Dec 29
Man Utd v Middlesbrough: Preview
United play their second game of the Christmas programme after returning as ‘Champions of the World’ from Japan. Thankfully, our clear dominance was rewarded against the joke of a team that was Stoke City — cue, ‘brave Stoke’s hearts broken’, and more such tripe from the rags. It was just the sort of win we needed after returning from a gruelling schedule. And I would gladly take these kinds of wins right through this Christmas/New Year period. It’s like one of those bitter pills — you know it’s hard to swallow but you do so anyway because it’s going to be for the greater good. So I’ll be prepared to sit through periods of push, prod, huff and puff that my beloved team is offering for now with the hope that we’ll inch closer to Liverpool and, hopefully, ahead of Chelsea.
My premier league table tells me that we are currently 10 points off Liverpool having played 17 to their 20. Winning our games in hand would put us one point off the pace and two points ahead of Chelsea. That can only be good at this stage, and considering the underwhelming nature of most teams in the league this season, we still have a good chance if we can scrap through this difficult period.
So, in scrap we trust.
On to team news, Rio Ferdinand will continue to sit out due to his back injury. This should continue to be seen as a blessing for young Jonny Evans, who hasn’t done too badly whenever he’s been called up. Evra continues to serve his four match suspension, which would see John O’Shea get more game time. Speaking of left backs, it would be interesting to see how Fergie views this as an opportunity to blood Fabio at some point; I hear he’s making a comeback after recovering from his shoulder surgery.
Berbatov, who started on the bench against Stoke should start today, alongside — presumably — Rooney as Fergie looks to rotate (or play randomized musical chairs, going by how he’s picked his players this season)
Boro have had a history this season already when Pogatetz booted Possebon in a Carling Cup game. But this is a side that I don’t have much time for and considering our impressive home record over the past five games (we’ve won all five) I’d say we should comfortably win this one.
Prediction: 2-0 to United.
PS: For those wondering, I haven’t forgotten, and I will publish submitted entries for the writing competition. Those of you who haven’t submitted as yet, feel free to do so as the competition will continue to be open for the next few weeks. And for those who haven’t heard of it yet, feel free to read the rules of the competition here.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Stoke: Preview
- Boro v Man Utd: Preview
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Man Utd v Spurs match thread
- Rooney Out For A Month
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@Gabriel: Fergie used to be a great admirer of talent, something you need if you are a United player.
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@Fred The Red: Absafuckingloutly. Well said mate. The stars on this team are being saddled with having to play with older or mediocre player and a far too restraining and defensive minded system. Nothing worse than holding a thoroughbred back and not loosening the reigns.
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Scholes was on for 5 minutes and did more then fletcher did for his whole game. Scholes’ passing was sublime
@ Grog – Hey we won and we are still lethargic from Japan…
People should back of Ferguson… We won the double last year remember… We are Champs of the world and we are a point off the dippers assuming we win our games in hand
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@JB: Thankyou Jb, knew I could rely on you Bro to get your maths right?. Thing is though Jb, we didn’t seem to be putting on the same kind of dismal performances in those 1-0′s last season. So that is why I am more than a little depressed with all the GAPING misses by our supposed top strikers this season. I never sold my ticket before Jb, but I just feel sickened because our poor, poor form has seemed to go on so long
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@Craig Mc: What kind of training is this team doing to eliminate this problem. Are they taking the effort to deal with shooting and positioning for goals? Also, like Klinsmann, I am a proponent of sports psychologists who can help build player’s confidence and self esteem up and also help them deal with pressure and lacking poise in stressful moments. Perhaps the team needs some of this to break this slump.
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@Grognard: Grog, MISSED my point????. Get back onto my wave length will you Bro?. What you switched onto – Radio GaGa?
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Craig Mc says:
December 30th, 2008 at 0:15
@SHANNON: The MISS?, its not the miss though is it Shannon, it’s the MISS, after MISS, after MISS, After Miss, after Miss, Miss, Miss Miss Miss Miss Miss Miss Miss Miss Miss Miss – WELL you get my point .
