Arvydas Novikovas

Arvydas Novikovas

Novikovas playing for Hearts
Personal information
Full nameArvydas Novikovas
Date of birth18 December 1990
Place of birthVilnius, Lithuania
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionWinger
Club information
Current team
FC Erzgebirge Aue
Number11
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2007Interas-AE Visaginas12(0)
2008FK Vilnius18(0)
2008–2013Heart of Midlothian66(6)
2011→ St Johnstone (loan)6(0)
2013–FC Erzgebirge Aue39(5)
National team‡
2006–2012Lithuania U2127(3)
2010–Lithuania18(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 January 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 October 2014

Arvydas Novikovas (born 18 December 1990) is a Lithuanian professional footballer who plays as a winger for 2. Bundesliga club FC Erzgebirge Aue.

Club career

Novikovas started his professional football career in Lithuania, playing for Interas-AE Visaginas and FK Vilnius. At the time in Lithuania, he impressed while on trial with Benfica, but decided to stay at the club.

Hearts

In September 2008, Novikovas signed for Hearts.[1] He made his first team debut for Hearts in the last game of the 2008–09 Scottish Premier League season, a goalless draw against Celtic, coming on as a substitute in the 51st minute for David Templeton.[2]

In the 2009–10 season, Novikovas soon earned a first team playing time, all spending time on the bench, in numbers of games. Towards the end of the 2009–10 season, Novikovas signed a contract with the club, with a three year deal, which kept him until 2013.[3] In the 2010–11 season, his first team became difficult for him to come by. Despite the first team lack of opportunities, He scored his first league goal for Hearts in the 5–0 win over Aberdeen at Tynecastle on 11 December 2010.[4] Throughout the reminder of the 2010–11 season, he went to Scottish Premier League's rival St. Johnstone.

In the 2011–12 season, on 13 August 2011, he struck his second goal for Hearts, again against Aberdeen, after starting the game up front alongside John Sutton, who scored the other two goals in a 3–0 victory for Hearts. A week after scoring his second goal, he made his European debut, where he played 90 minutes, in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League; Qualification Round, in a 0–0 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, which Hearts were eliminated, following a 5–0 loss in the first leg.[5] He was in and out of the first team since joining the club. In a 2–2 draw with Dundee United,[6] Novikovas came off the bench to score an equaliser – and his third goal for the club. After the match, Novikovas said his equaliser against Dundee United was the best he ever scored.[7]

In the 2012–13 season, Novikovas first team opportunities started to increase, following a string of players departure. He scored his fourth goal for the club, in a 2–2 draw against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 18 August 2012[8] and then played both legs in the Europa League Qualification Round against Liverpool, but they proved to be too strong and failed to win either legs losing 1–0 and drew 1–1 respectively, eliminating Hearts out of the Europa League. In March 2013, Novikovas was then included in the substitute bench for the final of the Scottish League Cup against St. Mirren and would come on for Jamie Walker on the 64th minute, as Hearts lost 3–2.[9]

The official Hearts website announced that he had left the club to pursue his career elsewhere on 31 May 2013.[10] After his departure, Edinburgh Evening News reported that if Novikovas joined a new club, the club would receive £100,000 compensation.[11]

St Johnstone (loan)

On the last day of the January 2011 transfer window, he went on loan to St. Johnstone until the end of the 2010–11 season.[12] Novikovas made his debut for St Johnstone in their 2–0 victory over Hamilton on 1 February.[13] In all he made six appearances for the Perth side.[14]

FC Erzgebirge Aue

On 22 June 2013, it was announced that Novikovas signed a three-year deal with Erzgebirge Aue. It is thought that Novikovas was signed as Jan Hochscheidt replacement who has moved to Eintracht Braunschweig.[15] During first league match for his new team Novikovas received two yellow cards and was sent of. In fourth league match for Aue he scored double, helping team to reach 2-1 victory over FC Energie Cottbus.

International career

Novikovas represented the Lithuania under-21's when he was just a 16 year-old.[16]

In May 2009, he was called up to the Lithuania squad, for their FIFA World Cup qualifier with Romania.[16] On 9 September, Novikovas scored for Lithuania under-21's 1–1 against Macedona under-21 in the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification Group 9 match.[17]

On 25 May 2010, he gained his first cap against Ukraine in Kharkiv.

International goals

# Date Location Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 29 May 2014 Ventspils, Latvia  Finland 1–01–02014 Baltic Cup
2. 8 September 2014 Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino 2–02–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualification

Career statistics

As of 29 May 2014[18][19]
Club statistics
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Heart of Midlothian 2008–09 season 100000000010
2009–10 season 13000001000140
2010–11 season 611011000082
2011–12 season 14200202000182
2012–13 season 26210402000332
St. Johnstone 2010–11 season 600000000060
Erzgebirge Aue 2013–14 season 20310000000213
Total 86 8 3 0 7 1 5 0 0 0 101 9

References

  1. ↑ "Hearts winger Andrew Driver to miss out against Inverness". Daily Record. 18 September 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Lindsay, Clive (24 May 2009). "Celtic 0–0 Hearts". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 29 May 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  3. ↑ "Hot prospect Arvydas Novikovas pens new deal with Hearts". Daily Record. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "SPL: Hearts 5 Aberdeen 0". Daily Record. 12 December 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Hearts boss defends team changes for Spurs tie". BBC Sport. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Hearts FC (28 April 2012). "Dundee Utd 2–2 Hearts". Hearts FC. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "Hearts hero Arvy Novikovas: Equaliser was best goal of my career.. celebration was the worst". Daily Record. 29 April 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Hearts 2–2 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "St. Mirren 3 – 2 Hearts". BBC Sport. 17 March 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Hearts confirm winger Arvydas Novikovas to leave Tynecastle". BBC Sport. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "Hearts set to profit from Arvydas Novikovas exit". Edinburgh Evening News. 8 June 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "McInnes signs Arvydas Novikovas on loan as two depart". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "St Johnstone 2 – 0 Hamilton". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  14. ↑ "2010–11 Stats". Soccerbase. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  15. ↑ "Erzgebirge verpflichtet Arvydas Novikovas" [Erzgebirge signs Arvydas Novikovas] (in German). kicker. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Anderson, Barry (28 May 2009). "Hearts youngster Novikovas to be fast-tracked to full Lithuania squad". Edinburgh Evening News. Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  17. ↑ "Macedonians held by Lithuania". UEFA. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  18. ↑ "Arvydas Novikovas Stats". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "Arvydas Novikovas Stats". Soccerbase. Retrieved 26 January 2012.

External links