Comments for An open message from The Doc to Stiliyan Petrov at http://www.avfcblog.com , comment 1 to 26 out of 20 comments http://www.avfcblog.com Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:03:02 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-26987 about as reactionary as usual, doc. the problem with villa fans seems to be that even though they watch villa all the time, they don't actually know much about the game. Doc, im afraid to say you are one of those people. Doesnt the law of averages suggest petrov had to have a couple of good games a season?? - tom t Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:33:06 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19898 Would anyone care to dig up the competitive game records for Scottish teams against English teams in European competition? I'm not disagreeing with the fact that the EPL is of a higher standard than the SPL, but the gulf is not as big as some think. I can think of only 1 occasion in the last 20 years, out of 6 meetings, where the English team has come out on top overall, 2 i suppose if you count the 2-2 aggregate score between Celtic and Liverpool in 1997. Anyone add to this? 1992 Rangers 4 -2 Leeds on Aggregate 1997 Celtic 2-2 Liverpool on Aggregate 2003 Celtic 3-0 Blackburn 2003 Celtic 3-1 Liverpool 2002(I think) Man U 4 -0 Rangers 2006 Celtic 3-3 Man U - Ross the Tim Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:35:31 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19885 I think Boruc should sign for villa in the summer.. way better then Carson.. Come on you Boruc.. Please Stay Barry. or at least get a swap deal plus cash - Brouc is the holy keeper Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:40:28 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19823 Hahahaha to the fool who tried to disagree with the gulf in quality between Prem and Scottex league :D :D :D :D - Mick70 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:19:28 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19821 What villa players would make it at celtic, Young and Agbonlahor, Laursen would, and well that's about it. Hartley>Barry Robson>Petrov McDonald>Carew Boruc>Carson Caldwell>Knight - Gaffney Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:58:52 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19820 yep player for player they probably arent as good as even the teams challenging for a uefa cup place. think about the number of premiership rejects that have succeeded at celtic or rangers. alan thompson couldnt even get in the villa side yet was a mainstay at celtic. being honest they would challenge for the uefa places based on there home form. teams wouldnt like going away there. Top 4 tho - no chance!!! the champions league tells u that!!! - tonebone Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:46:22 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19819 Now I also follow Celtic but am a aston villa fan. I have been up to Scotland afew times and have met some of the players and have met Stan back then and he is a really polite person. He signed autographs for a whole coach full of kids. name me a player that would do that these days. Villa are better now then they have been in years, they can only get better under O'Neil and so can Petrov. I would love to see him bring in Boruc instead of signing Scott Carson because Boruc shows passion into football unlike Scott Carson. I can just imagine Boruc infront of the holte end just brilliant. Come one Marting get your cheque book out and sign Brouc up he is a brilliant goalie and cheaper then Carson. Come on you villa boyz europe here we come:D - Brouc is the holy keeper Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:34:34 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19814 @BITP. How can you say that the Villa team lacks quality in midfield? Half you squad would stuggle to get into any top 10 premier league side. You only have one tough opponent in your league. You made a point about how your players can play well against the elite of europe. Lets not forget that little old Barnsley beat both Chelsea & Liverpool in the F.A cup. Does that mean they too are better than most of the teams in the premier league? Id love to see Rangers and Celtic come into the PL just to see how they would do. I very much doubt they would make top 4 and the players would probably stuggle with playing competitive matches week in week out. Honestly im not so sure a UEFA cup place would be a definate for either of them. Id say they were only on par with the chasing pack of the PL at the moment. - the_flabster Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:31:52 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19811 Well said, Doc. Completely agree. All of a sudden, it's like having a new signing. And again, to those who jump on MON's case far too early, another slice of humble pie. MON's not god, but he's a good manager, and I think has proven that he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Well done to the pair of them: Stan for showing true class and quality while wandering about in the wilderness, and MON for sticking to his belief in the player against the critics. If our league position, passion, and all the rest weren't enough, Stan's return to form, and MON's tactics in finding the right formation and home for the players he's got, should be confirmation that Villa are in as good hands as we could hope them to be. - kohoutek Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:11:43 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19810 YOU WOULD RATHER HAVE PATRICK BERGER THAN EVANDER SNO? MATE, I WOULD RATHER HAVE PATRICK SWAYZE THAN EVANDER SNOW. ;D - BORUC IS THE PONTIF Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:31:12 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19799 