Fair enough – but Park was never purchased as a goal scorer was he…
Berbatov… Rooney… Ronaldo… Tevez… These a the boys we need to be looking at in terms of goals… Carrick for me should be scoring more.
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@Fred The Red: I’ve been howling that song for a while mate. I know what you mean. I think he went to the well once too many times with the “Over The Hill Gang” and has shown too much trust in the
“Jobbers Brigade”.
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@SHANNON: Mate we have been lethargic for the entire season, or haven’t you noticed. I actually think we have looked better since returning from Japan than the way we played before the jet lag.
And still we couldn’t hit the side of a big barn from two feet, as Park so skillfully demonstrated today.
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gotta say some of the players in this team are embarrassing they are so average, i mean some of our players wouldnt even get into most of the top 10 teams first 11. Giggs is way past it now and although hes a legend he must retire now. Neville im not sure about, maybe 1 more chance to impress b4 brown returns but at the minute the jury is out, park is just a useless player who wouldnt get in newcastles team let alone ours, fletcher i just dont know why everyone defends him. All he does is 2 yard passes back to vidic or ferdinand, he cannot play a pass more than 10 yards. He hustles a bit but would he get in the other top teams squads. Say chelseas or liverpools- no. Finally kuzczak, he is just crap and again fergie seems to prefer him to foster for some reason. Looing at that analysis there are at least 5 players that need to go now that fergie seems to love. There is talk of giggs and nev getting 2 year extension (fergie even praised nev after a shocking game against blackburn), park plays every game as does fletcher, and every time vds doesnt play it is always kuz who replaces him. Little things like this really are pissing me off and making me loose faith with the manager and i hate that feeling. I just feel the fergie of 10 even 5 years ago wouldnt have tolerated these players but he does now.
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@Craig Mc: Sorry mate I MISS the Radio Gaga thing. In fact, I MISS watching good football too. I think I will listen to the song MISSing You now and think of Eric Cantona.
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@Grognard: Yeah Grog, Ronnie could certainly do with a sports psychologist. What he has to put up with, and it was blatently shown tonight by Pogotetz, and no action taken. I mean the ref was right there, and it was physical assault. He is getting this treatment everywhere, and NO LOVE or support from the United faithful. He is hurting, and yes he is beginning to dish it back now. When he does dish it back, then the PAPS are all over him, and suddenly the thug perpertrators become the saints. Ronaldo used to take all the flak thrown at him last season, but then he had the LOUD support of United fans home and away. It would truly be better for him to move on to somewhere he will be ENCOURAGED and loved again. I am ashamed of some of the United fans attitude towards him. We would have won feck all but for him last season. Shame on the United fans who are letting him down.
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@Fred The Red: Like I said in my post, it is all good saying this person should have played and that person shouldn’t have, but with our fixture list, would they be able to play every game? As it is now, Fergie is giving everyone in the squad a chance at playing in the 1st team to keep them hungry and fresh. This is the reason for having a big squad, so as to be able to rotate players. It’s all about spreading the games out. I would have preferred Ando and Nani in some games this year but we still have a whole bunch of matches for them to play. Nani and Ando might be more talented than Park and Fletch, but the latter have been at the club for longer and their performances early this season did justify their spot on the team. It’s up to Nani and Ando to play their way past them in the next few matches they get, just like Fletch and Park did when they used to get the sporadic appearances.
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@Matthew: Problem is though Matthew, on tonights and previous match showings, have we really got the talent to replace them. I think NOT.
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Craig – Shame on United fans for letting him down?
Do you remember his behaviour in the off season.. Fuck off shamed…
His a gun a player but he ruined Champs league celebrations for most..
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@Grognard: Well, you’re right in everything you say here Grog, and I wouldn’t want to challenge your argument since I agree with most of it.
