Popescu

[Captain Canada]

He does ok in a lot of games then misses a sitter or makes a terrible mistake from nowhere.

 

Another poor signing overall alongside Roberts, Frear and Halliday.

 

If we're serious about a top 4 spot next season (assuming we go up) then a big revamp is needed. 

 

Guys like Berra, Naismith, Henderson and Halkett aren't going to take us there in my opinion and last season demonstrated that. 

[chrystaf]

12 hours ago, BackOfTheNet said:

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.

Agree.  If only he could learn to tackle properly, or at least cunningly, he'd be a decent player.  But his rashness risks costing us a goal on average reach game.

[Cruyff]

10 hours ago, Diego10 said:

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

Yeah, possibly but I still think neither are good enough to start in the SPL next season.

[jamboozy]

1 hour ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

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! 

 

Especially me as a fan😄 for some reason I always forget how little time a player has to make a decision, especially when I’m caught up in the moment at Tynecastle, it’s frustration and disappointment for the chance/ tackle missed or miss-timed, not disappointment in the Player.

[Diego10]

1 hour ago, Cruyff said:

Yeah, possibly but I still think neither are good enough to start in the SPL next season.

No,absolutely not.  A solid partnership is essential.  Hopefully Souttar is one half of that, but I wouldn't want either of those two beside him

[Holyrood_Hearts]

18 hours ago, queensferryjambo said:

 

Halkett is one of the main reasons we are in this shitty league and can only attract crap players at the level of Popescu. 

 

Halkett and Pereira gave me nightmares last season - Halkett still does.

 

No he’s not. Pereira, Berra, Levein, MacPhee, Budge & Stendel are bigger reasons we are where we are than Halkett. 

[indianajones]

Halkett is utter stinking too mind. 

 

Souttar and a new body in for next year hopefully.

[Rods]

Popescu was playing well yesterday then he seemed to lose the place. It seemed to be relating to just want to go through Cummings’s. I have been noticing lately Halkett seems to less motivated he always seems to be jogging back into place. 

[upgotheheads]

20 hours ago, RENE said:

Played well until conceding the penalty.  We are so nervous at the back when out under pressure but at least we gotten points.

 

Trouble is playing well and then conceding a penalty as daft as that one doesn't cut it in the Premiership. He will cost us a goal every game at the higher level. 

Halkett is still a decent player and would be worth keeping, but we need to sign two centre backs before the start of next season.

[No Idle Talk]

I thought he was playing really well yesterday up until the moment he conceded the penalty. He looked ropey after that. I'm still not sure what to make of him as a player but we do need his pace at the back just now. 

[grumpyespana]

5 hours ago, No Idle Talk said:

I thought he was playing really well yesterday up until the moment he conceded the penalty. He looked ropey after that. I'm still not sure what to make of him as a player but we do need his pace at the back just now. 

Rather play Berra if he is fit again even just for his heading ability guys.

[Diego10]

1 hour ago, grumpyespana said:

Rather play Berra if he is fit again even just for his heading ability guys.

We let in 14 in Berra's last 6 starts.

 

We've let in 4 in the 7 games since he was dropped, and Popescu was at fault for one.

[stirlo]

Popescu is not as bad as some people make out. He does make the odd howler - such as the penalty yesterday - but he's actually decent with the ball at his feet and if he improves his decision making he could actually be quite a decent defender. 

[Thomaso]

14 hours ago, Martin_T said:

 

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.

Correct!

[Shaggy2]

10 hours ago, Diego10 said:

We let in 14 in Berra's last 6 starts.

 

We've let in 4 in the 7 games since he was dropped, and Popescu was at fault for one.

Not arguing Berra’s case for reinstatement but how many did we score in those runs? Tactics have clearly changed in Popescu’s run and the defence is receiving far more protection. Also, didn’t Raith’s 2nd and 3rd come after Berra had gone off and Popescu came on? A bit disingenuous to give Berra “credit” for losing those goals, given that Popescu looked ropey for at least one of them before his bang on the head turned him into Beckenbaur! 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Shaggy2

[manaliveits105]

Penalty aside he played well if he can cut out the odd bad decision there is a player there 

[KyleLafferty]

Gives me the fear when driving forward with the ball, but purely cause neither does Smith or a centre midfielder drop back in to cover him when he does it.

