O'Neill: Wants more goals from midfield
TEAMtalk.com
Latest
MO'N sets challenge to midfielders
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has warned his midfielders they will have to score goals if the team are to have a successful this season.
|
|
O'Neill believes the likes of Steve Sidwell, Stiliyan Petrov and Nigel Reo-Coker have to contribute in that department if Villa are to challenge for honours, particularly if they play only one out and out striker.
Only Gareth Barry scored regularly from the centre of the park since O'Neill took charge of Villa three-and-a-half years ago - but most of those came from penalties.
Even in last Saturday's 5-1 demolition of visiting Bolton, the goals came from strikers John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor, wide players Ashley Young and James Milner plus central defender Carlos Cuellar.
O'Neill said: "I think if you are going to be successful, you have to have a goal-scoring midfield.
"You would have to be exceptionally lucky to go through a season and not have someone scoring from midfield, and yet still be really successful. We should be sharing goals around more.
"We should be getting more from midfield. That is something we haven't really had here. In my time here Gareth Barry scored although a lot of his were penalty kicks.
"If you are playing with three in the middle of the pitch, and we have done it sometimes, with a lone centre-forward then I think the onus is on the midfield to get into the box, past the centre forward and score.
"I keep telling midfielders they are worth their weight in gold if they can get into double figures. That is why players like Frank Lampard are so brilliant.
"He is one who will get you 20 goals a season, every season."
lucky4 : "...From what I saw of the game, we had a fair few chances and it looked like end to end stuff for most parts with both teams trying to attack but if someone offered me a draw before the game i probably would have took it! N..." view full comment
Paper Talk: Hughes' Turkish delight
Mark Hughes is on the shortlist to become Turkey's new coach, while Kieron Dyer's West Ham nightmare will cost them close to £30million.
More from today's press
WC Famous Five - Rob Mullarkey
TEAMtalk Towers veteran Rob Mullarkey takes a trip down memory lane as he fondly remembers and describes his Famous Five World Cup moments.
Read today's Column
reza78 (Manchester United) : "...Manchester United will sell Vidic to Real Madrid in the summer with Karim Benzema coming to Old Trafford. Smalling will be the new star defender! Also, Frank Ribery will join Real and David Silva to United. ..." view full rumour
Related Links
Related Team Pages
Don't miss these
| LATEST PHOTOS | TT COLUMN | COMPETITIONS |
 |
|
|
| Go to the Gallery | WC Famous Five - Rob Mullarkey | Free to enter! |
Free Bet | Casino | Poker | Bingo
More Stories
Your Comments
kayos (Aston Villa fan)
"its not necessarily that the players CANT score, they just dont. there is a difference. that doesnt excuse sidwell though. he's supposed to be the one arriving late a la lampard, and scoring goals. NRC and petrov are supposed to be more defensive anyway, from what i can tell. *shrug*"
stinger69 (Aston Villa fan)
"If MON wants our midfielders to score....he needs to buy someone like Martin Petrov, Giovanni, Ireland, Elano etc etc......I agree with the guys....Sidwell, Petrov, Milner & Reo would hardly score 8-10 scores altogether all season....As a matter of fact, our defenders have scored more goals this season so far !!"
BirchgroveVilla (Aston Villa fan)
"johnsydney has it spot on, however, Sidwell could be a decent goal scorer if he just got his timing right. Too often he comes into the box a split second too late for the cut-back pass. GB's game was perfect from the timing perspective, but I'm surprised Sidwell can even make the team bus on time."
jim bowens bullseye (Aston Villa fan)
"None of them get forward enough to score Martin. Lampard and Gerrard are always lurking around the box, arriving late and taking lots of pot shots at goal. Our Midfield have about 4 shots between them all game and are rarely seen near the box. Perhaps you should work on things in the training ground or buy someone who does score?! "
johnsydney (Aston Villa fan)
"So why didn't he buy midfielders who can score then ? Sidwell, Reo and Petrov are hardly gonna get more than 5 between them all year. We know that. How come O'Neill doesn't ?"
jazza0707 (Aston Villa fan)
"Yes Martin you are correct. But at the same time you havent bought anyone who can score from the middle of the park. Sidwell isnt good enough to score more than 5 goals a season and Petrov could have a nap in the middle of a game and you wouldnt sub him. He mills around in the middle of the park and then has a shot from 30 yards which flies out of the stadium."
All comments on this story
The Aston Villa Your Say main page