The Transfer Thread.

[Tom 2,492]

Fletcher is younger than Wing, both have barely played any first team football at a high level. Definitely think there is a player in Fletcher if he can be nurtured correctly...

 

aren't they both 23?

 

Yeah, but Fletcher is the younger of the two by about 5 months.

[LBP 3,035]

I think fletcher would be good as the “Vossen” behind Bamford

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

he was never bought to be a winger

 

Not a winger but definitely bought to play either side of Britt, not as a striker.

[Jamie-H 1,322]

he was never bought to be a winger

 

Not a winger but definitely bought to play either side of Britt, not as a striker.

 

Monk thought everyone not named Assombalonga was a winger though! I don't think there was much specificity going on when Monk went shopping with his cart that summer. Everyone remembers the weeks long chase he went on at the end of the window to get Ryan Kent right? I think Monk thought he'd have Adama and Kent on the wings September 1st in his best line up, to be honest how he thought he'd work 5 strikers around that only he knows.

 

I just don't see much to judge Fletcher on he's rarely had an injury we saw him for 4 months under Monk on a wing where he looked terrible, then the past 4 months under Pulis where every single cup game he's looked good either leading the line or at the weekend where for the 1st 45 he was a #10 and 2nd a LW he's just not put a foot wrong for us this season on the pitch. Just feels like out of the 4 strikers we have left I'm not sure Fletcher's the one I'd move but there's a reason Tony isn't putting him in matchday squads and it sure isn't because of his 'shy personality'.

[chickenlunch 315]

he was never bought to be a winger

 

Not a winger but definitely bought to play either side of Britt, not as a striker.

 

Monk thought everyone not named Assombalonga was a winger though! I don't think there was much specificity going on when Monk went shopping with his cart that summer. Everyone remembers the weeks long chase he went on at the end of the window to get Ryan Kent right? I think Monk thought he'd have Adama and Kent on the wings September 1st in his best line up, to be honest how he thought he'd work 5 strikers around that only he knows.

 

I just don't see much to judge Fletcher on he's rarely had an injury we saw him for 4 months under Monk on a wing where he looked terrible, then the past 4 months under Pulis where every single cup game he's looked good either leading the line or at the weekend where for the 1st 45 he was a #10 and 2nd a LW he's just not put a foot wrong for us this season on the pitch. Just feels like out of the 4 strikers we have left I'm not sure Fletcher's the one I'd move but there's a reason Tony isn't putting him in matchday squads and it sure isn't because of his 'shy personality'.

 

yeah, I agree that out of the strikers we have left, I'd probably keep Big Fletch.. at least there's a element of potential left with him. And he does seem fairly highly thought of within the game, so must've looked good as a yoot at SOME stage.

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

he was never bought to be a winger

 

Not a winger but definitely bought to play either side of Britt, not as a striker.

 

Monk thought everyone not named Assombalonga was a winger though! I don't think there was much specificity going on when Monk went shopping with his cart that summer. Everyone remembers the weeks long chase he went on at the end of the window to get Ryan Kent right? I think Monk thought he'd have Adama and Kent on the wings September 1st in his best line up, to be honest how he thought he'd work 5 strikers around that only he knows.

 

I just don't see much to judge Fletcher on he's rarely had an injury we saw him for 4 months under Monk on a wing where he looked terrible, then the past 4 months under Pulis where every single cup game he's looked good either leading the line or at the weekend where for the 1st 45 he was a #10 and 2nd a LW he's just not put a foot wrong for us this season on the pitch. Just feels like out of the 4 strikers we have left I'm not sure Fletcher's the one I'd move but there's a reason Tony isn't putting him in matchday squads and it sure isn't because of his 'shy personality'.

 

Yes, I do because it meant we got Marvin Johnson. Monk had a plan in mind when spending the money on Fletcher, it was a 4-3-3 basically that shifted into a 3-4-3 with wing-backs when attacking. Clayton would drop in between the 2 centre-backs whilst Friend/Fabio and Christie would bomb on.

 

Before the window had closed, he'd changed his mind and wanted wingers to play a standard 4-2-3-1. Fletcher was a victim of that tactical shift a***st others like Bamford and Braithwaite.

 

I think the reason he doesn't put him in isn't shyness, it's belief. I think Fletcher needs more belief in himself to become a better player.

[LinoJo3 3,191]

Monk didn’t really play them as wingers tbh, it was supposed to be 3 strikers, the 2 wide forwards coming inside.

 

It worked well at times, if you watch some of our goals from that time a lot of them come from the 3 strikers linking up together.

 

I think monks original vision for the front 3 was braithwaite left, Britt center, fletcher right as that’s what started the first game when everyone was fit.

[Brunners 7,982]

yeah Monk seemed to get scared of his own formation within weeks and changed to one that didn't fit the players he'd bought as well.

