Popescu

[Section Q]

Surely we have someone better than Popescu......

[Robbo-Jambo]

1 hour ago, Deevers said:

Both centre backs need replaced. Too many basic mistakes by both.

We have no centre backs that are good enough for the top league. 

 

Lots of hard work to be done in that area for next season. 

[Alan_R]

 

Popescu is sadly just mince. No ill will against the guy, I don't think it's lack of application. He just, unfortunately, is not very good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alwaysthereinspirit]

Has his moments. But you just know the longer he goes in a game without making a mistake that there’s one about to happen. Today it was two. The penalty, which was Sunday pub team level. Division 3 or 4.

Then at the end when we were defending with squeaky bums. Brings the ball from defense towards the half way line. The play is to knock it in to the corner and waste time. Nope runs it in to trouble, loses it and is so far out of position and we’re back under the cash once again. Absolutely no football sense what so ever. You need to know the game situation at all times. He’s clueless. Squad player at best. And that’s pushing it. How old is he?

[Diego10]

All our fit centre halfs are bad.  We've been better defensively with Popescu in than Berra though

[GinRummy]

4 minutes ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

Has his moments. But you just know the longer he goes in a game without making a mistake that there’s one about to happen. Today it was two. The penalty, which was Sunday pub team level. Division 3 or 4.

Then at the end when we were defending with squeaky bums. Brings the ball from defense towards the half way line. The play is to knock it in to the corner and waste time. Nope runs it in to trouble, loses it and is so far out of position and we’re back under the cash once again. Absolutely no football sense what so ever. You need to know the game situation at all times. He’s clueless. Squad player at best. And that’s pushing it. 

Sums it up. 

[Deevers]

27 minutes ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

We have no centre backs that are good enough for the top league. 

 

Lots of hard work to be done in that area for next season. 

John Souter when fit. Berra Halkett and Popescu are all bomb scares of one sort or another.

[fabienleclerq]

His positioning isn't great, his heading is erratic as is his tackling. As soon as he gets the ball he's either trying a pass he's not good enough to play or dribbles it and loses the ball. Gives me the fear. 

 

Halkett isn't good enough for the Premier league either. Both gash. 

[Cruyff]

Definitely need to push the boat out on Centerhalfs in the summer. 

[Last Laff]

He’s utter pony. 

[Balders]

Hate criticising players but I just can't tolerate this guy. Its not just his the basic flaws when defending, when he goes up for corners I'm like whats the point.  He has missed some sitters, that one against Morton recently and his headers at Dunfermline cost us points. Any time the ball goes near him my blood pressure rises.  

 

 

[Billy Hoyle]

22 minutes ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

Has his moments. But you just know the longer he goes in a game without making a mistake that there’s one about to happen. Today it was two. The penalty, which was Sunday pub team level. Division 3 or 4.

Then at the end when we were defending with squeaky bums. Brings the ball from defense towards the half way line. The play is to knock it in to the corner and waste time. Nope runs it in to trouble, loses it and is so far out of position and we’re back under the cash once again. Absolutely no football sense what so ever. You need to know the game situation at all times. He’s clueless. Squad player at best. And that’s pushing it. How old is he?

Summed up well. Halkett had a similar brain fart in the incident when Gordon saved the Dundee players shot with his feet it came to him and he actually missed the ball instead of booting it out the park for a throw or a corner. They should definitely have made it 2-2 there. Good teams will bury us with these two in defence. Top priority has to be to replace both. 

[McCrae]

Not good enough for SPFL

 

[pettigrewsstylist]

57 minutes ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

We have no centre backs that are good enough for the top league. 

 

Lots of hard work to be done in that area for next season. 

Agreed .

[ollie2004]

2 hours ago, Deevers said:

Both centre backs need replaced. Too many basic mistakes by both.

Any news on Soapy returning?

[Mikey1874]

28 minutes ago, ollie2004 said:

Any news on Soapy returning?

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Mikey1874

[David McCaig]

2 hours ago, The Treasurer said:

Popescu tends to have the ability to be good and bad in equal measures in every game 

When actually what you want your centre backs to be are solid, dull, dependable and reliable.

 

[Lfhearts]

Makes Dikamona look good.

[stuart500]

It's funny but over the years I can remember lots of criticism of centre backs as being bomb scare. Big "Donkey" Dave, Elvis, Big Zal. They all came good after dubious starts.

 

Popescu is nowhere near the worst centre back I've seen. He's a class above defenders we used in the second tier before. Crawford Boyd. Colin More etc etc

He's doing a job. A necessary job in this division. Up to him to learn from his errors. 

The point here is others who disappointed in their first season then improved greatly. 

On that basis I've not written him off yet.

[Jim Panzee]

9 minutes ago, stuart500 said:

It's funny but over the years I can remember lots of criticism of centre backs as being bomb scare. Big "Donkey" Dave, Elvis, Big Zal. They all came good after dubious starts.

 

Popescu is nowhere near the worst centre back I've seen. He's a class above defenders we used in the second tier before. Crawford Boyd. Colin More etc etc

He's doing a job. A necessary job in this division. Up to him to learn from his errors. 