[GinRummy]

1 minute ago, KyleLafferty said:

Gives me the fear when driving forward with the ball, but purely cause neither does Smith or a centre midfielder drop back in to cover him when he does it.

Irving stayed back as cover most of the time on Saturday. 

[KyleLafferty]

38 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

Irving stayed back as cover most of the time on Saturday. 

Hopefully it will continue buts it’s been glaring for weeks that we were leaving space in behind.

[OTT]

Neither are good enough for a team with ambitions of silverware or European football. Difference between him and Halkett I think is in the air, Popescu squanders chance after chance despite being in good positions at corners. The comparison is Danny Wilson who knew how to get the ball on target more often than not (not advocating for getting Wilson back either).

 

Missing out on Stuart Findlay is a sore one because him and Souttar at the back would have been the best CB pairing outside the OF. I think Dunne is the obvious target we want to see but could be really tough to do financially, almost certain we'd make our money back though. Murray Wallace would be an ambitious signing and having already played with Kingsley, might not be impossible to pull off, although I wonder if he's someone we should be going for. Declan Gallagher would be good too, but isn't left sided which means overkill as we already have Halkett. Curve ball would be to see if we could do anything to get a deal done with Simunovic. Clubless since leaving Celtic, only 26 but injury prone. Hibs were able to get a deal done with Ambrose, so every possibility if a little bit ambitious. May also be open to something as clubs will be looking at his fitness and then looking elsewhere  which may make something possible. 

 

Think we need a defenders defender though. Ideally similar mould to Berra but more competent with the ball at his feet. 

[Ex member of the SaS]

I get people are annoyed at the penalty but most seem to forget the tackle ha made earlier that could have cost us a goal had he not made it. Ok he's not the best but he is by far not the worst either. Getting on a player's back for one mistake would mean every player would be hounded out. The misses at the other end are put down to bad luck or a " bobble" or " ok he will score next time " yet defenders are not given this luxury. 

IF we do build something after promotion then I am sure those in charge will fix both the defense and offense, BUT I would have hoped they did it long before promotion to get the team playing together and working as a team. Clear out every season never ends well and pre season is not competitive games that are needed for players to get to " know" each other.

[TheBigO]

Ach we'll get back up and recruitment during covid and all that.  We got in someone who'd played in the country, probably OK on budget and essentially filled a spot.

 

Bit like last time we got promoted, I'd expect a wee clear out and he'd be on the list.  I guess if he's happy to be a squad player and if Flatman isn't quite there yet, he may stay and see out his 2 year deal but if my guess is he'll be "invited" to find another club.

 

Interesting for me will be what we do at CH.  As I say, I wouldn't think Flatman will be ready, and I don't think Hamilton going to be a CH as that growth spurt never happened!  So a lot of the decision will come down to faith in Soapy.

 

Basically do we bring in 1 starting CH (so we think Soapy is all good) or 2 (to be on the safe side).

 

I'm still not as down on Halkett as others are.  I think he has lots of qualities.  Would love to see him in a settled team, with a solid partner.  He now has a goalie and FBs who can pretty much be relied on, but I don't think we've addressed the protection from midfield and certainly not his partner.  We address those things, I get the feeling he won't let us down and will eventually be remembered fondly.

 

And to be fair to Popescu, no hard feelings there.  The guy is quite obviously a trier and I like the way when we're very pedestrian, he's often the one to try to instill a bit of drive.  It doesn't often work, but I like his attitude!

[Diego10]

5 hours ago, Shaggy2 said:

Not arguing Berra’s case for reinstatement but how many did we score in those runs? Tactics have clearly changed in Popescu’s run and the defence is receiving far more protection. Also, didn’t Raith’s 2nd and 3rd come after Berra had gone off and Popescu came on? A bit disingenuous to give Berra “credit” for losing those goals, given that Popescu looked ropey for at least one of them before his bang on the head turned him into Beckenbaur! 

Fair points, but Berra was in horrible form and a good reason why we needed 4 goals a game to get a win.

 

Going forward, far better needed.  Right now, I'd much rather see Popescu play

[Cruyff]

Honestly, I hope we're looking at a Centerhalf that is top notch and push the boat out a bit. Someone who compliments Souttar and negates his weaknesses. To have a proper top notch Centerhalf pairing, quality experienced keeper in Gordon and two good full backs will be a good base to build from next season. Popescu will be fine as back up. 

