ml1dch Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I think you will struggle to find too many posts on here with me praising Stan overly for his performances over the past 9 months. Which is quite strange, as he has been comfortably our best midfielder for the last nine months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 I think you will struggle to find too many posts on here with me praising Stan overly for his performances over the past 9 months. Which is quite strange, as he has been comfortably our best midfielder for the last nine months. Therein lies the issue highlighted by this post I guess. Half of the respondents to this poll - who think he can't play in a 4-4-2 - would appear to disagree with you and half probably think you are correct. It is amazing how views can be so polarised for one player! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I think you will struggle to find too many posts on here with me praising Stan overly for his performances over the past 9 months. Which is quite strange, as he has been comfortably our best midfielder for the last nine months. Therein lies the issue highlighted by this post I guess. Half of the respondents to this poll - who think he can't play in a 4-4-2 - would appear to disagree with you and half probably think you are correct. Well considering he won both the supporters and players 'Player of the Year' I guess that the overwhelming majority would agree with the fact that he has been our best midfielder over the last year or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted October 7, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted October 7, 2009 He can, but not with just anyone. He and Sidwell seems to work, probably because Sidwell does a lot of running so Petrov doesn't have to. He's certainly far better in a 4-5-1 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I think you will struggle to find too many posts on here with me praising Stan overly for his performances over the past 9 months. Which is quite strange, as he has been comfortably our best midfielder for the last nine months. Therein lies the issue highlighted by this post I guess. Half of the respondents to this poll - who think he can't play in a 4-4-2 - would appear to disagree with you and half probably think you are correct. Well considering he won both the supporters and players 'Player of the Year' I guess that the overwhelming majority would agree with the fact that he has been our best midfielder over the last year or so. Just shows how much was Barry holding is hand. I didn't know how shit we would be with Stan in a 4-4-2 without Barry but now I do. If he's a DCM where the **** was he when City scored the goal. I couldn't see him in our half at the time the ball was slipped to Adebayor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 He's a good player but not sure how effective we are as a team with him in a 4-4-2. Football is not just about on the ball, but also off the ball. None of these answers on poll are fair, but if it was closest to one, i'd say no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 He's a good player but not sure how effective we are as a team with him in a 4-4-2. Football is not just about on the ball, but also off the ball. None of these answers on poll are fair, but if it was closest to one, i'd say no. I think your first paragraph is very valid and good way of expressing things as I see them. I am interested by what you mean by your send point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pricey_1984 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 yes he can play in a 4-4-2. thought he had a very good game the other night but he seemed to be getting forward more which i'd like to see him do more of and get more goals like he did at celtic. He can defo play in a 4-4-2 just has to be with right player, it seems to work with sidwell i feel and i remember him and reo-coker playing very well together in 4-4-2 at anfield when we got a 2-2 draw a couple of seasons back. Just dont like to see him playing in a 4-4-2 with delph who will be a cracking player but hes inexperienced at premier league level, we need to ease him in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I think Petrov can't play in 4-2-2 for a certain lack of consistency that he has. His best position is in front of NRC in a 4-3-3 (at home) or 4-5-1 (away) formation. With NRC behind him he must not be worried about defendive tasks and, feeling to be protected, can create.