But you should recognize that today Rafael had not had the best of games defensively and most of the boro threats came from their left side, the side Rafael was supposed to defend. As you said its alright if its boro, but I also think that it gives us food for thought, as in would you consider starting Rafael against, say, Barcelona, who have got Iniesta, Bojan, Messi, or Henry on the wings; in this case our CBs will not be able to cover for our Full-backs when they’ve got Eto’o and another forward to man-mark.
My point here is that while me too I would have started with Rafael against minnows, and really doubt the capacity of Neville to play to his standards of 5 years ago, tonight’s performance was really insightful in the sense that Neville more than held his own while Rafael disapointed defensively speaking.
@Grognard: Oh, just read this new comment of yours and I have to say that it was not the case. You’re in the minority here tonight, most of us recognise that Neville was not bad and Rafael was average.
It says loads that O’shea was a better fullback than Rafael tonight.
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@Craig Mc: I don’t know, having a quick look at those games where we got the 1-0 results last season. From recollection we seemed to struggle to create any chances at all in those games (I think two of them were without Rooney and Ronaldo). This season in general we seem to be playing better football in the 1-0′s but we aren’t converting gluts of half chances.
Alot has been made about the teams various faults such as SAF, no CQ, the old guard, poor finishing by Roovez etc. But truth be told, I think a lot of the faults and problems were there last season. They were however papered over by an imperious defence and Ronaldo. The defence started the season off shakily and we dropped points because of it (i.e. Stamford Bridge, Anfield), however they have now seemed to have got their act together. IMO if we can get Ronaldo going we can still have a very successful season.
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@Grognard: Grog, what most of our players need in front of goal is composure, but how do you teach that?. They either have it or they don’t, and ours don’t
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@Grognard: The scary thing is mate, hes talking about giving them another season long contract for next year, I dont think I can stick much more of this play and the most frustrating thing is this, we are giving Liverpool a massive helping hand in the year that we can finally draw level with them in titles won, just put the most offensive side out against most teams and we will be fine, the only teams we should be wary of going all out against are Chelsea and Arsenal on a good day, the rest I would trust us too have too much for, and that includes Liverpool, thats the way we used to play.
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@Nico QB: I thought Neville was pretty handy when he came on tonight (as he was against Stoke) and seemed to secure the right side better than Da Silva had.
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@SHANNON: No but he was purchased to create opening and goal opportunities for others and he fails at that even more than in his own goal attempts. Honestly mate, what do you find in Stumpy that makes you defend him? He’s so terrible I wish we could somehow inflict him on to Liverpool or Chelsea. Let them live with that walking disasteer. Good ole Stumpy.
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Ive got nothing against playing Neville as he seems to overcome his early season slips and is looking solid. Good as Rafael is he does have an annoying tendency of giving away free kicks with rash tackles and that can be costly. Rafael is also very young and he is getting plenty enough playing time for his development.
Similarly with Scholes….he is still able to make a difference and help us control a game.
Giggs is past it. He is too slow to play on the wing and is just an older ,less skillful version of Scholes now who gives the ball away too much.
Fletcher and Carrick was always going to be too defensive a line up. Fletcher should be relegated back to last season’s role which was providing a bit more in midfield in a big 4 game. We need a creative attacking midfielder to break open these teams that defend with ten men behind the ball and allow Berbatov to push forward and get in the box where he can score!
I’m not sold on Anderson as a creative midfielder. For me his value is still his energy, his hustling, and that is of most value in the big games. He does not have the creativity to consistently unlock defences.
Ronaldo is unbalancing our team. I get the feeling Park plays because Fergie has lost his nerve and does not want to play 4-2-4 which is what it would be if we had Nani and Ronaldo on the wings. Maybe once Ronaldo is sold and we get a more conventional winger we’d be able to revert to a balanced 4-4-2 with one attacking central midfielder and one defensive central midfielder and Rooney and Berbatov banging them in
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@Matthew: I will defend Fletcher as I feel he has greatly improved this past year. He is more offensive minded and more ambitious than you give him credit for. With that said however, he should not be starting for United or any of the Big Four.
