THERE'S an arresting advert for an American whiskey which features a dowdy girl in a nightdress pictured in black and white on the left half of a page and, in glorious colour, a pouting, lingerie-wearing, buxom beauty on the right.

The reader (or the ogler to be more accurate) is asked to believe that the right-sided picture is an older version of the one on the left and so, because the whiskey has been aged for at least four years, the slogan says: "The longer you wait ... the better it gets."

In the 'what have you done for me lately?' world of football, such good things rarely come to those who wait but, occasionally, players can reward their manager's faith long after supporters have given up hope.

Yesterday, the poster boy for that concept again showed his worth to Manchester United, even in defeat to Chelsea. Nobody quite knows when but, at some point in the last two years, Darren Fletcher went from being a player whose name drew groans when it appeared in a starting line-up to one who, it seems, United can't do without.

During the telling-it-like-it-is phase of his United career, Roy Keane reflected: "I can't understand why people in Scotland rave about Darren Fletcher," and, although the comment probably wasn't quite as barbed as reported, there weren't too many people willing to launch an ardent defence. Fletcher was in his early twenties without the snarl of Keane, the skill of Scholes or the versatility of Phil Neville and, at that age, if players are going to make it, there are normally some obvious signs.

With better teams, being a teenage Carling Cup regular represents an achievement but if they find themselves there after 21, the only key of the door they'll receive is for the one marked 'exit'. This seemed to be Fletcher's lot.

Grumbled

Had Ferguson sent his fellow Scot the way of Jonathan Greening, Luke Chadwick or Chris Eagles, few would have grumbled as he made a decent career for himself at another club where ending the season in the same division as you started is seen as an achievement.

Instead, after failing in the mid-range transfer market with Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba and struggling in the boutique section with Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves, Ferguson has discovered the answer to his missing midfield drive lay much closer to home. Fletcher never carried the 'next Roy Keane' tag at United mainly because it seemed such a preposterous notion but, without the burden of expectation, he has developed into a player that, along with Wayne Rooney and Edwin van der Sar, United can't afford to be without.

At 25, Fletcher has now amassed 225 games for United without too many people noticing and, although he lacks the leadership qualities of Keane, his work-rate and ability to irritate the opposition is from the same mould as the man who Fletcher describes as the biggest influence on his career.

Yesterday, he charged around Stamford Bridge attempting to make up for the mistakes of others and it was in that mode that he gave away the free-kick for the winning goal when Antonio Valencia should simply have cleared the ball before being robbed by Ashley Cole. The decision was debatable but, at least with Fletcher in the team, United showed the sort of fight which was nowhere to be seen in their defeat to Liverpool last month.

Then, United entered the inevitable inferno armed with the midfield equivalent of a watering can to douse the flames. Carrick and Scholes might be able to pick a pass but neither has the energy to cope for 90 minutes of incessant pressure and, without Fletcher around to stand up the bullying of Mascherano and Lucas, United's midfield withered in the storm. With the knowledge that Fletcher was returning from injury, Ferguson promised United would be more solid yesterday and, even without their first-choice central defensive partnership, Chelsea rarely had the opportunity get close to Van der Sar. On a day when they fell five points off the pace, this was a rare positive. Had it been predicted that, one day, United wouldn't be able to beat Barcelona in a European final because of Darren Fletcher's absence, even a clairvoyant might have struggled to keep a straight face.

Yet, when Fletcher trooped off the Emirates pitch after being harshly sent off against Arsenal in last season's semi-final, United's chances of retaining their trophy went with him as Iniesta and Xavi subsequently strolled around Rome's Olympic Stadium without ever being in danger of a stud mark on their shin for their impudence.

Against a similarly flowing style of team in Arsenal earlier this season, the contrast was stark. United drew criticism from Arsene Wenger for their "anti-football" and, although he refused to name the player, his reference to a United player making "20 fouls" was clearly aimed at Fletcher.

That the United midfielder made just six fouls was irrelevant but, significantly, he had managed to quietly and, occasionally illegally, break up the opposition's momentum without drawing the referee's attention. Such skills will never be ranked in fantasy football points, but even the most beautiful of teams need players who can play ugly.

Very few youngsters will enter the United superstore looking for 'Fletcher 24' on the back of their new red shirt. But, in keeping with Fletcher's career, United's marketing team may simply need to give it time.

- Aidan O'Hara

Irish Independent