He's been fine imo, our best midfielder still.
Fletcher has been really poor this season
- Thread starter samabachan
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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?
Usually his passing is pretty ok but this year the amount of times he gives the ball every game is shocking. He could do with a break though.
Fletcher's passing has been poor - he constantly gives the ball away.
Although Carrick doesn't always make hollywood 40 yard passes like Scholes does, he keeps our midfield ticking by rarely losing possession - an incredibly vital part of our game. I wouldn't call that "poor."
That doesn't correlate with what I saw at all.
Don't agree with this, I still think our best midfield is a three of Carrick, Fletcher and Scholes. If Hargreaves went to Lourdes or something and came back in form it would be Fletcher's place he was threatening, by virtue of the sort of player he is. 'Nowhere near' is just nonsense.
He's been off his game this season but he also suffers from other midfielders not doing their part of the job, and playing in silly formations/teams where apart from taking players on himself, there's almost never an option other than a sideways pass or dodgy diagonal ball.
I don't think we can afford to leave Barbatov and Scholes out of the team at the same time. Theres literally nothing through the middle unless one of them is there. Fletcher was poor today, but FLetcher's job isn't to do Carrick's or Obertan's jobs for them.
I don't think we can afford to leave Barbatov and Scholes out of the team at the same time. Theres literally nothing through the middle unless one of them is there. Fletcher was poor today, but FLetcher's job isn't to do Carrick's or Obertan's jobs for them.
The light only comes on in midfield when Scholesy comes on, I don't think there's any use in trying to blame other parts of the team, I mean in another thread Berbatov's poor form has been b/c of the lack of quality supply from midfield, it can't be both.
Fletcher in 90 minutes: 55 successful, 10 unsuccessful
Carrick in 65 minutes: 50 successful, 4 unsuccessful
Carrick in 65 minutes: 50 successful, 4 unsuccessful
Thought he was pretty poor today, as was Carrick. Work rate was good though, he'll come good soon ... hopefully in the big games coming up against Arsenal and Chelsea.
It works well if both are on form and the attacking players are good enough to pick the ball up to feet and provide their own creativity.
Playing Macheda in a lone front role and Obertan in no actual position at all probably isn't the best way to bring out the best in a Fletcher/Carrick combo. Especially when neither can find any form.
I'd agree with Ferguson's post earlier on in the thread.
Our front line were very static in the entire game. When Rooney/Ronnie and Tevez were in their prime they'd be continually swapping positions, roaming, opening up space which made it much easier for our midfielders to find a pass.
Thats one part of Welbecks game that I do like. He is very comfortable in roaming around the pitch and running down blind alleys for the team. One of his strengths.
Our front line were very static in the entire game. When Rooney/Ronnie and Tevez were in their prime they'd be continually swapping positions, roaming, opening up space which made it much easier for our midfielders to find a pass.
Thats one part of Welbecks game that I do like. He is very comfortable in roaming around the pitch and running down blind alleys for the team. One of his strengths.
I think part of the reason Fletcher loses the ball more is he tries to do more, especially in the final third of the pitch. Carrick will pretty much limit himself to either shooting or making a short pass, whereas Fletcher will sometimes try to make a run, or look to distribute to the wings or into the box. Maybe he shouldn't, but when he and Carrick are the only two in the middle, there's not really anyone else to do that. It's worth noting that he tends to have a lot more success when Scholes is out there.
Agree, think Welbeck would add to our side this year, let alone next.
There was one pass in the first half from Carrick where he just hoofed it to the left not even looking.. Really frustrating sometimes.
He's played with Carrick and Scholes and Anderson a couple of times before...
He has been poorer than the previous year but personally I've been happy with his willingness to go forward more often and try something. You see him run into the box way more often.
At the moment he's playing like he's a midfield player with Arsenal.
At the moment he's playing like he's a midfield player with Arsenal.
Park didn't make the run that Carrick anticipated, you can't blame Carrick for that.
Fletchers been poor this season. Hes giving the ball away/ losing possession far too much.
Moreover, its so clear we have one central midfielder whose a man amongst boys. Now fletcher is a good player but us with and without scholes are like two different teams. It's a bit of a worry.
Moreover, its so clear we have one central midfielder whose a man amongst boys. Now fletcher is a good player but us with and without scholes are like two different teams. It's a bit of a worry.
