Source: Team_Talk
O'Neill: It's four the best
O'Neill is desperate for Villa to cling on to a top-four place in the Premier League and secure a Champions League spot for the first time.[LNB]But he accepts he does not have sufficient numbers to be able to mount a strong challenge for UEFA Cup glory alongside that main objective and is confident the Villa fans will understand his stance.[LNB]Stand-in captain Gareth Barry, Brad Friedel, Emile Heskey, James Milner, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlos Cuellar and Stiliyan Petrov are all excluded from the 19-man party.[LNB]O'Neill said: "We want to keep momentum going in the Premier League - an opinion I am sure Villa fans would echo.[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]"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]The injured trio of Martin Laursen, Nigel Reo-Coker and Wilfred Bouma will also be unavailable while Luke Young, Curtis Davies, Zat Knight and John Carew are among the few experienced players in the squad.[LNB]Youngsters such as Elliott Parish, Eric Lichaj, Ciaran Clark, Shane Lowry, Barry Bannan and Mark Albrighton are included.[LNB][LNB]
