Steven Fletcher

[southsider]

Another great goal and fine all round display from Steven this evening. Liverpool should have spent the £15 million on him rather than that lazy, fraud Ballotelli.

[hibbysam]

Good to see the big man back fit and scoring more goals in the premier league! Unbelievable first touch, awareness, heading ability and left peg! Could be a massive player for scotland if he can stay fit also! A lot of our promising players that went for money went on a downward spiral after leaving us but fletch seems to have his head screwed on although he enjoys the odd night out, he has/had his own clothing range and is banging the goals in on the park!

[Brooster]

I was at the Sunderland game last week and Fletcher was murder, got hooked early doors.

[3pm]

Some atmosphere at the game.

[NadeAteMyLunch!]

Some atmosphere at the game.

Really enjoy Palace games on the TV. Absolutely no doubt that the atmosphere helps them a lot at home. Noisy section behind the goal incidentally

[Kato]

if he can stay fit

Therein lies the rub.

[Hermit Crab]

Another great goal and fine all round display from Steven this evening. Liverpool should have spent the £15 million on him rather than that lazy, fraud Ballotelli.


Haha.

[weonlywon6-2]

Really enjoy Palace games on the TV. Absolutely no doubt that the atmosphere helps them a lot at home. Noisy section behind the goal incidentally

Thats why i feel we should have a section in the famous five

[Sir David Gray]

Fletcher's just scored again to make it 3-1.

[Stax]

Nice finish fletch :agree:

[NadeAteMyLunch!]

Thats why i feel we should have a section in the famous five

Exactly

[Bishop Hibee]

As I follow Sunderland as my English team it's great to see Fletcher scoring again. Shows you what application can do applied to skill. I'd contend Riordan and O'connor where more naturally talented players but didn't have the full package necessary to play at a consistant level in a top European division.

[Michael]

Good to see him getting on the scoresheet again.

[Iain G]

Good to see the big man back fit and scoring more goals in the premier league! Unbelievable first touch, awareness, heading ability and left peg! Could be a massive player for scotland if he can stay fit also! A lot of our promising players that went for money went on a downward spiral after leaving us but fletch seems to have his head screwed on although he enjoys the odd night out, he has/had his own clothing range and is banging the goals in on the park!

If only he had a right foot :greengrin

[Boyle89]

Could score headers every week and it still won't beat his header against hearts ;).

Infact was it against hearts?!

[Deek01]

Could score headers every week and it still won't beat his header against hearts ;).

Infact was it against hearts?!

Was it a header ? I'm sure he managed a totally intentional loop in off his shoulder 😉

[Boyle89]

Was it a header ? I'm sure he managed a totally intentional loop in off his shoulder 😉

That's what he meant. It was obvious. Can't believe the defender never knew it was coming.

[EdinMike]

As much as I hate to say, and absolutely no disrespect to Sunderland.

I can't see him going any higher. It's like watching him dredge in mud the last few years.

But as long as he's scoring and is happy, I am I guess !

[Diclonius]

Was it a header ? I'm sure he managed a totally intentional loop in off his shoulder 😉

The first derby win I saw in the flesh. A good day.

[_hucks_]

The first derby win I saw in the flesh. A good day.

The last derby win I saw in the flesh! Been to plenty since too.

[TheFamous1875]

As much as I hate to say, and absolutely no disrespect to Sunderland.

I can't see him going any higher. It's like watching him dredge in mud the last few years.

But as long as he's scoring and is happy, I am I guess !

I could see him doing better and moving to a Liverpool, Everton or Tottenham if he can remain injury free; injury free being the key phrase of his recent career. If you look at RVP, albeit that it's quite a leap in quality, he scored a barrel-load and SAF saw what he could do with him. I think (to a lesser extent) Fletch is the same case; if someone takes a chance on him and he remains injury-free, I can see him scoring a ****load with good service.

If Steven Naismith can be such a success playing in a system that suits him, then I don't see why Fletcher can't be an even bigger success.

[johnbc70]

Well done to him and he owes a big thank you to Petrie who blocked his move to Celtic. Fletcher was not happy at the time but I am sure looking back he would agree it was best all round.

[PeterboroHibee]

As much as I hate to say, and absolutely no disrespect to Sunderland.

I can't see him going any higher. It's like watching him dredge in mud the last few years.

But as long as he's scoring and is happy, I am I guess !

The main thing thats stopping him progressing to a bigger club is his injury problems. Hes only been averaging somewhere around 20 league starts a season since he joined Wolves (and 30 appearances a season total...), which isnt good enough for someone who is the main striker.

When hes fit and on form, for the type of striker he is, hes one of the best in the Premiership though in my opinion. He isnt quick, but hes very good in the air, hes technically excellent, and he is really good at bringing others in to play.

