08/09 Review: Fletcher

While Darren Fletcher is far too modest to expect to be the first name on the team sheet, he graduated in 2008/09 from big-game mastermind (specialist subject Arsenal) to a player who made a bucketload of starts in central midfield…

Start to finish: My, how the Reds were in debt to Fletch as the title defence stuttered into gear back in August. The Scot scored United’s first two goals to secure a point against Newcastle on the opening day and a tricky win down at Portsmouth on the following Bank Holiday Monday. A third league strike of the season added another point to the tally in that ‘game of two halves’ at Goodison in October, but it was Fletcher’s tireless running, flawless chasing down and chasing back, and thrusts forward in support of his team-mates that characterised a season ill-deserving of its cruelly curtailed finish.

In position: In early season, with Ronaldo out injured after Euro 2008, Fletch was picked to play right midfield, a position he frequently filled in 2003/04 after David Beckham’s departure. But with Ronny back, he reverted to his preferred, deeper central role, enjoying success alongside Carrick (predominantly), Giggs, Paul Scholes and Anderson.

Season highlight: Against Chelsea at Old Trafford, the surprise inclusion (and dominance) of Giggsy stole the headlines, but Fletch’s movement and creativity were equally impressive. Chelsea’s much-vaunted trio of Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel couldn’t get near United’s central pairing, who were in a different class.

Vital contribution: Given the freedom to get forward against Portsmouth, Fletch ghosted in at the near post to convert Patrice Evra’s low ball.

Any lows? We'll never know whether Darren would have nullified Barcelona's midfield geniuses in the Champions League final, following his controversial red card in the semi at Arsenal.

Any other business? In December, Fletch scored one of United's five goals in the FIFA Club World Cup final. In February, he took time out along with Ben Foster to take a training session for kids from the National Deaf Children’s Society. The kids learned plenty about football, and Darren and Ben learned how to do their names in sign language.

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24. Darren Fletcher

Darren Fletcher is a player for the big occasion. While other men might shirk from the responsibility presented to them in the heat of battle, the Scot thrives in such encounters.

This attitude was never more visibly displayed than in the 4-0 thrashing of Arsenal [in February 2008] in which he headed two goals. He set the standard for the team with his indefatigable running, hassling, closing down and tackling which denied the Gunners time and space to play their usual passing game.

“I enjoy the added pressure of the big games," admitted the midfielder, who scooped his second title medal in

May 2008 and was an unused substitute in the Champions League final in Moscow. "The atmosphere’s always special and the crowd spur you on.”

In terms of recognition for his exertions and qualities, Fletcher's United career has been a slow burner. It is only with age, and with an ever-growing list of outstanding performances, that he has received due credit.

His United career almost got off to fairytale start when in May 2000, Fletcher was set to be included in the squad for the league trip to Villa Park, but FA rules – and his schoolboy status – denied him the chance.

He joined United officially as a trainee in July 2000, but injuries stymied his progress. He eventually made his debut against Basel in March 2003, but it was in the following season that Fletch made his mark, notching 35 appearances. By this stage, he was established as one of Scotland’s leading lights: he scored the solitary goal against Lithuania that earned a play-off for Euro 2004 and, later that season, aged 20, became Scotland’s youngest captain for 118 years.

The 2004/05 campaign brought Fletcher’s first goal for United, in a 2-0 win at Boro on New Year’s Day. His most famous strike to date was against

Chelsea in November 2005 when he headed the goal that ended the champions’ 40-game unbeaten run. Subsequent seasons saw him used intermittently, but the trend of selecting him for the biggest, most important games indicated the high regard in which Sir Alex Ferguson holds his countryman.

That faith was displayed when, in October 2008. Darren signed a four-year contract extension. He admitted that just a few months earlier he had contemplated life away from Old Trafford, only for Sir Alex to field him regularly in the early stages of the 2008/09 season.

Fletcher struck up an energetic, dominant midfield partnership with Michael Carrick and began finding the net on a more regular basis, validating the judgement of his manager and finally yielding recognition from peers and supporters alike.

Sir Alex: We missed Fletch

Darren Fletcher was perhaps the perfect player to disrupt Barcelona's possession football, and Sir Alex Ferguson's fears before the game that the suspended midfielder would be a great loss sadly proved prophetic.

The Reds boss recognises that Barcelona also had players missing through suspension, but from a United point of view Fletcher would have been key in disrupting the flow of passes from Andres Iniesta and Xavi to the front three of Eto'o, Henry and Messi.

"I thought before the game it may have been a problem," said Sir Alex.

"I knew it might count against us because he is a big-game player and he was a big loss. It's difficult to say how big, and they had players missing too, but it showed for us tonight."

Fletcher's ability to cover every blade of grass in the middle of the park would have been an asset as United tried to regain possession - but keeping the ball was also a problem.

"The simple reason we lost was possession," Sir Alex added. "You have to wait minutes to get it back off Barcelona but when we did get it, we didn't do anything with it.

"That was the disappointment, our use of the ball when we had it.

"We recognised beforehand their strength was their central midfielders. It wasn't really Messi who was the problem. It was Iniesta and Xavi. They can keep the ball all night long.

"You have to give credit to a very good Barcelona team. If they get in front of you they are very difficult to beat."

Darren Fletcher

Darren Fletcher

Darren Fletcher

Date of birth: 01.02.1984
Country: Scotland
Position: Midfield

Fight for the right to party

It is hard to believe that we are already at the penultimate game of the league season. It feels like only yesterday that I was taking my seat in the East Stand for the first match against Newcastle United. Come 12.45pm on Saturday I will be taking my seat in the Stretford End to watch our final home game against Arsenal and I ask myself is it really all over so soon?

As a United supporter going back to 1980’s I am hard pushed to remember a more memorable season than this one, well if we exclude the Treble back in ’99 that is! Two defeats to Liverpool in the league and a gut-wrenching defeat to Everton in the FA Cup semi-final may have been the lowest points of our season, but the highs have far outnumbered the lows. Ranging from Carling Cup glory to becoming the first English club to win the FIFA Club World Cup, from setting a new British clean sheet record to standing on the cusp of Premier League and Champions League glory, there have been few seasons like this.

Whilst Rome looms on the horizon, retaining the Premier League title is what the season is all about. Winning the league at any ground is special, but it means even more to supporters for the triumph to be secured on home soil.

Back when I was nearly a teenager, controversial American hip-hop band, The Beastie Boys, sang “You gotta fight for your right to party,” and I know that is exactly what the players will be doing on Saturday for another 90 minutes – fighting for their right (and ours) to celebrate!

When I first started supporting the Reds, the league was the Holy Grail. After we finally secured our first title in 26 years in the 1992/93 season I thought nothing could ever match that feeling again, but this season title success is going to mean just as much to me. For so long United supporters have had to put up with the incessant boasts from Liverpool fans about how many more times than us they have won the league that it will be of immeasurable pleasure to draw level with them.

For 36 league games that have come before the players have toiled to put United on the brink of glory and I implore everyone inside Old Trafford on Saturday to make a noise like they have never done before to help drive the team across the finishing line.

It will not be easy to overcome an Arsenal team that will no doubt be looking for revenge for their Champions League exit. I appreciate the challenge they will provide, but I cannot help feeling more than a tinge of excitement now we are so close to the finishing line. I hope though that unlike the recent games at Old Trafford against Aston Villa and Spurs that we do not have to go through the mill emotionally.

As our mosaics in the Champions League have boasted over the past two seasons – BELIEVE! I certainly do. We will prevail on Saturday and then we can let down our hair (though in my case there isn’t much of that these days!) and party!
The views expressed in this blog are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Manchester United FC.