Well said Doc. - andy5759 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:26:04 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19793 Petrov played in a great celtic side under o'neill - a far better side than the one villa have now. - 1977 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:31:11 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19791 Why the dispute... Stan is doing well and we all should be glad for him after a horrid time. When goals are scored you can see that he has that passion that we want when around the players, and on top of that the lad can play. As a Villa and Celtic fan, I am happy that he is doing the business. Captain in making!! - villadaz Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:36:06 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19789 glad you have found your position, and form. cant wait to see you boss midfield next year mate. - stig Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:43:14 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19788 And by the way, BORUC IS THE PONTIF, as much as I hate to make comparisons between Villa and Celtic, what the hell are you on about!? Under O'Neill, Celtic were a far far better side than they are now. If you're talking about lack of quality, just look at the SPL as a whole mate before you comment on Villa. Even Celtic has a pretty average team at the moment. Put it this way, I'd much rather have Patrick Berger than Evander Sno any day!! - Abz Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:31:11 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19787 Here here! I've always had faith in Petrov since he joined and I'm glad he's finally producing the goods. Though I'm Villa through and through, I also follow Celtic (mom is Glaswegian) and I've seen Petrov play many times. He seems to be very comfortable in this new system and long may it continue. - Abz Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:25:11 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19782 Petrov looked o good in Scotland because he IS good. Hristo Stoichkov spotted that before O'Neill got near him. He has suddenly found form in England because - just as in Scotland - he is a top-drawer box-to-box central midfielder and not a wide player. When O'Neill played him on the right at Celtic - for match after match after match - he looked awful. Any time he was played in the middle he was one of the best on show at any level. So much so that Lothar Mathaus recommended him as Bayern Munich's replacement for Ballack (under Gordon Strachan, ConVilla). By the way, I don't disagree that the English premier is better than Scotland but the difference is nowhere near as big as you think and the game has always been faster in Scotland. It is probably more difficult for a player to use the ball in Scotland because of the number of tackles that come crashing in, hence the success of Arteta in England when he was considered a luxury in Scotland. There is no doubt that England's big four are packed with top players. The rest of the league is pretty garbage and only perceived as great by English fans who don't watch any other football. Do you think it's a coincidence that there still hasn't been one top-class English coach since Bobby Robson? Nope, that's because English top league football is generally poor. - OneStarMeansMore Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:09:57 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19781 Petrov looked so good in Scotland because he IS good. He has suddenly found form in England because - just as in Scotland - he is a top-drawer box-to-box central midfielder and not a wide player. When O'Neill played him on the right at Celtic - for match after match after match - he looked awful. Any time he was played in the middle he was one of the best on show at any level. So much so that Lothar Mathaus recommended him as Bayern Munich's replacement for Ballack. By the way, I don't disagree that the English premier is better than Scotland but the difference is nowhere near as big as you think and the game has always been faster in Scotland. It is probably more difficult for a player to use the ball in Scotland because of the number of tackles that come crashing in, hence the success of Arteta in England when he was considered a luxury in Scotland. There is no doubt that England's big four are packed with top players. The rest of the league is pretty garbage and only perceived as great by English fans who don't watch any other football. Do you think it's a coincidence that there still hasn't been one top-class English coach since Bobby Robson? Nope, that's because English top league football is generally poor. - OneStarMeansMore Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:07:42 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19779 DID HULL MAKE IT TO THE WORLDS NUMBER ONE LEAGUE? - BORUC IS THE PONTIF. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:47:50 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2316/70/#comment-19775 [b]BORUC IS THE PONTIF.[/b] - You havent a clue what you are talking about.. The SPL wouldn't be a fitting challenge for the Championship..let alone the Premiership. [i]"The English Premier League is faster, more physical and technically more demanding than the SPL."[/i] and i believe there is a [b]FULLSTOP[/b] after that. Petrov made the best choice of his career moving to Villa, and i truely believe that it was only Martin O'Neill that brought the best out of him at Celtic and he will do the same at Villa. If anything, if he moved back to the SPL, [b][i]then[/i][/b] he would have a lack of quality around him.. Petrov, well done, you've proven in the last few games that you can withstand this league. Keep it up. ;D - ConVilla Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:21:38 +0100