We need a rest admits captain Petrov
Tuesday 30th March 2010, 11:08AM BST.
Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov has admitted the weary players are crying out for a rest after Saturday’s “embarrassing” collapse at Chelsea.
The skipper revealed the claret and blue players were dead on their feet after their 7-1 weekend drubbing by Carlo Ancelotti’s title chasers, in what was a dress rehearsal for their FA Cup semi-final showdown a week on Saturday.
But Petrov hopes a rare midweek off can lift them in time for Saturday’s trip to Bolton and insists it’s the players, not boss Martin O’Neill, who must take responsibility.
The midfielder said: “We definitely feel in need of a rest because we feel tired. I think the manager is looking into that.
“But it’s up to us. We have a week now to rest and hopefully we can use that well. I think it’s up to us to pick ourselves up. The manager can do so much but it’s up to us because we’re performing on the field, we’re the players.
“We always say that we’re going to fight until the end and we just need to go through patches like that. At the moment it’s not the best situation we are in, but we’ll try to battle our way out of it.
“I don’t think any of the boys want to think about it and talk about it, because it’s a result that everyone wants to forget and get out of the way as quickly as possible.
“Unfortunately, you never expect a result like that in a game so we’re really disappointed.”
Petrov is still struggling to come to terms with the humiliating defeat, which was described by O’Neill as “unacceptable.”
And the Bulgaria international the only way they can get over it is by delivering a response at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.
He said: “It was embarrassing and I don’t really want to talk about it, but all I can say is that we were second best, they played really well.
“We want to forget this as quickly as possible.”
UK Sport
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I,too could do with a rest being self employed and a little jaded but i dont get 100 grand a week and the summer off to travel the world in luxury.
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You can have a rest on Cup Final day Stiliyan, cos you certainly won’t be playing.
They’re trying to get the semi final switched to Lords for the bigger score board
MON seen at Arbroath B&Q looking at wallpaper
Lord Molineux has spoken
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