Source: Telegraph
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill fears fan fallout after Tottenham loss
He was being facetious, of course, but perhaps he will not be so flippant in the future. All season his fans have been praised for their sang froid in the face of mounting expectations, but having watched their side go two goals down to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, their disenchantment was obvious. Many supporters in the Holte End disappeared with 10 minutes remaining, the desertion of Villa Park's self-proclaimed 12th man.[LNB]While the majority of supporters have remained realistic, acknowledging that this is so far still the club's most successful season since 1992, O'Neill's decision to field a weakened side in the Uefa Cup - even if it was a sensible one - riled many. The situation was not improved when the squad were filmed flying off to sunny Dubai with their golf clubs in tow after losing to Manchester City.[LNB] Related ArticlesRedknapp hails King-Woodgate[LNB]Villa start to show the strain[LNB]InterToto Cup: Martin O'Neill pleads with Gareth Barry as Aston Villa reach Uefa Cup[LNB]Aston Villa fans supper a stunt? I doubt it.[LNB]Everton tie Jack Rodwell to five-year deal at Goodison Park[LNB]Everton in a hurry to secure Jack Rodwell's future[LNB]However, the break was no jolly - the players were up and training at a quarter past eight every morning - and it obviously did them some good. Villa were rampant in the first half against Spurs, and looked refreshed. Yet a few days break have clearly not solved the more serious issue of creating, and then converting, clear-cut chances.[LNB]The cheers which rang out when O'Neill replaced Gabby Agbonlahor, until now the team's star striker, with 17-year-old Nathan Delfouneso, told its own story. The Birmingham-born striker has scored 11 goals this season, and played in every league game going. Yet he has not scored in seven matches, and the fans have been quick to turn on him.[LNB]"I can put up with many other things but that was uncalled for," said an infuriated O'Neill. "People have short memories. He's a local lad, he's come through the ranks and has been absolutely terrific." [LNB]Even if one cannot condone the fans' vocally-vented frustration, one can at least understand it. After seven games without a win, and with Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton licking their lips over their coming fixtures, Villa have certainly lost the initiative in the race for fourth place.[LNB]O'Neill had described this match as "so, so important," and when Darren Bent prodded home Tottenham's second goal, Villa were watching the Champions League slip out of reach, if the morgue silence in the stadium was anything to go by.[LNB]"Shhh!" the Spurs fans sneered. The magnitude of the moment was made all the clearer when O'Neill was joined in the technical area by both of his assistants, John Robertson and Steve Walford: an unprecedented event.[LNB]The sense of desperation and urgency was compounded when O'Neill took off a centre-back for a striker, substituting Zat Knight for John Carew. It momentarily threw the Villa back line into disarray, all while Spurs were in possession and in the Villa half.[LNB]A point at least against Spurs was crucial. Now, behind a resurgent Arsenal on goal difference, the race for fourth place is out of Villa's hands. Agbonlahor revealed last night that he is confident that the goals will come. It might be too late.[LNB][LNB]
