Source: Daily_Mail
Cautious Martin O'Neill leaves eight at home as Villa head for CSKA Moscow
Martin O'Neill made a clear statement of intent as Aston Villa[LNB]flew out to Russia by leaving eight of his current first-team behind. [LNB]The Villa boss has decided to pay lip service to the UEFA Cup by allowing midfielders James Milner, Ashley Young, Stiliyan Petrov and Gareth Barry, goalkeeper Brad Friedel, defender Carlos Cuellar and strikers Gabriel Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey to remain in Birmingham as the club travelled to face CSKA Moscow. [LNB]After deciding that Villa lacked their usual spark against Chelsea, O'Neill has come to the conclusion that victory over Stoke City at Villa Park on Sunday is of more importance than maintaining an interest in what remains a prestigious European competition. [LNB][LNB][LNB] Staying home: Heskey[LNB] Staying home: Cuellar[LNB] He hinted after the 1-0 defeat to the Blues that fatigue may have played a part and that must have been on his mind during the past few days. [LNB]However, it makes a mockery of the Irishman's earlier stance in which he fielded his strongest possible teams as far back as July when Villa first qualified for Europe after coming through as victors in the final InterToto Cup. [LNB]The club has played 11 games to reach this point and the Irishman cannot have taken this decision lightly. [LNB]'We want to keep momentum going in the Premier League - an opinion I am sure Villa fans would echo,' he said[LNB]'But we don't really have the size of squad that Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal can call on. That's not being defeatist - that's just being realistic.[LNB]'None of the players mentioned the first leg against CSKA Moscow as an excuse for the Chelsea defeat at the weekend - but I will.[LNB]'The irony is we broke our necks to get into Europe.[LNB]'We have to try and please Villa fans but I am sure they would think that the Premier League, which can help drive you into the Champions League, is the holy grail.[LNB] Plenty to think about: O'Neill[LNB]'It seems strange I know but had we been seventh, eighth or ninth, let's say, in the table, it would have been a different outlook.[LNB]'Chasing a top-four spot, though, to get you a place in the Champions League, is everything.'[LNB]With the tie still in the balance after the first leg finished 1-1 and Villa also having been dumped out of the FA Cup by Everton, the pressure is now on O'Neill to finish what has been a ground-breaking season by ending in the top four of the Premier League.[LNB] O'Neill's actions mirror those of Bolton boss Gary Megson last season who decided, albeit at a much later stage of the competition, that he would also rest his the majority of his first-team. [LNB]However, that backfired on the Trotters' chief as his team lost out to Sporting Lisbon, only to return home and suffer defeat against Wigan a few days later. [LNB]The news is not going to be treated with joy by Villa's 1,900 travelling supporters who have dug deep in a credit crunch and will brave sub-zero temperatures to watch a shadow squad go through the paces against Zico's side. [LNB]O'Neill has named weaker teams earlier in the competition, against MSK Zilina and Hamburg - both matches were lost - but the difference was that Villa had already qualified for the knock-out stages. [LNB]It seems even his own players can not see the logic. Speaking after Saturday's defeat, Luke Young said: 'I'm not sure how the manager views it, but I think the lads feel it is a waste of time putting all the effort in on Wednesday if we are not going to go over there and try and finish the job. [LNB][LNB][LNB] Staying home: Milner has been in fine form but he won't face the Russians[LNB]'There's no point coming in earlier for pre-season and start playing the games early in July to get to this stage and then you don't go and have a go at it. '[LNB] Young's namesake, Ashley, about whom there were injury doubts, said: 'Everyone wants to be going to Moscow. We hve played a lot of games lately but we want to play and the way the tie is poised, they want to be involved. [LNB] War of words: Zico[LNB] 'Every game is important. We wouldn't want to go into a game thinking we don't want to be in this competition.'[LNB]The news overshadowed a spat between O'Neill and Brazilian legend Zico. The boss of the Russian side said that Villa's tactics, giving the ball at every available opportunity to Ashley Young, did not surprise him. [LNB]However, O'Neill hit back saying that it was all part of the game. [LNB]He said: 'I know exactly how CSKA would play over there because I have seen a few of them play in the flesh and I've obviously seen a few of their games. [LNB] HAVE YOUR SAY... WHY DID SPURS AND VILLA BOTHER QUALIFYING FOR EUROPE ONLY TO GIVE UP ON THE UEFA CUP AT THE LAST-32 STAGE? Villa have flown out to Moscow without eight first-teamers as Martin O'Neill and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp abandon hopes of progressing in the UEFA Cup. Why bother qualifying for Europe in the first place?[LNB][LNB]TELL US WHAT YOU THINK[LNB] 'But I wouldn't be running around saying how they play or what they play is good, bad or indifferent. [LNB]'We won, we being Nottingham Forest, won the League Championship and two European Cups, which I don't think CSKA Moscow have won yet, by getting it out wide to a world-class winger,who beat a couple of players, put his foot on it for ten minutes, then did a wee bit of dribbling, whipped it in and Gary Birtles or Tony Woodcock headed it into the net. [LNB]'If they didn't head it in they volleyed it in.And I was coming in at the back post. I witnessed all this from another angle. Absolutely. [LNB]'And Zico would have known that he would also have played in sides that could still get it wide and beat players. I thought this was all part of the game.' [LNB] Silver wear and tear: What's the point of the UEFA Cup? Villa join Spurs in devaluing tournament[LNB]Villa boss O'Neill has eight days to prove he's a great manager or watch his dream fade and die[LNB]Defeat in Moscow will be down to the players not a plastic pitch, insists Villa skipper Barry[LNB]Villa defender Bouma lined up for his first match since July[LNB]ASTON VILLA FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET[LNB] [LNB]