[Shaggy2]

2 hours ago, Diego10 said:

Fair points, but Berra was in horrible form and a good reason why we needed 4 goals a game to get a win.

 

Going forward, far better needed.  Right now, I'd much rather see Popescu play

Like I said, I'm not campaigning for Berra to be chosen but I'm convinced if Robbie set up to win 1-0 or 2-1 with Berra in the side it wouldn't have been any worse or better than the last 7 games. Similarly if we'd been as attacking in the 6 before that, I'm not convinced we'd have conceded less with Popescu in there instead of Berra.

For me, we don't have an outstandingly good centre back and Halkett should be equally concerned about his place. I'd love to see the return of the Halkett from the start of last season, when his shorts fitted him!

Even if/when Souttar returns, he can overplay at times so I remain concerned to an extent about all four of our central defenders.

[4marsbars]

21 hours ago, Diego10 said:

We let in 14 in Berra's last 6 starts.

 

We've let in 4 in the 7 games since he was dropped, and Popescu was at fault for one.

 

This post is being reported to the mods for containing facts. Relevant ones, too.

 

We're not having any of that 

[bigsuperslim1874]

6 hours ago, OTT said:

Neither are good enough for a team with ambitions of silverware or European football. Difference between him and Halkett I think is in the air, Popescu squanders chance after chance despite being in good positions at corners. The comparison is Danny Wilson who knew how to get the ball on target more often than not (not advocating for getting Wilson back either).

 

Missing out on Stuart Findlay is a sore one because him and Souttar at the back would have been the best CB pairing outside the OF. I think Dunne is the obvious target we want to see but could be really tough to do financially, almost certain we'd make our money back though. Murray Wallace would be an ambitious signing and having already played with Kingsley, might not be impossible to pull off, although I wonder if he's someone we should be going for. Declan Gallagher would be good too, but isn't left sided which means overkill as we already have Halkett. Curve ball would be to see if we could do anything to get a deal done with Simunovic. Clubless since leaving Celtic, only 26 but injury prone. Hibs were able to get a deal done with Ambrose, so every possibility if a little bit ambitious. May also be open to something as clubs will be looking at his fitness and then looking elsewhere  which may make something possible. 

 

Think we need a defenders defender though. Ideally similar mould to Berra but more competent with the ball at his feet. 

😂 Funnily enough I said something similar to a mate. Prone to a howler now and again but also had his good games. Played at a good level, Gordon will know him and much better than Popescu or Halkett. I’d argue Celtic fans would have had him in the team 99 times out of a hundred than Duffy - turns out letting Simunovic go and getting Duffy in was catastrophic. 🥳

[Shaggy2]

1 hour ago, 4marsbars said:

 

This post is being reported to the mods for containing facts. Relevant ones, too.

 

We're not having any of that 

Apart from the FACT they're wildly misleading. As I said to Diego10, it is extremely unfair to include the 2nd and 3rd Raith Rovers goals in Berra's stats. It's even more unfair to include the Celtic match in Berra's stats. Take the cup ties out and include the 6-1 defeat of QOTS for a much fairer comparison.

 

Berra's last six starts:

Hearts 2-3 Raith Rovers (substituted for Popescu at 0-1)

Alloa 1-3 Hearts

Dundee 3-1 Hearts (very poor and badly at fault in this game, no getting away from it)

Hearts 3-1 Arbroath

Hearts 5-3 Ayr Utd (a bad one for the defensive stats but Berra was not involved in the comedy defending)

*Celtic 3-3 Hearts (with the new handball rule, he was at fault for the penalty)

Hearts 6-1 QOTS

 

League:

P6 W4 D0 L2 F20 (18) A12 (10) Pts12

In brackets are goals he was on the park for.

 

Popescu's last six starts

 

Hearts 2-1 Dundee (at fault for Dundee's goal)

ICT 1-1 Hearts

Hearts 1-1 Morton (missed sitter)

QOTS 1-1 Hearts

Ayr Utd 0-1 Hearts

Hearts 1-0 Dunfermline

 

P6 W3 D3 L0 F7 A4 Pts12 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Shaggy2

[vlad on the tyne]

Poppy is an accident waiting to happen.  Doesn't learn from mistakes and there has been a few. 

 

Hopefully he is replaced in the summer. 