The point here is others who disappointed in their first season then improved greatly. 

On that basis I've not written him off yet.

Agree with this. 

[Diego10]

For all Popescu gets classed as a bombscare, he's cost us less goals than Smith has from errors.  

[pointon]

Absolute dug shite and Halkett is not much better 

[chimpto]

He’s not worse than Petric or James. 
 

I think he’s getting better, which is the main thing for now.

[Guest ToqueJambo]

Better but don't think he'll be here beyond this season.

[lost in space]

14 minutes ago, Diego10 said:

For all Popescu gets classed as a bombscare, he's cost us less goals than Smith has from errors.  

Probably true but Smith brings more to the team going forward. If Popescu had scored from just one of the chances from corners, he would be more of an asset.

[BackOfTheNet]

4 hours ago, Jambo92 said:

File under Dikamona, will be fine in most games but will cost goals. Prefer to Berra. But hopefully our summer involves investment in CB.

This is where I’m at. Wouldn’t want to rely on him in the Premiership but he is nowhere as near as bad as people make out as can do a job. His pace to get back if ball in behind is actually invaluable as it’s what we sorely lacked last season. He can also defensively header very well and his possession play allows the team to keep the ball and get up the park without a hopeless punt.

 

All that being said he can make mistakes and be rash. So wouldn’t lose sleep if he were to leave but I’d have him in ahead of Berra any day of the week. The requirements of a centre back in modern football have moved on, if he didn’t have those mistakes but kept the positive attributes he’d be playing at a higher level. It is what it is. As for the penalty, is he at fault? Absolutely. Was it a tackle he had to try and make though? Personally I think so. He is to blame for the penalty, yes, but more questions need to be asked how the Dundee boy was free in the box about to pull the trigger and likely score anyway.

[Diadora Van Basten]

Had a good first half. I am not a fan but he has his minutes.

[Cruyff]

44 minutes ago, Diego10 said:

For all Popescu gets classed as a bombscare, he's cost us less goals than Smith has from errors.  

I actually don't mind him, he wins a lot of headers and does a lot of good things but he's always got a mistake in him. He'll do fine as a backup next season. 

[Bazzas right boot]

47 minutes ago, Diego10 said:

For all Popescu gets classed as a bombscare, he's cost us less goals than Smith has from errors.  

Even if true, he still ****s up more, it's likely Just because he gets bailed out or their attacker ****s it up. Not any ability on Popescu's behalf 

[Doc Rob]

5 hours ago, cocomac said:

Why do people guve Petric a hard time. Have a review of the season and a half that Petric played for us. We lost when he wasn't playing. He may not have had the most finesse but he was effective. 

A certain match against Standard Liege, and a chance that I could have put away, but which inexplicably fell to him.

[Jambo92]

7 minutes ago, Doc Rob said:

A certain match against Standard Liege, and a chance that I could have put away, but which inexplicably fell to him.

 

Stuttgart I think. Boy cost a lot of money and was a total huddy.  

[heartsfc_fan]

56 minutes ago, Diadora Van Basten said:

Had a good first half. I am not a fan but he has his minutes.

This.

He's not that bad but there is always a bombscare moment that is his undoing.

 

I watched him fairly closely in the first half and his passing and ball at feet play is decent enough. Certainly better than Berra.

[Doc Rob]

6 minutes ago, Jambo92 said:

 

Stuttgart I think. Boy cost a lot of money and was a total huddy.  

Believe you’re right. I have somehow conflated those two games in my head.

Edited March 6, 2021 by Doc Rob

[Broxburn Jambo]

2 hours ago, stuart500 said:

It's funny but over the years I can remember lots of criticism of centre backs as being bomb scare. Big "Donkey" Dave, Elvis, Big Zal. They all came good after dubious starts.

 

Popescu is nowhere near the worst centre back I've seen. He's a class above defenders we used in the second tier before. Crawford Boyd. Colin More etc etc

He's doing a job. A necessary job in this division. Up to him to learn from his errors. 

The point here is others who disappointed in their first season then improved greatly. 

On that basis I've not written him off yet.

Great Post,  I don't expect World beaters, but the guy has a bit of a football brain and hope we persevere with him.....but on the brighter side I am sure he will be happy being compared to a Brazilian international.

[Shaggy2]

20 minutes ago, Doc Rob said:

A certain match against Standard Liege, and a chance that I could have put away, but which inexplicably fell to him.

It was Stuttgart (as pointed out) and I think your memory is playing tricks as to how much of a "sitter" that actually was. He was a high profile signing that turned sour due to partnering Kevin James in the worst derby result in nearly 30 years along with that chance against Stuttgart. It was a great chance but no better than Dave McPherson at Tynecastle v Bayern, Colquhoun in Munich, even Ginnelly in December and many many more that could have won us massive games or in the case of Dave McP, increased our lead.

Edited March 6, 2021 by Shaggy2

[Pasquale for King]

We simply can’t start next season with him or Halkett in the team, unless we go to three or play Haring there I can’t see what else we can do this season.  Another poor signing. 

