Auchinyell Sox Change Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 mind being excited after holland play off game 1-0 with the thought of McFadden and Fletcher in the same team ; and as young players with years ahead of them ; unfortunately it wasn't to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcoolJ Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 mind being excited after holland play off game 1-0 with the thought of McFadden and Fletcher in the same team ; and as young players with years ahead of them ; unfortunately it wasn't to be Neither was the second leg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunchy Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I think with fletch he has had to change his game since illness. Where as before he was a box to box midfielder who would run all game giving options when going forward and helping out defence when back but now he doesn't have the engine to do that hole game and instead is having to try and become a solid holding midfielder. I think he can fit this roll fine but he needs to get the game time to fully get into it so a move would probably be the best for him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menschlich Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Physically he can't handle playing 90 minutes any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordanovic Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Blind has the correct name.No way is he better than Fletch in this position. Watched every United game this season. Blind much much better than Fletcher now, end of. Time he moves on. Can't see him in a top side due to age but the likes of Stoke or Hull have been credited with interest in the past few weeks. Imagine he'll move in January if United get their midfield targets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auld_Reekie Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Depends on what is going on behind the scenes. If he isnt back to full health, I think he's better staying where he is and taking the protection of his current contract. IMO, no point in him trying to move on with clubs knowing his fitness and ill health makes him a risky investment. I presume Man United will continue to ensure he gets first class treatment. If he's fully fit and health restored, then that's different and he might well want to look elsewhere. Even if he does though, Im not convinced he's looking at a level where he'll be back to his best for Scotland. Tough choice for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caledonian Craig Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 No way can it in anyway be health-related though as he has been on the subs bench. I just don't think he really fits into Van Gaal's plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girvanTA Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Rumour was Villa were after a loan deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyD Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 If he didn't fit in the plans he wouldn't be on the bench. He's just behind Blind on the teamsheet. No shame in that. It comes down to how much he wants to play. He seems like a loyal guy and has been at utd since he was a boy, so i'd be a little surprised if he didn't stick it out and do the job they want him to do. As for him playing for Scotland. I'm one of those who has been alittle underwhelmed by his career for us. Should be be in the squad, yes. He's better than McArthur no question. Is he better than Mulgrew? Maybe.. but i'm not convinced it's worth breaking up the partnership of Brown and Mulgrew in the middle to fit him in. They compliment each other well and give us more together than they do individually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caledonian Craig Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 If he didn't fit in the plans he wouldn't be on the bench. He's just behind Blind on the teamsheet. No shame in that. It comes down to how much he wants to play. He seems like a loyal guy and has been at utd since he was a boy, so i'd be a little surprised if he didn't stick it out and do the job they want him to do. As for him playing for Scotland. I'm one of those who has been alittle underwhelmed by his career for us. Should be be in the squad, yes. He's better than McArthur no question. Is he better than Mulgrew? Maybe.. but i'm not convinced it's worth breaking up the partnership of Brown and Mulgrew in the middle to fit him in. They compliment each other well and give us more together than they do individually. I would agree with much of that. Yes and you are right that he is still in plans but more as a squad player I'd say and it would take injuries or a monumental effort for him to break back into their first team in my opinion. He would be better biting the bullet and moving on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintlyscot Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 If he didn't fit in the plans he wouldn't be on the bench. He's just behind Blind on the teamsheet. No shame in that. It comes down to how much he wants to play. He seems like a loyal guy and has been at utd since he was a boy, so i'd be a little surprised if he didn't stick it out and do the job they want him to do. As for him playing for Scotland. I'm one of those who has been alittle underwhelmed by his career for us. Should be be in the squad, yes. He's better than McArthur no question. Is he better than Mulgrew? Maybe.. but i'm not convinced it's worth breaking up the partnership of Brown and Mulgrew in the middle to fit him in. They compliment each other well and give us more together than they do individually. Mulgrew is slow and lacking at international level. Comparing Fletcher to him is frankly ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girvanTA Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 In his defence? Mulgrew has cplayed hampions league, europa league, captained celtic and won player of the year when playing centre half. Still not a bad player and can cross a ball. To say he canny really do a job for scotland against ireland,poland,gibraltar and georgia is a bit harsh, at least give him a chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braveheart_lynch Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I'm going to predict he'll be back regular in the starting XI before Christmas. He's had more game time than Fellaini this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyD Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Mulgrew is slow and lacking at international level. Comparing Fletcher to him is frankly ridiculous. Is fletcher quicker than mulgrew? really? neither are speed merchants, but i'd actually be surprised if fletch was the quicker of the two. Mulgrew has a better