[Guest ToqueJambo]

7 hours ago, Cruyff said:

Honestly, I hope we're looking at a Centerhalf that is top notch and push the boat out a bit. Someone who compliments Souttar and negates his weaknesses. To have a proper top notch Centerhalf pairing, quality experienced keeper in Gordon and two good full backs will be a good base to build from next season. Popescu will be fine as back up. 

 

Would love to have a proper no-nonsense stopper again. We probably haven't had one since Young Berra or maybe Webster. Zali and Webster was our last high quality CB partnership.

[David McCaig]

In a perfect world it would be great to pair John Souttar with Jimmy Dunne again.

[Bazzas right boot]

On 07/03/2021 at 09:27, Martin_T said:

 

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.

 

 

Think it was more about  how much he missed by that was the issue. 

 

He taken out the Enterprise. 

 

 

[gordiegords]

On 07/03/2021 at 09:27, Martin_T said:

 

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.

Absolutely this, I was at the game at the opposite end and at the time thought it was a sitter, when I seen it back later I realised it was a good chance but nowhere near a sitter.

[DG_HMFC]

On 06/03/2021 at 19:37, McCrae said:

Not good enough for SPFL

 

 

He's more than good enough to play in the SPFL Championship, L1 and L2. 

 

He'll get torn a new one playing in the SPFL Premiership, though.

[Martin_T]

4 hours ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

Think it was more about  how much he missed by that was the issue. 

 

He taken out the Enterprise. 

 

 

 

 

It's on the 28th minute of these highlights. Perhaps Aguero, Lewandowski or Haaland would deftly lob it over the keeper, any player you care to name in Scotland would more than likely miss that chance.

[TexasAndy]

Popescu lets himself down with at least one big error per match.   Otherwise he is actually a decent player.   Despite the concerns over Popescu\Halkett (which I also have) the defence has been tighter in recent weeks.  

[Shaggy2]

11 minutes ago, TexasAndy said:

Popescu lets himself down with at least one big error per match.   Otherwise he is actually a decent player.   Despite the concerns over Popescu\Halkett (which I also have) the defence has been tighter in recent weeks.  

It has, but tactics seem to have changed. Does it not concern you that we’ve scored just over a third of the amount of goals in our last six games as we did in the six before that? Conceded goals have dropped at approximately the same ratio, to be fair. 

My stats above shows Berra’s last 6 league games beats Popescu’s last 6 on goal difference! 😁

Are we a more attacking team (due to trusting our defence) when Berra plays? 😳

[Ainsley Harriott]

On 06/03/2021 at 18:41, Section Q said:

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

Until soapy is fit (if ever) we sadly don'/

[TexasAndy]

3 minutes ago, Shaggy2 said:

It has, but tactics seem to have changed. Does it not concern you that we’ve scored just over a third of the amount of goals in our last six games as we did in the six before that? Conceded goals have dropped at approximately the same ratio, to be fair. 

My stats above shows Berra’s last 6 league games beats Popescu’s last 6 on goal difference! 😁

Are we a more attacking team (due to trusting our defence) when Berra plays? 😳

I think the goals thing is more down to a combination of our poor finishing and teams playing very tight against us.  Dundee game was a good example.  In 6-2 game they came out and were very open, on Saturday they had everyone behind the ball when we had it and were trying to spring us on the break.   At 2-0 I thought we had played well, good shape and created chances.  Poor finishing letting us down as it has in recent games.  They got back in with penalty and had a real go for last 10-15 mins.

[Shaggy2]

Just now, TexasAndy said:

I think the goals thing is more down to a combination of our poor finishing and teams playing very tight against us.  Dundee game was a good example.  In 6-2 game they came out and were very open, on Saturday they had everyone behind the ball when we had it and were trying to spring us on the break.   At 2-0 I thought we had played well, good shape and created chances.  Poor finishing letting us down as it has in recent games.  They got back in with penalty and had a real go for last 10-15 mins.

By the same token the defence has cut out the mistakes. I don’t think Popescu over Berra is necessarily the reason, it’s more like Kingsley and Smith have cut out the comedy defending like we saw for the penalties against Raith or a couple of the Ayr goals. 

I think Berra and Popescu are like for like and that’s reflected right down to the fact that the goals they were wholly culpable for were both the concession of a stupid penalty to Dundee! 

[Diego10]

1 hour ago, Martin_T said:

 

 

It's on the 28th minute of these highlights. Perhaps Aguero, Lewandowski or Haaland would deftly lob it over the keeper, any player you care to name in Scotland would more than likely miss that chance.

