The curtain raiser,a Fletcher's day

Last night saw the usual curtain raiser game for the season, the Charity Shield. Even though officially this game is still considered a pre-season event, nonetheless it still attract due attention and seriousness.

The reason being it will be always viewed as a thermometer to the season to come.

Well the game was true to its billing. It was as usual a great advert for English football particularly if the opponents were none other than the top 2 teams in the English league.

The game started brightly for Manchester united and makes one wonder that while Fergie being shrewd as he is touting the possible replacement for Ronaldo being Owen or Valencia whereas in actual fact it can be Nani the real joker up Fergie's sleeve.

Nani was brilliant until his untimely departure from the game due to hopeful a non serious injury.

The whole game was a real treat ..Lampard as usual commanding but to me if United had won ;the Man of the Match would have gone to one Darren Fletcher. He was brilliant , covering every blade of Wembley grass.

As i watched this once bit part player blosssoming into an important cog in Fergie's well oiled machine of a team , it reflected the underlying strength of United's philosophy.... A great team do not need everyone to be a Galactico but a team also need an unsung hero who burst their lungs out for the team with their drive, hard tackling and wholesome energy.

I remembered such a player in the 70's , Brian Talbot of Arsenal. An all action player that complements the artistic skills of Chippy Brady.

Talbot's impressive stamina and fitness meant he played nearly every Arsenal first-team game for the next five seasons, missing fewer than half a dozen League games. In all, the strong and sturdy midfielder played 327 first-team matches for the Gunners, scoring 49 goals. He also played for England, five times while at Ipswich and once as an Arsenal player.

Fletcher is one such player and as i watched him clearing a ball from danger in the penalty area and next sending a well executed pass to Rooney, i felt content that the Galactico Ronaldo will may not be there anymore donning the red jersey but i will still be looking forward to the new season and hope and confident that it will a Fletcher's season.