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@Craig Mc: I have one major disagreement with you Bro. Why is it you want all the players you love and who are being misused and mistreated to move elsewhere. Truthfully, I’d like the manager and coaches who have caused this problem as well as the referees to move elsewhere before the players. I think Nani’s biggest fault has been Ferguson. I watch how a mediocre play like Benayoun and even Dirk Fucking Kuyt gave improved because Rafa the Rotator stuck with them and gave them six or seven starts in a row. And it starts to payoff in positive dividends. Ferguson is the stone that is digging in our boots right now.
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@SHANNON: And he apologized and admitted he had been wrong. Get over it and the rest of the disloyal fans should do so too. You call him disloyal yet what about those who continually boo him right now. Last I heard, he was Manchester United player. To me that speaks of incredible hypocrisy and stupidity.
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@Grognard: The grass is always greener…. if you take a look at some Liverpool forums you will likely find similar arguments taking place about Ryan Babel’s progress.
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@Gabriel: I know what your saying mate, but in all honesty when Fletcher first burst onto the scene he was crap, but fergie continued to play him, he hasnt extended the same treatment on Nani and Anderson, despite both showing what they can do at different times since they arrived.
Fletcher has been given numerous extended runs in the team and quite frankly, he has always been somewhere between rubbish and functional and this to me smacks of favouritism, and the same goes for Park.
If Ando and Nani had been given the runs that Fletcher has, then I think both would have gone a long way in proving themselves to be more worthy than Fletcher and Park of a starting berth.
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@Nico QB: I’ll admit Rafael didn’t have a great night but it has more to do with what is being asked of him. I still think he has a remarkable ability to recover when caught out of position. As for Neville, I saw nothing in his game tonight to float my boat but also, I admit to a bias against him because I fully believe he far past his best and he is holding the team back with his presence as well as selfishly holding on to his captaincy. Even Beckham knew when to give up the captaincy of England willingly. He just rubs me the wrong way and to be completely honest, I have never been a strong fan of his play. Not even in his early years.
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Craig Mc, well if we dont have the talent already at the club to replace those players then we should have a mini clear out ala barca this summer and bring in replacements with the cash. If that means kicking out a few players who have underachieved then fine lets do that. The thing is most of the players i mentioned were back up players anyway so maybe a couple of youngsters can replace them, the likes of possebon and fabio could be looking for games sson. If any1 is needed to be bought then we may have to get the check book out but as we have seen with barca this year the squad look revitalised and reasy to win things. We just look the exact opposite of last year and dare i say it liverpool look more like us last year, up and ready for it so we need to do anything to get back to that and if that means a mini clear out then so be it.
Grognard, ok maybe i over react with fletcher but i cant stand seeing him playing every game like he is. He must have played in about 80% of our league matches this season as a starter and that is pathetic. He does seem a permanent member of the team at the minute and i cant help but think what does he offer us. Maybe he is more use against tougher opponents where he needs to run around alot like against man shitty when he was good yes, but at home to boro and other defensive teams is redicilous.
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@JB: That is a very accurate statement JB. I truly was in panic mode five games into last season due to the poor offensive output but more to the fact we weren’t creating chances. Our play is not as fast or as artistic as the whole of last season but it is better than the start of the previous campaign. It’s our finishing right now that really has all of us perplexed but at the same time, we are not seeing the style and flow of play that so enthused us last year. But you are correct on that point about last season’s start.
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@Craig Mc: You start with a psychologist and you end with constant practice and repetition under fire. You create mini games where there are rewards and punishments for success or failure and you just repeat them over and over and over until the players improve. My years of coaching basketball and US style football and golf have taught me that half the problem is in the mind and the other is simply being lazy at practice and not working on fundamentals like concentrating and mechanics when striking a ball under pressure. Repetition is the key. The great goal score Gerd Mueller once said he could envision a goal seconds before he got the ball. He saw it in his minds eye.
