Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Villa legend wants Stiliyan Petrov axe
Tuesday 2nd August 2011, 10:25AM BST.
Villa legend Dennis Mortimer believes the club should axe captain Stiliyan Petrov before the big Premier League kick-off.
Experienced Bulgarian midfielder Petrov has held the armband since August 2009 having taken over the role from Martin Laursen and Gareth Barry.
But former European Cup winning captain Mortimer thinks it might be time for a change of skipper and install a candidate who can offer more drive from the centre of midfield.
Mortimer said: “To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of Stiliyan Petrov – I think he is just a ‘Steady Eddie’ as it were.
“I, personally, wouldn’t have him in the team. I don’t think he has the right capacity or the right style that I would want him in my team.
“At the top level, you need someone who is a bit more than a ‘Steady Eddie’ and especially as your captain.
“To me you need to generate momentum in games by the quickness of play and of mind and, for me, Petrov takes half an hour to pass the ball.
“OK, so that is an exaggeration, but you get my point.”
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never true a word said spot on and he does know what hes on about.
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Damn Straight Dennis, need to get de hammer back to drive our midfield forward and score some goals!
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Petrov has never been up for it, just easy passes and can only lasts half a game!!!
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Stan shoulda been dropped 2yrs ago when it was clear to all Villa fans that the poor mans legs had gone. We made a huge mistake letting NRC go cos he woulda made a good driving capt from Midfield imho…H for Humble!
Stan hasn’t had it in his legs now for ages and Denis mate, U hit the nail right on the head. He was a far better player when he played for Celtic but MON deployed him in the same role he’s been used at International level for a lotta yrs. Stan was an attacking midfielder and was a very good one at that but in the sitting role he doesn’t have the game to play the position. I hope AM has the balls to drop him from the 1st team b4 seasons start but I doubt it very much. NRC will prove to be a massive mistake I think. He may not have been the best passer but he was a plyr who could break up attacking play from the opposition. Massive error in judgement by the club allowing him to leave but it just shows the ineptitude of our owner aswell. We have idiots making decisions at our club that have nothing to do with the game and it’s costing us bigtime. We’ve lost 2 many top players since Lerner’s come to Villa Pk and I for one am sick and tired of it!
Apart from all of that ranting..LOL.I wish our lads the very best for the season ahead! Same goes to AM and his team 2..I hope for his sake that the season gets off to a good start because if it doesn’t then he and Lerner will be in the firing line very soon..Lerner mostly tho me thinks!!!
UP THE VILLA!!! VTID!!!
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Petrov, underrated, hard working, leader, calm, cool, collected. Something a good Captain is. Mortimer, great captain, however he shouldn’t make judgments.
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Totally agree!! He slows up the play, doesn’t score enough goals and is never going to take us forward. He is no leader…good squad player though.
I don’t think the hammer is the answer, to me another good squand player. We need to get scott parker in my opinion. Ball winner and scores goals.
It is our midfield that is weak and lets us down, not the defence or attack.
UTV
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cant believe ‘the crab’ gets a place in the team let alone the armband worst captain and leader i can remember down villa park-steady championship player at best,we have been playing with ten players the last few seasons-break the bank and get scotty parker!
VTID
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Not sure he should be dropped altogether but we definitely need a more inspirational captain.
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Totally disagree, Petrov NEVER loses the ball, a very valuable trait for a defensive midfielder. He may not be attacking or flash but he gets a great job done.
As for Reocoker, what a joke, captain…are you kidding. Runs around like a mad hare giving away fouls and rarely completes a pass..totall useless. Glad we got rid of him as a player let alone captain.
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AstonMichael,
“Stan shoulda been dropped 2yrs ago when it was clear to all Villa fans that the poor mans legs had gone”. We all thought that, did we?
Well, it really is strange then how he managed to win Villa’s player of the season award that year isnt it?
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Petrov is good player and keep the ball and calming influence, but he don’t have power or stamina or fighting spirit. He is like a cricket player.
Mortimer is right. I think we need a warrior in Roy Keane mould.
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Petrov should have been dropped 2 seasons ago, purely on his appalling level of fitness.
What other PL team would have a captain who can’t run for more than an hour?
