probably be their best player.
And that says alot about him...
I'm happy for him to stay at Utd.
 

MrMarcello

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If Fletcheer did leave for a team outside the top 4 (most likely) he'd most probably be their best player.
And that says alot about him...
I'm happy for him to stay at Utd.
It happens (i.e. Butt @ Newcastle, Howard @ Everton, Cole @ Blackburn). Leaving United is often a step down in success and stature, save for the likes of players like Beckham, Ruud, and Heinze that have gone to a club just as big as United.
 

Alex

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It happens (i.e. Butt @ Newcastle, Howard @ Everton, Cole @ Blackburn). Leaving United is often a step down in success and stature, save for the likes of players like Beckham, Ruud, and Heinze that have gone to a club just as big as United.
All 'slightly' more talented than Fletcher
 

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I think will hold onto to him unless he wants to leave to get more first team football.

As a squad player you can't ask for much better than Fletcher. If he was playing regularly he would get into quite a few top half premiership teams.
 

Alex

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I think will hold onto to him unless he wants to leave to get more first team football.

As a squad player you can't ask for much better than Fletcher. If he was playing regularly he would get into quite a few top half premiership teams.
Agreed, but there is still a huge gulf of class between the Big 4 and even 5-8
 

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Agreed, but there is still a huge gulf of class between the Big 4 and even 5-8
Of course there is, but how many of top 4 teams have players on the bench that could get into one of the other top 4 teams?
 

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It's not possible to have the very best to sit on the bench.
 

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How things have changed huh....

Remember Roma 7-1 last year? Who the feck was partnering carrick huh?

Fletch looked good in the home milan game too...didn't look out of place against the likes of gattuso