For Fleck's Sake

[Champagneblade]

I reckon head up to Scotland and play in a team that plays with a nice double pivot.

He can still tackle but his box to box days are well behind him.

He's been a brilliant servant. But I don't see the levels there for what comes next.

 

[Captain2]

Flecks been a great servant since we signed him from Coventry, adapted well to playing in higher leagues , first season in the Prem really impressed but now his legs have gone and needs moving on.Could still do a job in Scottish Prem then again I probably could at the age of 61.

 

[CPB]

and ours let's cherish the memories but it's been evident since the relegation season that Flecky's legs have gone. It's now embarrassing. And if we start Fleck and Norwood together at Wembley it will be more than embarrassing. Doyle suffering tonight as he hasn't his usual outlet in McAtee. He's devoid of options. Fleck's jogging around like it's a training match. A sublime player for us in his day but that was in his day. Not now. We need better.

Fleck needs a run of games which we can't afford. Even then not sure how improved he would get.
He's never been quite the same since he had COVID during start of pandemic.
Although we have seen some decent performances off him since.

I can't see him not starting on sat.
Be a surprise for Coulibaly or arblaster to start instead and Osborn doesn't seem close.

Unless it's a Basham, Norwood, Berge midfield?

In many ways it's damage limitation you'd think so might not matter who plays haha.

Might hecky surprise us with a change of formation?

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

No way can we start Fleck on Saturday. Love the guy but Saturday would ruin him.

When we signed Anel - wasn't it mentioned he had played midfield before?

 

[More Bladier than thou]

We cant be renewing his contract end of season. He doesn’t cut in the championship anymore and if we are to stand any chance of avoiding relegation from the epl, he, norwood, Sharp, stevens, Baldock and most of the old guard need to go. No room for sentiment or passengers

 

[PaulHalfway]

It’s a pity Coulibally hasn’t played more minutes, I would start him on Saturday rather than Fleck

 

[Brian Deane]

We cant be renewing his contract end of season. He doesn’t cut in the championship anymore and if we are to stand any chance of avoiding relegation from the epl, he, norwood, Sharp, stevens, Baldock and most of the old guard need to go. No room for sentiment or passengers

Add Basham to the list too. Needs to go like 2yrs ago.

 

[Working Class Hero]

It would seem irresponsible to play Fleck at Wembley now, but I'm not sure there is another option. Is Coulibaly fit? He obviously isn't good enough and hasn't even made the bench for a while, but it feels like less of a gamble at this stage.

Wouldn't surprise me if Fleck rolled back the years and managed to find something for a one off game like this though.

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

It would seem irresponsible to play Fleck at Wembley now, but I'm not sure there is another option. Is Coulibaly fit? He obviously isn't good enough and hasn't even made the bench for a while, but it feels like less of a gamble at this stage.

Wouldn't surprise me if Fleck rolled back the years and managed to find something for a one off game like this though.

Surely Coulibaly is fitter/faster than Fleck?

I’d be unbelievably surprised to see him roll back the years against the strongest possible opposition on Saturday! Unfortunately.

 

[Nick Jansky]

This is actually not a terrible idea.

I reckon head up to Scotland and play in a team that plays with a nice double pivot.

He can still tackle but his box to box days are well behind him.

He's been a brilliant servant. But I don't see the levels there for what comes next.

Agreed. Ryan Flynn has had a fantastic few years doing similar to this for St Mirren in the SPL & he wasn’t half the player that Fleck has been.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

My all-time favourite signing of the Wilder era.

Energy, tenacity, loved a driving run, loved a tackle, never dropped his standards, consistently reliable, always showed for possession, linked up seamlessly with Coutts/Norwood and Duffy, got into dangerous positions, and made the step up to the Prem with ease. All 'on a free from Coventry...'

Utterly superb.

But his best days are behind him and our midfield desperately needs an injection of youth and pace.

Love you, Flecky.

 

[Working Class Hero]

Surely Coulibaly is fitter/faster than Fleck?

I’d be unbelievably surprised to see him roll back the years against the strongest possible opposition on Saturday! Unfortunately.

Don't know, it was a genuine question as he hasn't even made the bench for a long time. I haven't heard anything about him being injured but the alternative is that he's so far from the manager's plans for Wembley that it's not even worth giving him a 5 minute run-out.

 

[WigglyBlade]

Fleck's my all time favourite United player, so it really pains me to say this, but he's just not going to get his old form and confidence back is he

I don't know whether it's a mental thing, if his legs just won't do it anymore or if he's just achieved everything he wants to in the game and doesn't have that desire/hunger anymore, but the Fleck of the last 3 seasons is a shadow of the player from 2016-2020. I remember watching a few interviews with other players who always said, even in training, if you were on Fleck's side, you always won, as he was that good.

