Following a rocky start to life at Dean Court, Djordje Petrovic has made the number 1 spot in between the sticks his own. Criticism whilst the Serbian was seen as some form of a liability for Cherries was expected, but recent performances could mean that he is becoming underrated by others.
Djordje Petrovic has started off the season how he ended the historic 2025/26 campaign, in top form. However, that wasn't always the case following his arrival on the South Coast from Premier League giants Chelsea for a fee over £20 million.
In the first half of the season, Bournemouth went winless in 9 games, and were conceding goals from all areas of the pitch. On set pieces, the defence looked shaky, in open play there were gaps all over the pitch, and it didn't feel like Cherries had a goalie that would frequently bail them out of tricky situations, and if anything was contributing to them.
The 4-1 loss away at Brentford comes to mind when thinking of the defensive frailties last campaign, where one of the most comical goals of the season was scored as a result of a Bafode Diakite and Djordje Petrovic double act from a Brentford Corner. From there it felt like there was no way upwards for the form of Petrovic, but Saturday's game against Everton proved that sometimes, players need time.
REUTERS/Toby MelvilleAgainst the Toffees, the 26 year old made a plethora of crucial saves, most of which came from the threat of in form striker Thierno Barry. As well as this, Petrovic made an incredible reflex save as Jarrad Branthwaite flicked on a cross from a corner midway through the first half.
When you compare Djordje's performance on Saturday to some of his more vulnerable games last season, it looks like he has improved in every aspect of his game, and the stats back that up too.
It is key to note, that stats per 90 this season will fluctuate a lot in the opening weeks of the season due to there being a much smaller sample size. However, last campaign Petrovic averaged 2.87 saves per game, averaged 15 successful passes per 90, had a 66% save percentage and an average match rating of 6.94. So far this season, he has averaged 4.5 saves per game, averaged 24 successful passes per 90, had a 75% save percentage and an average match rating of 7.45.
Reuters/John SibleyStats are a great way of measuring how well someone is playing, especially when you compare them to other players in that same position, but you should always factor in the eye test.
Since the turn of the year, when James Hill also cemented his place at right centre back, Petrovic has looked more commanding of his 18 yard box, confident when claiming or punching the ball away, and has looked a lot less prone to errors.
Reuters/Jason CairnduffBringing in Mandas and now Di Gregorio for healthy competition is only going to help out the performances the Serbian puts in, and long may that continue.