The gap in quality on paper between the two midfields today was vast, I'm still at a loss to explain why we were so shapeless for long periods
I thought he had another stinker today but there's always people who list him in their top 3 for MotM. Makes you wonder if they watch the game. I was disappointed it was Carrick that came off again when he was (albeit not by a lot) better.
I put him in the MotM because I thought he was our second best player today. Tried to show invention, quite a lot didn't come off put he was the only one really providing any forward thrust for most of the game. It wasn't as if we were spoiled for choice today.
Durrrrr. This completely bemuses me, Fletcher's an average PL CM who should be playing for Bolton or Wigan (I made the Muamba comparison way back) always was and still is.
Using that logic he shouldn't have been there because Rafael, Park and Evra also tried but they succeeded.
That just happened to have an amazing 2 seasons and lauded by plaudits all around. Yup average man for Wigan.
Fletcher was poor today, can't believe those saying he had a better game than Carrick, seemingly based solely on the fact that he put himself about
I didn't think either had a good game, but Fletcher gave it away a lot of times in our own half, one in particular I remember creating that left-footed shot by Rodellega from the edge of the area.
I'm sure he'll get through it, he did play a lot lot better once we had the numerical advantage, and he got a lot of time on the ball
I didn't think either had a good game, but Fletcher gave it away a lot of times in our own half, one in particular I remember creating that left-footed shot by Rodellega from the edge of the area.
I'm sure he'll get through it, he did play a lot lot better once we had the numerical advantage, and he got a lot of time on the ball
Ummmm..... no. Do you understand what logic means? That is just not an argument.
yes you wish
People criticising him for his performances this season should note that in terms of goals and assists he's one of the most effective true midfielders in the prem with two goals and three assists. Yes I agree he could be doing better, he's got the talent to do better, but we're lucky to have him. Still without question the most underrated player in the world.
Bale is less underrated than Fletcher.I don't understand you're agenda against Fletcher. All the Arsenal fans I know drool over the prospect of having him in the Arsenal team, and I think an Arsenal with Fletcher would be a huge force in the league, probably favourites.
Peter how well did Song play today?
Did you see the game (I'd guess not)? Song was superb probably my MoM.
Did Song get a foot on the ball after half-time?
He was good in the first half but Modric ran rings round him in the second half.
He was good in the first half but Modric ran rings round him in the second half.
Yeah Song was good, and is also a fantastic player.
You said you put him in the top three because he really did try, although a lot of it didn't come off right. Well Park tried a lot. Rafael tried a lot. Evra tried a lot. 2 assists and one goal right there.
No one in Arsenal was MoM. First half very good. Second half awful. Song was not good in the second half. His silly foul (a very typical Song foul) led to a dangerous free kick that ended in a goal after another bit of sillyness.
Modric dived.
I also said for most of the game, therefore implying that I'm discussing it on a quantitative basis. Fletcher provided for most the game the most quality and invention going forward, just because Park had a cross that came off doesn't mean he contributed as much as Fletcher.
Rafael was my MoM so agree with you there.
No one in Arsenal was MoM. First half very good. Second half awful. Song was not good in the second half. His silly foul (a very typical Song foul) led to a dangerous free kick that ended in a goal after another bit of sillyness.
I do think he contributed more than Fletcher. Won a lot of free kicks and made an assist. An assist is a pretty big contribution. That's the main reason why he contributed more but it's not like he did nothing besides the assist. If he didn't lose the ball a couple of times like he did it wouldn't be as close.
Our full backs were by far our best players. Not surprising either as they had all the time in the world in this game. Nani was probably the biggest disappointment considering it's a side were he should be able to go past his man and that same side just had 9 men on the pitch for a long time.
On a day where your midfield has yet again been torn to shreds and left your defence wide open for attack i wouldn't have thought criticising Fletcher was a good idea Peter, shouldn't you be slightly more concerned as to why the great Song is still providing an open gate in midfield and getting totally dominated by anything that resembles competency in the area, Modric ran rings around the bloke today.
To ship 3 goals in AGAIN at home is embarrassing enough never mind to a side that Fletcher and Carrick in a 2 man midfield conceded nothing to.
To ship 3 goals in AGAIN at home is embarrassing enough never mind to a side that Fletcher and Carrick in a 2 man midfield conceded nothing to.