Petrov - ups and downs (and backwards !)

[cheltenhamlion]

Did we not get a couple of million for Andy T? I thought it was Albion who bought him cheap when he was no longer capable of movement.

[ozzjim]

Think he signed his own release forms with his petulant little act last night. GH was not at all impressed, and lets face it, those who have crossed him so far have found it a cold and lonely place. I also think that we will sign at least 1 more central midfielder come the summer, so it won't matter a jot.

[Dave]

I might have missed something, but was this dreadful act of petulance anything more than a shake of the head when he saw he was being substituted?

Could that not easily be shaking his head at:

"Damn, we might well lose this in spite of playing alright"
"Damn, I've been pretty rubbish tonight"
"Damn, I think I've left the gas on"
"Damn, it's a shame I didn't pick Vidic up when that cross came in"

I certainly didn't see him throw his shirt on the floor and slap Houllier across the chops.

[eamonn]

All possibilities Dave, apart from the gas one - Stan prefers oil, but GHou mentioned in a post-match interview when asked about Petrov's reaction that players should leave their egos at the door and realise it's a team game.

[ozzjim]

I might have missed something, but was this dreadful act of petulance anything more than a shake of the head when he saw he was being substituted?

Could that not easily be shaking his head at:

"Damn, we might well lose this in spite of playing alright"
"Damn, I've been pretty rubbish tonight"
"Damn, I think I've left the gas on"
"Damn, it's a shame I didn't pick Vidic up when that cross came in"

I certainly didn't see him throw his shirt on the floor and slap Houllier across the chops.

He looked pretty hacked off at the bench then stood and did his head shake in disbelief. Likewise, I think it is a storm in a teacup, but the manager saw enough to comment on it, and we are well aware of GH not taking any form of dissent.

[django]

Young and Downing were worse yesterday in my opinion but still not Petrovs best day at the office.

He does keep possession really well and keep us ticking over. You might think this is a prerequisite for a professional footballer but very few of our players have been able to manage this for several years.

In the recent blose game for example, his calm measured passing gave us the platform  of possession for our most dangerous spells of the game. I was watching the pressure causing panic and mistakes throughout the team, but I knew when he got the ball it would stick and we could build again.

None of this is spectacular and goes unnoticed or unappreciated but it's essential. Problem for him is his legs have gone. Also, admittedly based on very little football it looks like macoun can do ticking over and calm posession under pressure but at a quicker tempo and with greater energy.

I would imagine stan can see this for himself and some of the frustration he showed when taken off reflected this.

[Mazrim]

Young and Downing combined to set Bent up for our goal and Petrov did nothing but mill about and pass sideways so I don't see how Downing and Young were worse.

We would have been much better off with Bannan or Delph's forward passing rather than ticking over sideways passing that doesnt go anywhere. Dont mean to hammer Stan but my god he is frustratingly limited and ineffective.

[django]

Fair enough Young and Downing combined for the goal but i can't have been the only one who was frustrated by the number of moves that broke down with them in promising positions. Maybe that frustration has blinded me to some of their better moments.

I agree about Bannan i think he's great. He gave the ball away and put it in to touch quite often against blackburn at the weekend though. This is obviously because Bannan tries more ambitious passes, which don't come off as often.

I don't think Petrov is incapable of playing these types of passes, in fact i know he can because i've seen it. So i don't agree with you that he's limited, but i think we now have midfielders who can be more effective.

Reo Coker is another player whose attributes should be the starting point for all Professional footballers, namely energy, and a willingness to put a foot in when the opposition have the ball. In the game at the weekend though it was only Nigel who did this so it seems it isn't part of everyones game at all.

I know in theory Bradley, Makoun, Delph are all players who combine Petrov and Reo Cokers elements and that's definitely the way we need to go to progress, but until we actually see that they can do these jobs it's too soon to cast aside players who we know can.

[WikiVilla]

His debut was superb, and every now and then he does something that shows he is a top class player

Not often enough though

[ktvillan]

Young and Downing combined to set Bent up for our goal and Petrov did nothing but mill about and pass sideways so I don't see how Downing and Young were worse.

We would have been much better off with Bannan or Delph's forward passing rather than ticking over sideways passing that doesnt go anywhere. Dont mean to hammer Stan but my god he is frustratingly limited and ineffective.

I've never been a great fan of Stan, I just never really got what he is supposed to offer,  and I think your description there sums upmost of his time with us.  Yes he keeps possesion well, if you count turning around and passing it to the full back who then invariably hoofs it forward,  but mainly in areas where it does little harm to the opposition.  Far too often his cautiousness undermined our fast counter attacking approach under O'Neill.   Sad really because when he did occasionally play as a more advanced midfielder or have an attack of adventurousness he showed signs of a  fair bit of creativity.  It seems like Delph or Bannan play more forward passes in a few games than Stan does in half a season, and with players like those, Makoun, and possibly Bradley available I don't think we'll miss Stan. 

[Drummond]

I'd be happy to keep him as a squad player as his experience is invaluable, but I can't see him putting up with that, so I think he'll be off in the Summer.

I agree with Rip Van Bentfletch.

I agree with Bentflaps and Broombent.

Blackpool, Stoke or one of the newly promoted sides perhaps.

[cdward]

I also have never been a big fan of Petrovs, and his preference for a sideways or back pass is so frustrating at times, however when he was out injured i found myself wishing he was in there.
He has a knack of slowing down the play and frustrates the opposition by getting them to commit niggly fouls on him, he has a great skill of falling over an oppositions leg, and earning free kicks. I wouldn't rush to replace him, but rather blend the other players in.
A players petulance at being substituted is often regarded as a positive by some managers, in that the player really wants to play, and is either frustrated at himself or the situation of being substituted. In fairness you could never accuse Petrov of being lazy, and how on earth can one man sweat so much!!, he must lose about 5 litres per game, he is like a one man sprinkler system.   

[TimTheVillain]

Re. the sweating - he's Lee Evans on a football pitch !!

[Merv]

The future as I see it for Petrov is this:

1. He leaves Villa in the summer - he's 31-32 so I think we could £2m for him.
2. He's a very occasional starter in the PL, more so in the cups, but I think his role would be coming on for the last 25 mins; I could actually see him playing further forward, being used in more of a creative role than his current one. He's never quite looked right doing that for us.

We've got Makoun, and I think we'll make Bradley permanent in the summer, unless he stinks the place out the next few months. Add Delph, Bannan, Hogg, Gary Gardner - and I think we'll also sign another potential CM starter in the summer - and Petrov and NRC* will be phased out.

*I'd rather keep NRC than Petrov but given his contract situation can't see that happening now.

[TimTheVillain]

Agree, but I haven't seen enough of Hogg to make a true assessment.

It may be worth another thread, but is he that good ??