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 He's a good player but not sure how effective we are as a team with him in a 4-4-2. Football is not just about on the ball, but also off the ball. None of these answers on poll are fair, but if it was closest to one, i'd say no. I think your first paragraph is very valid and good way of expressing things as I see them. I am interested by what you mean by your send point? Well I don't think it's a clear "Yes or no" sort of question, because we haven't seen him next to too many partners in the middle, so although I don't think he's great in a 4-4-2, I think there are time and places you could get away with him playing in there, like Portsmouth at home for example as long as he's with the right midfielder, but then is he a good 4-4-2 player when your away from home? probably not no. I'd be in the "Generally no but in certain cases with the right partner he could be decent in the middle of a 4-4-2." sorta thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oaks Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I think Petrov can play in a 4-4-2 with the right players, but he is better in a 4-5-1 formation. Also in a 4-4-2 formation he looks **** after 60 mins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alienvillan Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I think Petrov can play in a 4-4-2 with the right players, but he is better in a 4-5-1 formation. Also in a 4-4-2 formation he looks **** after 60 mins. IMO Petrov lookes **** after 60 mins because half of the time he is the only CM on the pitch. Sidwell is so passive, always the easiest pass to the nearest team mate. And max. 10 passes/game. What kind of midfield player is that. No dribbling, no creativity. He must be the most passive midfielder in the whole professional league system, maybe amateurs included. And then you moan about Petrov getting tired. Because he works like a horse. IMO Petrov-NRC in the best CM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mole86 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Sidwell covers more ground than anyone on the pitch, a lot of his work is closing down space and as a result may go unnoticed but he certainly cannot be accused of being 'passive'. Petrov is certainly capable of being effective in a 4-4-2 but the width with which we play will always lead to instances where we are outnumbered in the middle of the park. I don't think we can afford to leave him out of any system we may adopt simply because he is the best we have at retaining the ball in the squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 Sidwell covers more ground than anyone on the pitch, a lot of his work is closing down space and as a result may go unnoticed but he certainly cannot be accused of being 'passive'. Petrov is certainly capable of being effective in a 4-4-2 but the width with which we play will always lead to instances where we are outnumbered in the middle of the park. I don't think we can afford to leave him out of any system we may adopt simply because he is the best we have at retaining the ball in the squad. I agree with you wholeheartedly on Sidders and I think that is part of the reason why Barry and De Jong struggled to get into the game so much. I can also see your point with a NRC and Sidders pairing of lack of retention. However, I don't think we will ever be a side that dominates possession unless MON buys a different type of CM or Downing and Delph come through and do that job. I think, particularly given the wingers that we have, that a CM pairing of NRC and Sidders - win the ball and get it out wide quickly - could work, as it did in pre-season. I think they are well worth a shot, certainly for the last 30 mins when Stan's legs have gone? I think Stan's ball retention and constant turning backwards can often lose us the initiative in a fast break which is our best chance of scoring. Sidwell worked really well with Harper at Reading, who, IMO, is a poor man's NRC and not the sort of controlling footballer you talk of. Admittedly, my favourite CM pairing in recent years was the Barry and NRC duo - pace, energy, tackling of NRC plus maturity and guile of Barry - and if we had a RM that season I think we would have been challenging the top 4 and certainly finishing above Everton. Maybe NRC and Downing when fit if we are gonna play 4-4-2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edinburgh-Villa Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I agree with you wholeheartedly on Sidders and I think that is part of the reason why Barry and De Jong struggled to get into the game so much. I can also see your point with a NRC and Sidders pairing of lack of retention. However, I don't think we will ever be a side that dominates possession unless MON buys a different type of CM or Downing and Delph come through and do that job. I think, particularly given the wingers that we have, that a CM pairing of NRC and Sidders - win the ball and get it out wide quickly - could work, as it did in pre-season. I think they are well worth a shot, certainly for the last 30 mins when Stan's legs have gone? I think Stan's ball retention and constant turning backwards can often lose us the initiative in a fast break which is our best chance of scoring. Sidwell worked really well with Harper at Reading, who, IMO, is a poor man's NRC and not the sort of controlling footballer you talk of. Admittedly, my favourite CM pairing in recent years was the Barry and NRC duo - pace, energy, tackling of NRC plus maturity and guile of Barry - and if we had a RM that season I think we would have been challenging the top 4 and certainly finishing above Everton. Maybe NRC and Downing when fit if we are gonna play 4-4-2? It doesn't matter how much you blindly champion NRC's cause, he's never gonna start ahead of Petrov, our captain, in any formation. Perhaps with the exception of the odd Carling Cup game etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I