Fletch is back

STEVEN FLETCHER will resume full training tomorrow, with the Sunderland striker boasting an outside chance of featuring at Arsenal this weekend.

Fletcher has been undergoing treatment on an Achilles injury for almost three weeks after the Scotland international was clearly being hampered by the problem on the pitch.

Sunderland’s medical team are hopeful that the spell on the treatment table will ensure that Fletcher does not need an operation after an injury-plagued campaign for the frontman, who missed the start of the season with ankle ligament damage.

Fletcher, who has netted just three times this season, will be put through his paces on the training ground tomorrow by joining in full training with the rest of the Sunderland squad.

And the 26-year-old’s reaction to that run-out will determine whether he is pushed harder in time to be involved at the Emirates on Saturday, or if Sunderland take things more slowly and look to get the £12million striker in contention for the Capital One Cup final eight days later.

Sunderland boss Gus Poyet told the Echo: “He will start tomorrow with us.

“Then depending on how he feels, we can either accelerate him for Arsenal or make sure he is right for the final.

“He’s had a programme with the expectation that he will be able to play at Arsenal.

“I don’t know Achilles injuries, but for people I have known, they are always worried about feeling something, so we’ll have to see how he is. “

Poyet admits he would prefer to have Fletcher available against Arsenal, although it’s likely the former Wolves man will be among the substitutes if he is fit to feature.

Fletcher’s last start came against Manchester United in the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg and Poyet ideally wants last season’s top scorer to get some more game-time under his belt before the final.

Poyet added: “Perfection would be for him to play against Arsenal. I would like to have him for then, even if it’s on the bench.

“That would be a great situation for him to feel part of the group again and playing.

“If not, I would like to think he will be alright for the final.”

 

Great to hear. A fit fletcher is a very good player for us

 

Good news, a valuable asset to the club

 

Hopefully thats the last of his injury worries this season and he can get back to his best

 

just thinking the same and got me thinking how well gus did in the transfer window, he hasnt half strengthened the team with options like

 

Let's hope he has a grandstand end to the season..

 

Fully fit he is a quality player... Let's hope he regains his full match fitness quickly and is involved in some part at the weekend!

As GC said, the squad is far healthier now we've been through the january window.

I wonder how many people would say our squad (not team) is stronger than Southampton? Or is it just that Gus has the right mentality with all of the players so they all know their role and can fit into the side no matter which first 11 he picks? Either way it bodes well for the remainder of the season

 

We seem to be a lot more balanced under gus. We have actual full backs and he plays players in thier natural positions. There also seems to have been a massive boost for morale and belief amoung the squad.

 

Spot on Mac - when you look at where we are in the league, you wouldn't believe it when you see how we are capable of playing (with 11 men on the field!) There is a confidence running through the club at the minute and it's all thanks to Gus - although the class of the bloke won't allow him to take the credit and he always puts it back onto the players

 

He has not looked fit all season to me, give him another weekend off so he is ready to come on and score the winner in the final.

 

I've never rated him the same as some on here. We well overpaid for him and apart from his first half a season, he's never look interested to me. Would put him behind Whickham and Scocco at the moment, probably even Altidore as well.

 

For me he is by far our best out and out striker. He carrys more goal threat tjen any of our other strikers. I still think gus will stick with jozy though as he seems to suit the way we play better

 

And that's what forums are about - opinions! Mine is completely different to yours but I can appreciate what you mean - although he has been injured for nearly a season!

 

Scocco, Borini, Fletcher, Whickam, Altadore.

If we we have all these forwards fully match fit, we will stay up.

Most hitting form at the right part of the season !

 

The reality is, he has only ever been a relegated premiership player. He doesn't fit into our new footballing method, IMO.

Not sure what it is mate, some players just don't impress you for whatever reason and I guess Fletcher is just one of them players to me.

 

He's not looked fit and not looked interested all season.

Lets hope he wasn't interested because he wasn't fit.

Therefore a fit Fletch = interested Fletch - which could be a huge asset for the run in.

 

For me if he is fit he will give us a valuble option for the run in. With our cup runs were going to have a backlog of fixtures so we will need the full squad between now and the finish

 

This is good news.

 

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet is hoping to have striker Steven Fletcher fit for the Capital One Cup final against Manchester City.

The 26-year-old has missed the last three games with an Achilles injury but is due to return to training with the first-team squad on Tuesday.

If Fletcher comes through training without a problem, then that would put him in contention to face Arsenal at the Emirates in the Premier League on Saturday and then Manchester City in the League Cup final at Wembley on March 2.
Poyet told the Sunderland Echo: "Perfection would be for him to play against Arsenal. I would like to have him for then, even if it's on the bench.

"That would be a great situation for him to feel part of the group again and playing.

"If not, I would like to think he will be all right for the final.

"He will start tomorrow with us. Then, depending on how he feels, we can either accelerate him for Arsenal or make sure he is right for the final.

"He's had a programme with the expectation that he will be able to play at Arsenal.

"I don't know Achilles injuries, but for people I have known, they are always worried about feeling something, so we will have to see how he is."

Fletcher's last appearance came as a substitute in the 1-0 league win over Stoke at the Stadium of Light on January 29, while he last started in the Capital One Cup semi-final, second-leg clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford a week earlier.

 

Good news. No point rushing him back though. As many have already said, the options we now have up front for a difficult, congested run-in is good news.