Source: Daily_Mail
HATCHET MAN: When the likes of Petrov is your best player, it's easy to see why Villa failed to make
Faint praise: Aston Villa player of the year Petrov
If Stiliyan Petrov is Aston Villa's player of the year it is no wonder they couldn't crack the top four.
While the Bulgarian has looked great at times he has been distinctly average at too many others to have made the impact needed.
In adding grit to his midfield guile some of the magic has gone.
Thebeauty of him at Celtic was in his creativity not how many miles he covered and clumsy challenges he made, like the one on Stewart Downing.
That should be the job of Gareth Barry who, unlike the committed Petrov, is unlikely to accept Villa's offer of a new contract and isset to leave the club cast as a deserter.
The England midfielder may not have kicked up another childish fuss about leaving this summer but Martin O'Neill has made damn sure he willnot exit easily.
If Barry attracts a buyer - and Liverpool's Rafael Benitez is still peculiarly interested - and takes up the offer of a move the Villa manager has made it obvious that he has no loyalty to the club.