understanding with Brown, they're club mates and played together a fair few times for us as well. He's spend much of strachan's reign playing defensive mid for us, and successfully so. He's a fair bit taller than fletcher and so more useful in both boxes. His dead ball delivery is better than probably anyone else in the squad. Fletch is an underperforming 'big name' player who can't get a first team game and has barely kicked a ball in years. It might sound like i'm being brutal on Fletch, but that's the reality right now. The more I think about it the less of a question there is. Fletch should be a bench player for Scotland right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caledonian Craig Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Is fletcher quicker than mulgrew? really? neither are speed merchants, but i'd actually be surprised if fletch was the quicker of the two. Mulgrew has a better understanding with Brown, they're club mates and played together a fair few times for us as well. He's spend much of strachan's reign playing defensive mid for us, and successfully so. He's a fair bit taller than fletcher and so more useful in both boxes. His dead ball delivery is better than probably anyone else in the squad. Fletch is an underperforming 'big name' player who can't get a first team game and has barely kicked a ball in years. It might sound like i'm being brutal on Fletch, but that's the reality right now. The more I think about it the less of a question there is. Fletch should be a bench player for Scotland right now. I don't have a problem with Mulgrew and Brown playing in the middle for us either. Fletcher (until he gets first team football again) is not really the man you'd want starting for us as you'd fear rustiness or match fitness would cost us. He could still prove to be a big player for us if he can move on and resurrect his career elsewhere though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintlyscot Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Is fletcher quicker than mulgrew? really? neither are speed merchants, but i'd actually be surprised if fletch was the quicker of the two. Mulgrew has a better understanding with Brown, they're club mates and played together a fair few times for us as well. He's spend much of strachan's reign playing defensive mid for us, and successfully so. He's a fair bit taller than fletcher and so more useful in both boxes. His dead ball delivery is better than probably anyone else in the squad. Fletch is an underperforming 'big name' player who can't get a first team game and has barely kicked a ball in years. It might sound like i'm being brutal on Fletch, but that's the reality right now. The more I think about it the less of a question there is. Fletch should be a bench player for Scotland right now. Mulgrew is a decent centre half and the distribution from his left peg is excellent. He should be a shoe in for every squad. Comparing the two playing midfield at their peak is absurd though. Fletcher at his best is box to box with an excellent range of passing who was a leader for us. I have no idea if he will recapture his former however and would play neither at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion Rampant Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I'm going to predict he'll be back regular in the starting XI before Christmas. He's had more game time than Fellaini this season. Fellaini has been injured from just before the transfer window, so I wouldn't read too much into that to be honest. I'm more interested in Fletcher's game time since Blind arrived which equates to 25 mins. Even in the Everton game LVG brought on Fellaini ahead of him to try and beef up the midfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyD Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Comparing the two playing midfield at their peak is absurd though. I'd agree.. and that's not what i'm doing, so i'm not sure why you bought it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintlyscot Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I'd agree.. and that's not what i'm doing, so i'm not sure why you bought it up. Fair enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 As much as i love the guy it's hard to argue against Blind playing ahead of him, even if United play 2 in the Defensive mid area, at the moment, Fellaini would play alongside Blind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParisInAKilt Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Considering everything he's been through there's no shame in not making the United starting 11. Guess he's got a decision to make based on his age and making sure he's playing enough football to get in our squads because that will be important for him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caledonian Craig Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Yes ParisInAKilt he must remind himself he is no longer a young pup and perhaps only has another three or four years as a footballer (five or six at an absolute push). He must realise Uited are overhauling their squad and it is more likely than not new players will get their chance before he will. I am sure if he were to look elsewhere a number of 'lesser' EPL clubs would be interested. He either stays put and hopes a chance comes his way which I would say is more unlikely than likely or moves on and gets a fresh start and chances to show what he can still do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
er yir macaroon Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Most people here were writing off Naismith a couple of seasons ago. It might take him a whole season of training and playing a few games to get back to full fitness. It took Naismith a couple of years to get to where he is now after his knee surgery. His fitness progress might be accelerated by going to a lesser club, but we don't really know the full story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braveheart_lynch Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 (edited) Fellaini is not a good defensive midfielder IMO. Who's to say Blind doesn't pick up an injury? Fletcher will get his chance again soon. Edited October 30, 2014 by braveheart_lynch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caledonian Craig Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Fellaini is not a good defensive midfielder IMO. Who's to say Blind doesn't pick up an injury? Fletcher will get his chance again soon. Well Van Gaal evidently does not see Fletcher as a go to option so I can't see that changing. If anything he will slip further down the pecking order when Van Gaal signs more players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpg.5eeaf0fbe501ba3c868c32fd77caef1f.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.