[Doc Rob]

9 minutes ago, Shaggy2 said:

It was Stuttgart (as pointed out) and I think your memory is playing tricks as to how much of a "sitter" that actually was. He was a high profile signing that turned sour due to partnering Kevin James in the worst derby result in nearly 30 years along with that chance against Stuttgart. It was a great chance but no better than Dave McPherson at Tynecastle v Bayern, Colquhoun in Munich, even Ginnelly in December and many many more that could have won us massive games or in the case of Dave McP, increased our lead.

I’ve just watched it on YouTube. Yes, I’ll concede that it wasn’t as big a sitter as I remember, and to be fair to Petric he gave it a decent lash. My main recollection of the game was the feeling that of all the players in our team, why did that chance have to fall to Petric? It wasn’t an easy finish, but he was free in the box with only the keeper to beat.

 

Anyway: the main issue with Petric was that we spent £500k of the SMG money to sign him.

[MrBones]

Shit, but better than Berra. 2 new CBs next season please

[Diego10]

1 hour ago, Cruyff said:

I actually don't mind him, he wins a lot of headers and does a lot of good things but he's always got a mistake in him. He'll do fine as a backup next season. 

He's the best of our available centre halfs imo.  Halkett seems to get worse every week

[Zico]

Him and Halkett are both pish. Hopefully Souttar can recover but we definitely need new centre halves for next season. 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

 

12 hours ago, fabienleclerq said:

His positioning isn't great, his heading is erratic as is his tackling. As soon as he gets the ball he's either trying a pass he's not good enough to play or dribbles it and loses the ball. Gives me the fear. 

 

Halkett isn't good enough for the Premier league either. Both gash. 

Well if he can correct all them massive flaws, there is a player in there eh!
 

When he got the knock on the head a few weeks back he turned into Franz Beckenbauer for the rest of the game. Maybe we should keep a set of golf clubs in the dressing room and crack him over the head with each club till we get the angle right to do it again 

Edited March 7, 2021 by A_A wehatethehibs

[MCW1976]

14 hours ago, Snedescu said:

When do both of their contacts end?

 

At the end of the last day of their agreements?

 

🙂

[Harry Potter]

13 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

 

Well if he can correct all them massive flaws, there is a player in there eh!
 

When he got the knock on the head a few weeks back he turned into Franz Beckenbauer for the rest of the game. Maybe we should keep a set of golf clubs in the dressing room and crack him over the head with each club till we get the angle right to do it again 

He was like a new player with the bandage on, running at the opposition , deffo a player in there, but that tackle yesterday was mental.😵.

[Shaggy2]

8 hours ago, Doc Rob said:

I’ve just watched it on YouTube. Yes, I’ll concede that it wasn’t as big a sitter as I remember, and to be fair to Petric he gave it a decent lash. My main recollection of the game was the feeling that of all the players in our team, why did that chance have to fall to Petric? It wasn’t an easy finish, but he was free in the box with only the keeper to beat.

 

Anyway: the main issue with Petric was that we spent £500k of the SMG money to sign him.

Agree with all of that. 👍

 

The noise at the end of that Stuttgart game was amazing. Maybe due to an extra hour in the pub! Was a 9pm look, iirc. 😁🍺

[jamboozy]

I like Pops, don’t know why ? I was cursing him yesterday , but he has some good attributes that can be worked on.

As an aside, there’s something about him that reminds me of Zal, maybe the ‘bomb scare’ moments 😄

[This is My Story Podcast]

Popescu had a decent game yesterday, till the penalty. Two new CB’s needed. 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

32 minutes ago, jamboozy said:

I like Pops, don’t know why ? I was cursing him yesterday , but he has some good attributes that can be worked on.

As an aside, there’s something about him that reminds me of Zal, maybe the ‘bomb scare’ moments 😄

I do as well I think it’s because we fans ourselves would be nuclear bomb scares every time we touched the ball, so there’s something endearing about it. He will always be forever a bomb scare now, I hope his team mates are pointing it out to him and he’s getting deserved stick for it. Between that and GMS miss... Shocking! 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by A_A wehatethehibs

[Martin_T]

16 hours ago, Le Chat said:

I saw a tweet describing him as the David Luiz of Scotland.  Good call I'd say.

 

I would say Titus Bramble is more appropriate. A destitute man's Titus Bramble.

[way out west jambo]

Needs to mature as a player, too hot headed and rash. Too eager to burst forward.

The thing is, he’s pretty solid in the air, he wins more aerial battles than he loses. It’s footwork, positioning and decisions he needs to work on. 

[Martin_T]

9 hours ago, Doc Rob said:

I’ve just watched it on YouTube. Yes, I’ll concede that it wasn’t as big a sitter as I remember, and to be fair to Petric he gave it a decent lash. My main recollection of the game was the feeling that of all the players in our team, why did that chance have to fall to Petric? It wasn’t an easy finish, but he was free in the box with only the keeper to beat.

 

Anyway: the main issue with Petric was that we spent £500k of the SMG money to sign him.

 

The Petric 'sitter' versus Stuttgart is possibly one of the biggest myths in Hearts fandom.

 

I wouldn't back any of our forwards from the past 10 years to score it.