I don't really go for this idea that a player might deserve a chance. I think it's up to him to prove his worth. At the moment we're top of the league with a perfect start and our best since '61. It's hard to see 'Arry changing a winning team so we can see what Pavlyuchenko might be able to do, and I think he's right in that respect.
By all means start him at Doncaster though, give him the full 90 minutes with Crouch alongside him. That's a chance to keep the players currently on the fringes of the first team, like Pavlyuchenko and O'Hara, sharp(ish) should we need them later on.
just read this same thread on ozspurs, and you created it to ozspur1!! No idea about pav, was supposed to be the direct replacement for berba. Strange one
I hope he stays.
Hopefully he will get a chance to prove himself.
Learn from Drogba. He was baited for 2 years as a dud, a lemon who wasn't up to the standard of the premiership. Look at the boy go now. Patience goes a long way when it comes to talent.
Pav needs to be involved and i hate to think (though i do suspect) that Harrys love affair with the Lamppost might prevent that happening, even if Pav's in good form. My confidence was bouyed slightly by the news that he was intending to use Long in the Hull match but kept Keane as he's on form instead, but the one thing that has worried me from the very first rumour we were going to sign the twig-beast is this slightly odd obsession Twitchy has with the lad.
Pav has a lot of talent, he works tirelessly but has yet to find the exact page our midfield are on. With Keane next to him, i think he can at least be confident that he's got a solid partner who will at least try and accomodate him, but he's often caught a pace short on crosses, or turning on the wrong side to beat his man.
As i said, learn from Drogba. Don't write him off until he's had a fair crack of the whip in a relatively settled team, under a manager with entirely different ideas, at a club that has just re-furbished it's entire setup.
Even on very crude statistics, Drogba's 10/26 in his first season was altogether better than Pav's 5/28. He's also a good deal faster than Pav and far more physically intimidating. Pav's figure of seven assist attempts (Crouch had 51) was just plain laughable and suggests there's little hope he can re-invent himself as a Teddy or Bergkamp.
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[Comment From Jon M]
Pavlychenko being linked to Man UTD as an option to partner Rooney - any thoughts?
Gary: I spoke to Pavs agent and he is staying.
But didn't you think he played alot better against Olympiakos than he normally does? I thought playing deeper suited him and he did create chances that day.