[hibeemikey21]

After the game last night, sky sports had a wee table which showed that fletch has scored the most headed goals out of any premiership player since 2011 (11 in total).

G. Nev then started banging on about how Sunderland don't play to his strengths (I.e. Their reluctance to cross the ball)

[cloudy]

I was at the Sunderland game last week and Fletcher was murder, got hooked early doors.

Murder? He was playing up top on his own against arsenal chasing lost causes a point highlighted on motd and was "hooked" due to an injury picked up in the first half and was an injury concern in build up to last night's match

[Mikey09]

Murder? He was playing up top on his own against arsenal chasing lost causes a point highlighted on motd and was "hooked" due to an injury picked up in the first half and was an injury concern in build up to last night's match


Glad someone can see things from a proper perspective.... Murder?? Up front on your own against a side who keep the ball for fun playing for a side who's tactic that day was to punt the ball into the channels for ONE striker to chase!! Incredible. :rolleyes:

[WestEndHibee]

Murder? He was playing up top on his own against arsenal chasing lost causes a point highlighted on motd and was "hooked" due to an injury picked up in the first half and was an injury concern in build up to last night's match

"Murder". The go-to description of a player's performance when you don't and never will like him.

Watching him play for Scotland of late I've seen a side to Fletch that I didn't know about. His link up play and off the ball positioning is superb and the touch he has to play one-twos or to pluck the ball out of the air is sublime.

He works really well in that Scotland team. Could see him doing even more with a better team than Sunderland.

[brog]

I think Fletch has been consistently under rated during his career. He's played for basement clubs in Premiership & yet has performed consistently well throughout. This may sound ridiculous but I was surprised Arsenal did not come in for him after Giroud was injured, I think he would have been an ideal replacement & I think Fletch is a Wenger type player. Unfortunately, despite Sunderland's win last night I only see more frustration ahead for him & I agree with Gary N re lack of service for him. Lee Cattermole is an awful player, just a surprise & luck that it took him so long to get booked last night & Connor Wickham is a headless chicken, £12m is quite incredible! I wish Fletch all the best but I believe he would be an even better player at a better club.

[Mikey09]

"Murder". The go-to description of a player's performance when you don't and never will like him.

Watching him play for Scotland of late I've seen a side to Fletch that I didn't know about. His link up play and off the ball positioning is superb and the touch he has to play one-twos or to pluck the ball out of the air is sublime.

He works really well in that Scotland team. Could see him doing even more with a better team than Sunderland.


Well said young man..... :top marks

[PeterboroHibee]

I think Fletch has been consistently under rated during his career. He's played for basement clubs in Premiership & yet has performed consistently well throughout. This may sound ridiculous but I was surprised Arsenal did not come in for him after Giroud was injured, I think he would have been an ideal replacement & I think Fletch is a Wenger type player. Unfortunately, despite Sunderland's win last night I only see more frustration ahead for him & I agree with Gary N re lack of service for him. Lee Cattermole is an awful player, just a surprise & luck that it took him so long to get booked last night & Connor Wickham is a headless chicken, £12m is quite incredible! I wish Fletch all the best but I believe he would be an even better player at a better club.

Moving slightly off topic, but thats been one of Arsenals (many) problems over the last few years. At their most successful, they had guys up front who were quick and skillful. Although I think Giroud is a good player, his role is more or less a technically gifted wall to bring the other guys into play. If you look at the difference Welbeck makes with his pace upfront, it makes me wonder why Wenger has persisted with it for so long.

Id agree that if he could stay fit though, Fletcher is at least as good as Giroud (if not better).

[TRC]

the thing fletcher has done is kept learning his whole career he hasn't stopped, and it shows in his play of late he was amazing in the last two scotland games.

[Seveno]

Fletch is highly rated by both Alan Shearer and Alan Hansen. I would suggest that those to gentlemen know what they are talking about when it comes to a striker.

[southsider]

Fletch is highly rated by both Alan Shearer and Alan Hansen. I would suggest that those to gentlemen know what they are talking about when it comes to a striker.

Late on, 2nd half, Fletch had a turn Cruyff himself would have been proud off. Laid the ball off to a team mate who then got brought down just outside the box. The ref, who was dreadful, waved play on. He also waved away a clear two handed push on Fletch on the edge of the box.

[Brooster]

Murder? He was playing up top on his own against arsenal chasing lost causes a point highlighted on motd and was "hooked" due to an injury picked up in the first half and was an injury concern in build up to last night's match

I beg your pardon, he had a great game.

[Crops73]

Another great goal and fine all round display from Steven this evening. Liverpool should have spent the £15 million on him rather than that lazy, fraud Ballotelli.

Lazy.

Fraud.

Ballotelli?

You kidding?