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@Fred The Red: That’s why I am sing blasphemous tunes like Sack the old fart before he brings down the whole house of cards upon his retirement. I mean really, is Dad’s Army a plan to sabotage the team before he retires and leave it in shambles while he Scholes, Giggs, Neville and EVDS go off into the sunset with their fishing rods?
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@JB: That’s a fair comment and an accurate one. I for one have never understood why Babel isn’t preferred to Kuyt but Rafa like Fergie likes workaholics who offer little skill (Park) over player like Nani and Babel who have tons of it but don’t always track back as well. Again I emphasize my Italian connection.
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@Matthew: On that we agree. He should not be starting over Anderson for example.
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@Matthew: It would be good to have a mini clearout of sorts and bring in fresh players, but I have a feeling that will be done next year, when Giggsy and Scholesy have both said they are ready to hang up their boots. To me it is glaringly obvious that we need a really good playmaker, because we are just not opening up defenses with our MF players as much as I would like. But I also still feel we do not have a very good defensive midfielder who can BOSS the show. Others feel differently though
.
I agree with you about Fletch, he does have a very few really excellent games in a season, but they are as I say FEW. He is not able to thread a ball through the eye of a needle to put our forwards thru one on one with the GK’s, which all top attacking MF’s can do with ease. So I would not truly miss him if he was sold, if I am being very honest.
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Okey, Im taking a rest from this site a couple of days. Maybe a comment on new years eve to grant us all a happy new year, but I need some time to think. If I dont comment, I am not dead. Im just away because of personal reasons. Last thing Im gonna say, a question for Grognard. Did you know this:
“Grognard is French for “grumbler”.[1] It is not necessarily pejorative and is sometimes used as a compliment. Historically it meant a soldier in Napoleon’s army, particularly a member of the Old Guard.[2] It subsequently became an internet pop culture meme.
According to Alan Emrich, “grognard” came to mean a veteran wargamer in the early 1970s.[3] It was first used by John Young, at that time an employee of SPI, and subsequently popularised by Strategy & Tactics magazine.
From wargaming, the term moved to role-playing games where it was used to mean someone who preferred older-than-current editions of a game (for example, a person who stayed with first edition Dungeons & Dragons even after the second or third editions were released).
Nowadays, in colloquial usage, particularly on the internet, it refers to someone who has been involved in a hobby or pastime for a long period, particularly those involved in earlier phases of a now-popular hobby. It is still most often used with reference to wargames or role-playing games.Ӭ
Found it on Wikipedia. Cheers, and have a happy time. Good night.
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@Grognard: Your Gerd Muller statement only applies to the special players, having the mental picture seconds before it happens is what separates merely good players from the great players and it does not only apply to goalscorers, all great players of any position have this, and it cant be coached, its something your born with.
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@Grognard: Well Grog, for Mr Gerd Mueller, that was a good way to see. Proper successful visionary thinking
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@Fred The Red: Mate, Fletch and Park have only recently been given a decent run in the team. Fletch esp has never played this frequently for the 1st team. These players, for a number of years with us they have showed continued patience stuck in the fringes and whenever called upon, they put in above average shifts. Coupled with their early season performances, surely they deserve a run in the side. Also with Nani and Ando only being here for a year, they would not warrant the same amount of consideration, especially when the two sets of players form are similar.
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@Craig Mc: Sell Fletcher, you having a laugh mate, SAF will probably make him captain when Gary Neville retires.
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@Fred The Red: Fred, how much do I love this post of yours. So very true, and I fail to see Gabriel’s main point about them being given holidays to rest them for upcoming games. How do they need a rest, Fergie hasn’t played them enough for them to be remotely tired. Also I cannot see them getting much of a chance even after their holidays.