agree with you wholeheartedly on Sidders and I think that is part of the reason why Barry and De Jong struggled to get into the game so much. I can also see your point with a NRC and Sidders pairing of lack of retention. However, I don't think we will ever be a side that dominates possession unless MON buys a different type of CM or Downing and Delph come through and do that job. I think, particularly given the wingers that we have, that a CM pairing of NRC and Sidders - win the ball and get it out wide quickly - could work, as it did in pre-season. I think they are well worth a shot, certainly for the last 30 mins when Stan's legs have gone? I think Stan's ball retention and constant turning backwards can often lose us the initiative in a fast break which is our best chance of scoring. Sidwell worked really well with Harper at Reading, who, IMO, is a poor man's NRC and not the sort of controlling footballer you talk of. Admittedly, my favourite CM pairing in recent years was the Barry and NRC duo - pace, energy, tackling of NRC plus maturity and guile of Barry - and if we had a RM that season I think we would have been challenging the top 4 and certainly finishing above Everton. Maybe NRC and Downing when fit if we are gonna play 4-4-2? It doesn't matter how much you blindly champion NRC's cause, he's never gonna start ahead of Petrov, our captain, in any formation. Perhaps with the exception of the odd Carling Cup game etc. It isn't a case of championing NRC's cause is a case( not sure where blindly fits in) of saying do you want to play without a dedicated ball winner. Nigel reo coker is better built than anyone a VP to take on that role due to his energy and tenacity. It would be interesting if Ron Saunders was in the hot seat, because my suspicion would be he would be the first name on the team sheet....In the same way Des Bremner was. These guys are not "eye candy" they are the unsung heroes of games that the offensive players live off. ps... except Ron felt it best to play with 1 winger in order to get his balance right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted October 12, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted October 12, 2009 As much as I love Ron Saunders and as much as he achieved some of the greatest moments this club has done, rather similar to the Hitler fallacy just because he'd have done doesn't make it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anything11 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 The fact as is as much energy/tenaciousness NRC has he lacks the passing/creativity. He'd be perfect if you get him to play the holding midfield role but he seems to get too frustrated with it. Petrov/Sidwell is the best combination we have at the moment and i'd like to see Downing/Delph try and force their way in sometime in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 The fact as is as much energy/tenaciousness NRC has he lacks the passing/creativity. He'd be perfect if you get him to play the holding midfield role but he seems to get too frustrated with it. Petrov/Sidwell is the best combination we have at the moment and i'd like to see Downing/Delph try and force their way in sometime in the future. Couldn't resist responding to this. Do you not think that Nigel played the DCM well in the season before last when it was often NRC and Barry in CM? IMO, if we had bought Luke Young the season before we did instead of allowing him to go to Boro (so he could play that season and Olly could have played CB) and a cheap transitional RM like, say Gary O'Neill, we would have been close to the big 4 that season and defo finished above Everton. My argument for not playing Stan in a 4-4-2 is not based upon his abilities but more the fact that he tires after 60 minutes afterwhich we tend to get overrun in CM and concede late goals (numerous games last season including West Ham H, Man U A, Stoke H and Rapid Vienna this season plus arguably Blackburn). I feel that MON should either replace him with, say, NRC at that point or supplement him with another CM and switch to 4-5-1. I believe it would be hard for even the most ardent Stan fan to argue against this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrimpyjnr Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Petrov is an outstanding player. What he lacks in pace he makes up for in inteligence. He is the main reason I go down the villa as I appreciate his fooball brain and try to replicate parts of his play for my team. His reaction speed enables him to get to the ball first, and the way he gets his body in the way of the ball and gains fouls from this is a joy to watch. The amount of interceptions he makes doesn't go unnoticed and I'm astounded that so many villa fans want him dropped. How many times does he lose the ball and how frustrated were his critics when NRC was constantly played and lost the ball on a regular basis? There is a reason why he got player's player and fan's player of the season and getting the captaincy. Maybe when other players such as Young, Sidwell, Carews etc. ball retention is as good as Petrovs, he won't be ruined after an hour due to having to win it back every few minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts