Wayne Rooney on the brink of greatness after Milan show, says Ruud Gullit

Originally Posted by Zorg

eh

Btw some people use the word 'technically' with not the first clue about what it means. Little rafabio is one of those people.

I've just realised what I did wrong. Shearer would rather score twice and lose 3-2 than win 1-0 with him not scoring. Well spotted.

rafabio's had a bit of a nuclear winter here

He seems to rate Fletcher highly as well, mind you it would take a complete gobshite to ignore the influence he now has on the team. But it's nice to see him get the praise he deserves.

Ruud Gullit has lavished praise on Manchester United and Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher after his standout performance in Tuesday night’s Champions League. The 26-year-old set up United’s first and third goals in a 3-2 win over AC Milan at the San Siro, bringing the Dutch legend to comment.

Fletcher has continued to impress in a red jersey this season and has become an integral part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, consolidating his place after several seasons as a squad player at Old Trafford.

His fine form has made it virtually impossible for Fergie to leave him out of the big games however and his role in the victory in Milan brought praise from one of Europe’s greatest all-time midfielders.

“Fletcher was everywhere,” said Dutch legend Gullit. “He was actually picked up as a left winger but then he popped up on the right when he set up the opening goal.

“He is a great player and I think he works so hard. His ball for Wayne Rooney’s second goal was the difference between a good team and a very good team.

“It was a great delivery and he knew exactly where his team-mate was.”

http://sport.stv.tv/football/158294-...r-united-star/

Originally Posted by Spiffy

I've just realised what I did wrong. Shearer would rather score twice and lose 3-2 than win 1-0 with him not scoring. Well spotted.

Beat me to it

His fine form has made it virtually impossible for Fergie to leave him out of the big games however and his role in the victory in Milan brought praise from one of Europe’s greatest all-time midfielders.

yeah, it's all down to form. because it's not like he's played in every single big game (and stood out in pretty much every one) for the last five years or anything.

Originally Posted by borsuk

yeah, it's all down to form. because it's not like he's played in every single big game (and stood out in pretty much every one) for the last five years or anything.

so can you please tell us why he didn't play in the semi-finals or finals of the champions league in 2008?

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

all 3 goals were straight off the training ground

nah, that's %@#$&!s that is. fergie hasn't got a clue compared to tactical geniuses like benitez and wenger. all he's got is the hairdryer.


i was reading the papers yesterday and it's clear it was a terrible performance in milan. it appears a 5-0 win away in the san siro was the least we could expect, and our failure to manage that was in fact just evidence of united's further precipitous decline.

Originally Posted by rafabio

so can you please tell us why he didn't play in the semi-finals or finals of the champions league in 2008?

yeah. his season was £#%&!ed up by injury in 2007-8 and he struggled for full fitness and form.

appearances by season:
2005-6: 41
2006-7: 40
2007-8: 24
2008-9: 42
2009-10 to date: 28


hth

Originally Posted by rafabio

so can you please tell us why he didn't play in the semi-finals or finals of the champions league in 2008?

Let the man himself tell you

DARREN Fletcher admits he couldn't face Sir Alex Ferguson after he suffered a potentially season-ending injury when on Scotland duty last month.

The midfielder infuriated his manager when damaging medial knee ligaments in the final minute of a 1-1 draw with Croatia.

Fletcher's injury has forced him to sit out crucial games against Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League, as well as the Champions League quarter-final with Roma.

And coming at a time when he was playing the best football of his career, he admits he was keen to avoid Ferguson's fury.

"I hid from him for about a week," he said. "I think he was disappointed for me, himself and the club.

And despite initial fears that his season could be over, he is still holding out hopes of playing a part in the title run-in and the final stages of the Champions League, where United face Barcelona in the semi-final.

Tomorrow's clash with Blackburn will come too soon for him, but he may be able to play some part in the visit to Chelsea a week later.

"I'm nearly there," he said. "I've been training for nearly two weeks. It's just a case of kicking the ball.

"Any day now I could wake up and it will be manageable, I've just got to get through to the close season.

been a big game player for years now, darren fletcher. his form has completely eclipsed media gods like gerrard, essien and lampard for the last three years, in fact i can't think of a defensive midfielder in europe who has consistently approached his level. said it before, he should be united's (and the premier league's) player of the season.

Originally Posted by borsuk

nah, that's %@#$&!s that is. fergie hasn't got a clue compared to tactical geniuses like benitez and wenger. all he's got is the hairdryer.

Good, isn't it? An English team score three against Milan the San Siro and at one point in the match look like they're going to get five or six, but not only is it down to luck, it's also papering over the cracks of an imminent demise

I'm really glad the Fletcher is getting the credit he deserves.

For probably the first time ever I can safely say "I told you so" to every £#%&!er that didn't believe me when he started on the right wing.

Originally Posted by Harri Jaffa

I'm really glad the Fletcher is getting the credit he deserves.

For probably the first time ever I can safely say "I told you so" to every £#%&!er that didn't believe me when he started on the right wing.

He was still shit for 2 or 3 years though, not just wide. Fair play to him, he's got better and the improvement in the last 3 years is staggering tbh. Absolutely top player now, approaching world class imo.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

He was still shit for 2 or 3 years though, not just wide. Fair play to him, he's got better and the improvement in the last 3 years is staggering tbh. Absolutely top player now, approaching world class imo.

Depends on your opinion of shit - I thought he was alright, always did as he was told, which meant that he wasn't given clear instructions against the smaller teams and he wasn't confident enough to make his own mark.


IU've said it before and i'll say it again ldman: he pissed all over games before his very serious teenage injury, all he needed was time

With every post he makes, Rafabio makes his idiocy even clearer.

Originally Posted by borsuk

i was reading the papers yesterday and it's clear it was a terrible performance in milan. it appears a 5-0 win away in the san siro was the least we could expect, and our failure to manage that was in fact just evidence of united's further precipitous decline.

And the key to our win was a 'fluke' goal that came out of the blue, apparently. Never mind that Scholes' bit of luck five yards from goal came after he'd made a typically intelligent run into the box and been picked out after we had carved them apart with a brilliant passing move that started inside their half. It reminded me a little of Ronaldo's header at Roma in 2008: they had most of their team behind the ball and all in position, yet we completely opened them up with a brilliant precise and incisive build-up. No individual moment of brilliance, just a great team goal.