Friday, March 14, 2008

O'Neill: "We've still got plenty to play for"

With opinion mounting that Villa's push for European football lies dead in the water, manager Martin O'Neill today refuted suggestions that his charges had given up on their lengthy pursuit of Liverpool and Everton for a place in the top 5. He did admit though, that Villa could not afford to produce any further "listless" performances such as that offered up in Wednesday's limp home draw with struggling Middlesborough.

"We can't allow ourselves to play as poorly as that again on Saturday, with the games running down as they are. But, of course, there's still about a quarter of the season left and plenty of points to go for" he said.

For the first time this season, Villa's fans turned on the players; booing them off at half-time in the game against Gareth Southgate's side, and their reception on the final whistle was barely any more positive. But O'Neill turned down flat any lingering accusations that his team had taken their mid-week opponents lightly. "We're simply not good enough to do that. We just haven't got that capability within our squad. It was frustrating, but for some reason we couldn't turn our first half performance around like we did against Newcastle."

A buoyant Portsmouth side, which the Villa boss labelled "strong favourites" to lift the FA Cup, will undoubtedly provide an even sterner test, despite their dire home record this season to date. Since spectacularly thumping seven past a porous Reading defence back in late September, Pompey have struggled to score with any regularity in front of the Fratton Park faithful.

Instead, an experienced back-line featuring the likes of Sylvain Distin, Sol Campbell and David James - the recent recipient of a fresh two-year contract which will extend the former Villa stopper's career into his forties - has been the key to the south coast side's continued success.

England goalkeeping coach Franco Tancredi will be running the rule over both James and his current international understudy Scott Carson at Fratton this Saturday, but O'Neill refused to be drawn on which of the two 'keepers he would select, theoretically at least, for the England side.

"I'm not bothered about that," he said. But the Ulsterman did agree that James has been "absolutely splendid" over the past 18 months. The 37-year-old's physique and conditioning should be "something for (Carson) to aspire to," he added. "It is very possible he could play at the next World Cup (aged 40)," said O'Neill; citing the example of Pat Jennings' appearance at Mexico '86 at the same age as a precedent.

Villa remain "hopeful" that Gabby Agbonlahor will shake off his foot injury in time to make the southbound trip. Craig Gardner, withdrawn at half-time against 'Boro with a back injury is "struggling". The versatile youngster would most likely be relegated to the bench in any case, due to Turin-bound Olof Mellberg's return to full fitness. Patrik Berger though will not be considered for a return to his former employers, needing another reserve game or two to re-find his match-sharpness.

The thorny issue of Stiliyan Petrov's waning Villa Park career also continues to dog his long-faithful boss. Though O'Neill insists that the midfielder is doing "exceptionally well" in training, there has been little sign of the ex-Celtic man consistently translating such form to his appearances in the Premier League; his confidence visibly ebbing away with each pass that went astray during his last start against Newcastle last month. The Bulgarian is unlikely to return to the the first XI this time out.

O'Neill also took the opportunity to issue a categorical denial that he had held talks with in-form Pompey forward Jermain Defoe at the club's Bodymoor Heath training facility during the January transfer window, as had been reported by sections of the local press. While Villa may currently be lacking the potent goal-threat of a striker such as Defoe, their boss remains confident that his side can take home all three points from Saturday's crucial fixture.

"We really should have beaten Arsenal in our last away game," said O'Neill, "but we're definitely ready to go for this one."

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