It's a great chance, terribly finished.  He has loads of time and a player he could have passed to as well.  To smash it into the crowd is ridiculous

[Broxburn Jambo]

16 hours ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

Would love to have a proper no-nonsense stopper again. We probably haven't had one since Young Berra or maybe Webster. Zali and Webster was our last high quality CB partnership.

I remember Zal ( may he rest in peace ) being called a bombscare numerous times on JKB

[4marsbars]

18 hours ago, Shaggy2 said:

Apart from the FACT they're wildly misleading. As I said to Diego10, it is extremely unfair to include the 2nd and 3rd Raith Rovers goals in Berra's stats. It's even more unfair to include the Celtic match in Berra's stats. Take the cup ties out and include the 6-1 defeat of QOTS for a much fairer comparison.

 

Berra's last six starts:

Hearts 2-3 Raith Rovers (substituted for Popescu at 0-1)

Alloa 1-3 Hearts

Dundee 3-1 Hearts (very poor and badly at fault in this game, no getting away from it)

Hearts 3-1 Arbroath

Hearts 5-3 Ayr Utd (a bad one for the defensive stats but Berra was not involved in the comedy defending)

*Celtic 3-3 Hearts (with the new handball rule, he was at fault for the penalty)

Hearts 6-1 QOTS

 

League:

P6 W4 D0 L2 F20 (18) A12 (10) Pts12

In brackets are goals he was on the park for.

 

Popescu's last six starts

 

Hearts 2-1 Dundee (at fault for Dundee's goal)

ICT 1-1 Hearts

Hearts 1-1 Morton (missed sitter)

QOTS 1-1 Hearts

Ayr Utd 0-1 Hearts

Hearts 1-0 Dunfermline

 

P6 W3 D3 L0 F7 A4 Pts12 

 

 

 

 

 

Good points well made.

[Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine]

Popescu is a bombscare, there's no way around it, but he's the kind of bombscare that will play OK for 90% of the game, even well at times, and then make massive mistakes. Should only be a backup in the top league at a push.

 

Berra is just poor all the time, and then makes goal-costing mistakes. He's finished.

 

Halkett has been poor as well but won't have been helped by his partners at the back over the past couple seasons, but he does seem to be declining. Would be serviceable if unspectacular next season in the top league.

 

I don't think it's reasonable to expect anything from Souttar, off the back of 2 or 3 long-term injuries. 

 

So another area of the squad that looks set for a full turnover this summer. Great.

[Red Card Ref]

We have suffered inadequate players at this club for years now. Berra and Poppa will not be missed when they leave. Probably the same goes for Halkett. Although he is a safer bet than the other two, he still doesn't offer enough. Time will tell if Souttar can fill his potential. I have my doubts.

 

I would love to see a new centre back pairing for next season, fighting it out with Soapy for game time. I also feel cheated I'll not get to see young Chris Hamilton at CB for us. Heard good reports on him. 

[fabienleclerq]

On 07/03/2021 at 09:27, Martin_T said:

 

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.

Hardly a myth, he's 16 yards out with the goalkeeper to beat. He actually brings the ball down well just no composure to put it away. 

[Bazzas right boot]

2 hours ago, Martin_T said:

 

 

It's on the 28th minute of these highlights. Perhaps Aguero, Lewandowski or Haaland would deftly lob it over the keeper, any player you care to name in Scotland would more than likely miss that chance.

 

 

Not an easy chance, I agree. 

But no need to throw a leg at it and launch it like a cannon ball into orbit. 

 

 

[Diego10]

It's also important to remember Popescu was signed as a 3rd centre back for a championship team during a pandemic.  I don't think anyone expected him to be a world beater, but he's done an OK job getting us out this league.  

 

Our options for signings will be better come the summer

[wavydavy]

4 minutes ago, Diego10 said:

It's also important to remember Popescu was signed as a 3rd centre back for a championship team during a pandemic.  I don't think anyone expected him to be a world beater, but he's done an OK job getting us out this league.  

 

Our options for signings will be better come the summer

 

He actually might be worth giving a try in a midfield role rather than at CB.

 

He likes to go forward with the ball and could win a fair bit in the air as well.

 

Might be worth a try.

[Lfhearts]

Kbers accepting Pope as an ok centre half for next season make me chuckle.