Few kids who managed to find fame

Players at the big four clubs since 1996-97 who have made their Premiership debuts having been signed before their 18th birthday

Manchester United, 22
(total league appearances 520)
Wes Brown 151 league apps
J O’Shea 150
D Fletcher 84
K Richardson 32
L Chadwick 25
R Wallwork 19
J Curtis 13
M Clegg 9
P Bardsley 8
M Stewart 7
D Higginbotham 4
G Pique 3
J Spector 3
M Wilson 3
C Casper 2
N Culkin 1
B Djordjic 1
D Healy 1
P Mulryne 1
D Pugh 1
P Rachubka 1
L Roche 1

Arsenal, 19
(total league appearances 375)
A Cole 156 league apps
F Fàbregas 90
J Djourou 23
J Aliadière 22
J Hoyte 20
S Taylor 18
T Walcott 13
J Pennant 12
Q Owusu-Abeyie 5
P Vernazza 4
G Barrett 2
K Gilbert 2
D Bentley 1
T Black 1
R Garry 1
J Gray 1
A Lupoli 1
B McGovern 1
I Rankin 1
R Weston 1

Chelsea, 16
(total league appearances 436)
J Terry 202 league apps
S Dalla Bonna 55
R Huth 42
M Nicholls 36
M Forssell 33
J Harley 30
C Cole 25
N Crittenden 2
J Keenan 2
A Nicolas 2
L Pidgeley 2
N Clement 1
A Grant 1
J Smith 1
S Watt 1
R Wolleaston 1

Liverpool, 13
(total league appearances 909)
J Carragher 311 league apps
S Gerrard 254
M Owen 216
D Thompson 48
S Warnock 40
S Wright 14
N Mellor 12
J Otsemobor 4
J Welsh 4
D Guthrie 2
D Potter 2
J Newby 1
D Raven 1

Its interesting how so many players have only gone on to make 1 appearance in the first team.

This must be
- because there were a lot of injuries and they HAD to be played despite not being that good
- they suffered some horrific injuries (as was the gase for Garry at Arsenal)
- their first performance was so bad that they never played again

Funny, of all the players quoted the only one that has gone on to bigger better things is chelsea's Lenny "the lion" Pidgeley.

Er, nah....

David Thompson, Mickael Forcsell, Robert Huth, Sam Dalla Bonna, Jermaine Pennant, Steven Taylor, Ashley Cole and Danny Higginbottom are all players that have left their original club and have gone on to bigger and better things than Pidgley

Tweedle wrote:Its interesting how so many players have only gone on to make 1 appearance in the first team.

This must be
- because there were a lot of injuries and they HAD to be played despite not being that good
- they suffered some horrific injuries (as was the gase for Garry at Arsenal)
- their first performance was so bad that they never played again

Remember Arsene saying that Bentley would replace Bergkamp?

Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Tweedle wrote:Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Wind up half hour in full effect.

He's 21 Tweeds and always owns Fabregas.

Parks lives wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Wind up half hour in full effect.

He's 21 Tweeds and always owns Fabregas.

Friday = wind up day for tweeds

Its the release after 4 days of shitness and knowing the weekends on its way.

One performance doesn't = a comparison parky, else I could say that Adebayor owns Vidic and Ferdinand

Hmm...Im sure that West Ham even though we aren't big 4....would have very interesting statistics!

Tweedle wrote:

Parks lives wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Wind up half hour in full effect.

He's 21 Tweeds and always owns Fabregas.

Friday = wind up day for tweeds

Its the release after 4 days of shitness and knowing the weekends on its way.

One performance doesn't = a comparison parky, else I could say that Adebayor owns Vidic and Ferdinand

Vidic didn't play my friend.

meh, ok, Arsenal>>>>>>>Man Utd

Tweedle wrote:Steven Taylor

Stuart Taylor you mean, plonker.

Tweedle wrote:Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Fletcher's top of the league. Arsenal are currently closer to Blackburn (11 points behind Arsenal) than they are to Man U (15 points ahead).

Make of that what you will...

Tweedle wrote:Its interesting how so many players have only gone on to make 1 appearance in the first team.

This must be
- because there were a lot of injuries and they HAD to be played despite not being that good
- they suffered some horrific injuries (as was the gase for Garry at Arsenal)
- their first performance was so bad that they never played again

Nope this is because it's easier to sell them after 1 appereance (in a an important match).

SGM wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Fletcher's top of the league. Arsenal are currently closer to Blackburn (11 points behind Arsenal) than they are to Man U (15 points ahead).

Make of that what you will...

So what has Fletcher done this season to aid man utd plight?

How many goals/assists has he got and how many matches has he started in?

Tweedle wrote:

SGM wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Fletcher's top of the league. Arsenal are currently closer to Blackburn (11 points behind Arsenal) than they are to Man U (15 points ahead).

Make of that what you will...

So what has Fletcher done this season to aid man utd plight?

Scored the winner vs Boro.

MotM vs Liverpool.

He's a defensive midfielder remember, so his game is not based on goals and assists.

Hes not a defensive midfielder , hes just so slow that he cant keep up with the pace of utds attack

Tweedle wrote:

SGM wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Remember SAF saying that Darren Fletcher would become a top class player?

Fletcher's top of the league. Arsenal are currently closer to Blackburn (11 points behind Arsenal) than they are to Man U (15 points ahead).

Make of that what you will...

So what has Fletcher done this season to aid man utd plight?

How many goals/assists has he got and how many matches has he started in?

Scored two, set up two as far as I know, which isn't great, but Michael Carrick hasn't scored any, has only set up two, but is performing pretty well by most accounts.

Of course, stats aren't everything. Unless you're an Arsenal fan, looking down the barrel of another trophyless season, desperate for some number to 'prove' that you're still the best.

Whatismore, Fletcher has been in and out of the team, yet has played consistently well, has never whined or moaned about how much he plays or where on the pitch he plays. He's got an extremely professional attitude, works very hard, is a clean player (don't see him handballing or diving or any of that) and has a reasonable amount of footballing ability, for a Scot...

Cesc is a clean player, never dives etc.

If you're not going on stats then you're judging players on their footballing ability and for that Cesc is miles better than Fletcher.

Tweedle wrote:Cesc is a clean player, never dives etc.

If you're not going on stats then you're judging players on their footballing ability and for that Cesc is miles better than Fletcher.

Technically, yes. As per usual, an Arsenal fan overrates technique. That's not all there is to football...

SGM wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Cesc is a clean player, never dives etc.

If you're not going on stats then you're judging players on their footballing ability and for that Cesc is miles better than Fletcher.

Technically, yes. As per usual, an Arsenal fan overrates technique. That's not all there is to football...

Its not all, but its a requirment if you wish to become a truely world class player, Fabregas has the 'potential' to do that, Fletcher i feel will never even come close to that grade.

Fabregas has the growth potential, providing he stays physically sharp and mentally strong, he has a far better chance of becoming a better player than Fletcher.

There you go... a neutral perspective and no surprises who he thinks is the better player

Tweedle wrote:There you go... a neutral perspective and no surprises who he thinks is the better player

From a poster with whom I had an aggressive exchange not 24 hours ago.

Is Fabregas a better player and prospect? Yes. Is Fletcher completely shit by comparison? Not at all. I've seen Fletcher outplay numerous top midfielders, both for his club and country. I've seen Fabregas play in a luxury position where he doesn't really have to do anything except create chances, which he's very good at, especially for his age.

Of course, player comparisons are gay.



Rasiak>Adebayor

that's true in Finishing
perspective

If you think i hold a grudge over a internet chatroom your sadly mistaken SGM, you know i love you

Football Genius wrote:If you think i hold a grudge over a internet chatroom your sadly mistaken SGM, you know i love you

Fair enough.