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@Fred The Red: Are you in favour of that then Fred
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Craig mc, i agree sometimes im scratching my head wondering what else we need and im thinking we need an attacking midfielder. Then however im thinking of games when our midfield is over run and im thinking we need a defensive midfielder too but i doubt we can get both as we would be way too congested. I do think that maybe we should give anderson and possebon a try and maybe in the future that could be the pairing. Possebon is a similar player to carrick but i also feel he plays more defensive and puts in more tackles from what i have seen of him. Now i know that is not much and mostly reserve games but that talent is there for all to see, its just time he needs and i think he could make it. I dont know how fergie feels though. I would probs give hargo 1 more chnace to see if his injury hell ever ends, faling that a new DF may be needed. I always liked diarra of madrid ( the former lyon 1 not the portsmouth 1) so if we ever negotitated over ronaldo i would like to see him coming our way. As for creative midfield players i always loved riquelme but he is getting on in years now, so maybe diego of werder bremen who i have always liked. Theres not too much players like that out there these days but i do think anderson will improve alot when he gets his 1st goal.
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@Grognard: Grog, because I really feel for Ronnie particularly, he is hated countrywide, and vilified country wide, and NOT encouraged and supported by United fans anymore. I can tell you from standing on the terraces a good few of the so called FAITHFUL, want Ronni gone, and speak about him as badly as the away supporters. I have many a feckin barney with United fans Ronnie haters about it. The lad is having his head done in, that is why he needs his move away, before he goes insane.
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@Matthew: There was nothing wrong with Anderson or Nani in their first season Matthew, so you tell me why suddenly they have regressed instead of come on at United. They are losing everything good they brought with them
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@Gabriel: I disagree mate, during our three year title drought Fletcher played plenty of games, and was woefully average in everything he done, ask any supporter who watched him and they will tell you the same, and quite frankly, although his performances have improved, they are not up to Uniteds standard.
Charlton, Crerand, Wilkins, Whiteside, Robson, ince, Keane, Scholes, our engine room for the last fourty years along with some able partners along the way, Fletcher is not the answer to carry on that particular dynasty, so he should be treated as such, and thats not a criticism of him, its just a fact.
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@Gabriel: having said that, this rotation policy might just be brilliant. As it is now, Ando and Nani can try and play their way into a regular 1st team spot thru the games they get, hence producing better performances from them while Park and Fletch can either step their game up while in the 1st team or eventually play their way out but with hungry and improved Ando and Nani ready to replace them. Currently, Fletch seems to be playing his way out and if Ando takes his place, it would only spur fletcher to improve his overall game like he did earlier this season. If anything, this makes the whole squad hungrier and more determined to improve as no one’s place is certain.
It is all assumptive, as this might not be what is happening. However, like I said, we have a gargantuan amount of games, esp early nxt year and without doubt, the Ando’s and Nani’s would get their chance to stake a claim for a regular 1st team spot.
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@SHANNON: Yes, I do remember. I also remember he apologised – several times. He is still at UNited because of Fergie’s bullheadedness – end of. United fans should remember we would have won NOTHING without his stirling effort last season. He bled all over the pitch for us in almost every game, and then while carrying a nasty injury. I’d ask you to cut him some slack, but then with the attitude of your post, I would be wasting my time, you are just like the rest of the United Ronaldo un-appreciators
.
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@JB: Jb – I hope your right mate
. I would love to see Ronnie back on form, and the rest of the team in full power mode of last season also. We can dream, and hope, but it has gone on now almost half a season Bro.
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@Fred The Red: No one is saying Fletch is of the same pedigree as those greats, but on this season’s early performances and on the back of last season’s, fletch has played above averagely! In the beginning of this season, when it was him and Ando in our midfield, who was the better performer? Fletch. This is why I say he deserves a run and the chance to play himself out of contention with Ando or whoever taking his place. Same goes for Park. He might not be better than Nani, but his performances end of last season and early this season warrant a run in the side. Again, he can either improve or play himself out of contention, simple.
These are players who have been loyal servants to our club for some time now and a rise in form should at least be rewarded with a chance to display that form.
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