[SouthernSmoggie 4,242]

Fletcher is an interesting one, as it does look like there is talent there. I guess the question is will that talent be better nurtured with a loan move or by trying to build his confidence in the first team here. After what happened at Sunderland, I would be tempted to say the second option.

 

I'd loan him out but I'd make sure it's to a decent club with a good manager unlike last season.

 

Yeah he was on a bit of a hiding to nothing last year. Maybe being at an attacking team near the top of League 1 or 2 would do him good.

[Jamie-H 1,322]

If you take Pulis at face value that he seriously doesn't even notice Fletch at training sessions sometimes because he's so within himself, shyness/belief call it whatever you want, how has the way he's managed him to this point of the season made that situation any better for Fletcher or the club who have the investment in him?

 

He would have a brilliant Carabao Cup performance then not even make the bench the next league match, he didn't make the bench between September and December it's not like we were purring along up front in the months in between. All I'm saying is I don't want to relitigate Monk I'm sure that spell on the wing hurt his belief but the actions Pulis has taken from pulling his move to Hull 30 minutes before the deadline in the summer and disappearing him from matchday squads outside the Carabao for 3 months if his belief is the issue I'm not sure Pulis has got a case to say he's managed Fletcher's belief particularly well.

 

I mean managers lie all the time it's fine it's football I'm just not buying the real reason we only see Fletcher in cup games is belief I don't know the real reason he's out of favour but it's tough for me to buy we have a guy who's put in great performances for us in the cup to then just not be seen or heard of in league squads at all even Wing/Tavernier made themselves homes in the squad off the back of good cup performances there seems to me to be nothing Ashley Fletcher can do to get a look in whatever Pulis is running I wouldn't call it a meritocracy because there are certain players who are mainstays of squads no matter the performance the game before it's very hard for players to stay in Pulis thinking despite the fact Wing and Fletcher are 23 and are not 'young players' in my book so it does baffle me why those 2 in particular just go missing from his thinking instantly after good performances.

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

If you take Pulis at face value that he seriously doesn't even notice Fletch at training sessions sometimes because he's so within himself, shyness/belief call it whatever you want, how has the way he's managed him to this point of the season made that situation any better for Fletcher or the club who have the investment in him?

 

He would have a brilliant Carabao Cup performance then not even make the bench the next league match, he didn't make the bench between September and December it's not like we were purring along up front in the months in between. All I'm saying is I don't want to relitigate Monk I'm sure that spell on the wing hurt his belief but the actions Pulis has taken from pulling his move to Hull 30 minutes before the deadline in the summer and disappearing him from matchday squads outside the Carabao for 3 months if his belief is the issue I'm not sure Pulis has got a case to say he's managed Fletcher's belief particularly well.

 

I mean managers lie all the time it's fine it's football I'm just not buying the real reason we only see Fletcher in cup games is belief I don't know the real reason he's out of favour but it's tough for me to buy we have a guy who's put in great performances for us in the cup to then just not be seen or heard of in league squads at all even Wing/Tavernier made themselves homes in the squad off the back of good cup performances there seems to me to be nothing Ashley Fletcher can do to get a look in whatever Pulis is running I wouldn't call it a meritocracy.

 

A fair few players have had good cup games, I don't remember any of them leading to first team appearances as such. He's hardly treating Fletcher any worse than those. Pretty sure Wing came and stayed in because of his contribution in the league and Tav is also not quite getting his game and also struggled to get in the squad for a while too, at first people were complaining neither him nor Wing could get back in the squad after the window closed. I think the Palace cup game was slightly different because of the opposition played but Fletcher didn't start that game, Hugill did and it did him the world of good.

[BegSteeleOrBoro 55]

Hope Fletcher gets a chance, but it is hard to second guess whether he deserves to play if none of us see anything that goes on in training, his attitude or the fit with the rest of the team. Add to that Pulis is insistent on picking Downing (most games) and that we often have had 2 or 3 other attackers on the bench while playing only one up front, so I can see why it is hard for him to get on with the (horrible defensive) formation that Pulis prefers. If it’s a choice between him and Britt or Tav or Wing or Braithwaite (previously), then I think it would be hard to pick him for the bench (can’t believe i’m defending Pulis...) - he’s miles better than Gestede though... and we should be playing more than one striker.

[LinoJo3 3,191]

Fletcher got plenty of chances early in the season in league games and didn’t take a single one. He’s clearly not ready to be a first team regular.

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

In fairness there, wasn't he coming on as a sub when we were winning and basically only keeping a striker up front as an out ball? I don't think he was given an opportunity to properly lead the line in the league.

[ladyspite 385]

Adama "only" on the bench tonight

 

Bring him home... :-P