He was absolutely sublime for his first 4 seasons and was one of the main reasons we reached and stayed in the Prem and I just really hope he can find one last great performance on Sat... but I am worried for him (and us) if he starts and plays like he has been.

I'll be really sad to see him leave at the end of the season but, with him turning 32 in August, I just can't see us renewing his contract.

 

[Speedracer]

My overriding thoughts when seeing Fleck on the team sheet now is one of sadness. It is clear to anyone that he will never get back to the player he was during our rise up the leagues, he really was a terrific player for us, but his many recent injuries have left him unable to reach the fitness levels he previously had. He was always fighting against the body shape nature had given him & now it is just too far.
He has been one of our best, & was a favourite of mine, but I honestly feel it would be a kindness to let him go & find a club more suited to his current abilities, rather than keep giving him the odd chance to prove he still has it.
I fear he could play at Wembley purely down to a sense of loyalty from Hecky (& maybe Billy too), but time stops for no man, it's time to let go.

 

[Nick Jansky]

I fear he could play at Wembley purely down to a sense of loyalty from Hecky (& maybe Billy too), but time stops for no man, it's time to let go.

The Wembley line up shouldn’t be based in any way on sentiment. Giving decent minutes to the players who will be our future, Coulibaly, Arblaster, Brooks, Jebbison & Osula, would be amazing for their development in a game that is otherwise a free hit. We would learn a lot about them, too.

 

[Badger Blade]

John Fleck could play in his dinner jacket up in the SPL but not in this league any more and certainly not at Premier League level. He's someone we can wheel out for the last few minutes if we're winning and want to protect Doyle/McAtee/AN Other for the next game but to start with him is scandalous based on how he's performed, pretty much since the Premier League relegation season.

There were more than a couple of occasions he was left in the middle of nowhere after being second to the ball and Bristol City players knocking the ball round him as if he wasn't there when a few years ago, he'd have snapped into the tackle, won the ball and set us going down field.

2019/20 John Fleck was the player he was always touted as being as a kid at Rangers. Box to box, tackling, scoring goals, killer passes, runs into the penalty area and running the show and its a real shame to see how he's dropped off and how quickly the game at Championship level has overtaken him.

 

[Stanthemanfan]

Whoever interviews Hecky needs to nail him on his bizarre decision to start Fleck, rather than McAtee.
I like Hecky but he does make some strange decisions at times.

Probably because mctee can't play sat and try and get some fitness into fleck

 

[Bladesman]

It would seem irresponsible to play Fleck at Wembley now, but I'm not sure there is another option. Is Coulibaly fit? He obviously isn't good enough and hasn't even made the bench for a while, but it feels like less of a gamble at this stage.

Wouldn't surprise me if Fleck rolled back the years and managed to find something for a one off game like this though.

He played against Millwall in the U21 game yesterday.

 

[Nicesheffielder]

Bash is a legend, he was brilliant during our rise through the leagues, and despite not being the same player he's worthy of a squad place as he's still dependable and puts a full and proper shift in.

Fleck on the other hand, despite being arguably our best midfielder up to the end of the first Premier League season, no longer has any redeemable attributes and just needs to leave. Do not pass Go, do not collect £200, just leave. Thanks for the memories but you're tarnishing them with every minute on the pitch.

BANG ON

 

[highgreeninjapan]

We cant be renewing his contract end of season. He doesn’t cut in the championship anymore and if we are to stand any chance of avoiding relegation from the epl, he, norwood, Sharp, stevens, Baldock and most of the old guard need to go. No room for sentiment or passengers

Surprised to see Baldock on your list.

 

[More Bladier than thou]

Surprised to see Baldock on your list.

Tough one, decent championship player but i just think we need more reliability in that position. It all depends on what we have to spend over coming months though doesn’t it.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Tough one, decent championship player but i just think we need more reliability in that position. It all depends on what we have to spend over coming months though doesn’t it.

He gives us plenty of defensive reliability, which we will need in the EPL. It’s the attacking side of the game where he’s lacking.

 

[Proper Blade]

The most consistent thing about Fleck these last few years has been how poor he is after a break. If he's recovering from an injury or it's the start of a new season, he has always taken ages to get going. He's a player who needs a consistent run of games to click into gear.

Now he's picking up more and more injuries he's just not been able to get a run of games in that he clearly needs. Must be frustrating for him. However I do think he'll play Saturday, and I think he'll play well. He always has done against Man City.

 

[Guesty]

Do we bollocks want to get rid of Baldock this Summer.

 

[Charlieblade]

Rubbish. He spent most of the first half covering for Fleck as well as trying to do his own job. Which a heat map of his positions on the pitch would show.

Norwood likes the real John Fleck playing alongside him. That’s because Fleck makes Norwood look better. Sadly, that has become a very low bar.