Source: Team_Talk
MO'N sets challenge to midfielders
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.[LNB]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.[LNB]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.[LNB]O'Neill said: "I think if you are going to be successful, you have to have a goal-scoring midfield.[LNB]"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.[LNB]"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.[LNB]"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.[LNB]"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.[LNB]"He is one who will get you 20 goals a season, every season."[LNB][LNB]