Safe 10 yard passes is all Petrov is good for, and as the legend says he slows play down far too much. The reason we struggled defensively last season was because without Milner to do his running for him Petrov is a fizzy pop player at best
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I am not going to doubt he is inspirational….but only off the pitch…he should become a coach for the youth team.
thomas hitzlsperger and jean makoun would hold the midfield freeing up albrighton, n’zog and ireland to create for bent to bang them in! delph next to makoun even
petrov have been a weak link for too long!
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I think his best years were served at Celtic Scott Parker would be an ideal replacement and we do have Fabian Deloh remember..
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So true Mr Mortimer. But this is Aston Villa no ambition, a failure just appointed as Manager, sell all our best players & make Petrov capatin…..Now thats moving the club forward NOT!!!! They be going with the kids next…..You couldn’t make this up!!!!!
Randy sell up please you might fool most but you don’t fool me. You came you tried you failed!!!!!
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Is this the same Captain Petrov who led Villa to a first final in 14 years? With you jokers in the crowd it’s no wonder the players look for the easy pass.
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Well I think Stan works really hard for Villa. Denis played football along time ago and should keep his opinions to himself.
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Mortimer… hahaha. He is the coach of? He was the coach of? He was a good player but that’s it. Poor Dennis, keep your mouth shut. It’s pathetic. You don’t like Petrov just because you don’t understand football. Have a look at the stats and you’ll see that Petrov is still a world-class player.
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Getting to the final had nothing to do with Petrov…that’s for sure! Wasn’t Luke young only just recently saying that the defence has lacked midfield support…? Whos job was that supposed to be…
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Dennis you are a Villa legend but you should know better. I am not sure why Stan comes under so much flak. He works hard and he can retain possession, more than NRC could.
It poses another question, what makes a villa great. What is it that makes Melberg and Laursen untochable and why did we love Hizlsperger? I think Stan has always wore the colours with pride (apart from a few strops)
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Hit the nail on the head, he’s past it and holding us back. We need a 10 goal a season midfielder BRING BACK DER HAMMER !!!!
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Mortimer was a proper player and an inspirational captain.
Petrov slows the ball down and then he gets closed down so he turns and passes it back in a straight line for a defender or keeper to put their foot through it. Without the ball he stands and lets opposing midfielders run off him all game.
After half time he’s running through treacle. He’s in the side because he’s on £50,000 a week and no one else wants him. And he’s captain because…. search me?
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Well said Jinksy, i agree totally with you, Learner lacks the ambition to drive our club forward. He has bought in £37m from Downing & Young & only spends £13m, i read somewhere that the rest was to balance the books from bringing Darren Bent in January. In that case then what has happened to the £18m from Milner sale? Learner is fleecing this club & it is about time the fans done something, for the first time in ages i am not looking forward to this coming season.AM is going to drag us down like he did the blues last season, god help us if Bent or Zoggy get injured.
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lets get Barton in asp !!!!!!!
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Petrov is not the best player or a particularly inspirational captain BUT as a Villa fan I’m tired of watching the other team dominate possession constantly. Petrov is the only player who consistently keeps posession. True he can be slow to distribute and play the simple pass but that’s what you need to do at the top level so that you have the ball to be able to build and score. He is strong on the ball and knows when to take a foul to relieve pressure on our defence. Another cavalier midfielder we’d loose the ball so much we’d have maybe three counter attacks and the usual 50 long balls from the back- as our only form of attack. It’s all about keeping the ball. And that’s petrol. If we had a Roy Keane type player how long would he be at the villa?
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Dennis you are absolutely spot on, however you can not take away Stiliyan’s loyalty, especially when some other former players are only out to get rich quick ! Please Mr. Lerner, throw away your ‘L’ plates and break the bank for Scott Parker and then get Thomas Hitzlsperger back on a free. 10 million in total for 2 midfielders who can attack and score goals, i think is very good business!
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Dale what planet do you come from?
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18 Mortimer – Don’t be a richard cranium! Petrov is rubbish and has been for 4 years!
And Morty was recently voted 3rd best Villa player of all time! Respect!
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What a load of rubbish Mortimer.
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