O'Neill praises midfield duo
30 Apr 2007 - 15:00:11
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has backed the midfield pairing of Stiliyan Petrov and Craig Gardner to be a major force in the Premiership next season.
Petrov has been criticised for a sting of below-par displays since his big-money transfer from Celtic, but O'Neill thinks the Bulgarian is finally coming to terms with life in England's top-flight.
The 27-year-old produced one of his best displays of the season in the 2-0 win at Manchester City as Villa moved closer to a top-half finish after an inconsistent season.
"There were some great performances,'' O'Neill said of the Eastlands success.
"Gareth Barry was terrific, as were Ashley Young and Stiliyan Petrov. I thought Petrov was really, really excellent.
"Next season we will hopefully see Petrov play with great adventure. We are trying to get a balance in there at this minute.
"I think it has worked with young Gardner in there, and because we have a bit of pace and a bit of trickery up front, I always feel we are capable of creating something.
"It is all about the timing of runs but his enthusiasm to get forward all the time, and enthusiasm to get a challenge in, is delightful.
"Once he gets a bit more experience he will know when to time those things. Craig has been terrific all season. He has taken this opportunity and he is taking it brilliantly."