Source: Team_Talk
O'Neill pleased for goalscorer Gabby
Agbonlahor produced his first league strikes since December 12 to lift his tally for the season to 12 as Villa left Craven Cottage with a comfortable 2-0 victory.[LNB]The England forward took advantage of defensive errors from Chris Smalling and Brede Hangeland to pounce twice in four first-half minutes.[LNB]"I know that strikers need to score goals to keep themselves alive and give themselves confidence," said O'Neill.[LNB]"I learnt from a brilliant previous manager that sometimes you don't get your just desserts on the day.[LNB]"Gabriel taking those two goals today were as much about his performance against Arsenal on Wednesday night.[LNB]"He got his desserts today and he was fantastic."[LNB]O'Neill was drawn into a war of words with Arsene Wenger when the Arsenal boss claimed after the rivals' midweek goalless draw that Villa rely on long-ball tactics.[LNB]But there was little evidence to support Wenger's view as Villa used a passing game to kill the match off by half-time, ending their four-match winless run.[LNB]"I'm pleased to be back to winning ways. I'm delighted with the team and thought we deserved to win," said O'Neill.[LNB]"We scored two great goals and that helped us because we'd gone a few matches in the league without scoring, though the performances have been good. Winning today was a big boost."[LNB]In response to Wenger's comments, he added: "We thought about putting Ashley Young in a bear suit.... Our players can play, there's no doubt it.[LNB]"We have centre-backs who are as comfortable with the ball at their feet as any pairing in the Premier League.[LNB]"We definitely can play the ball. Perhaps the comment was overblown at the time.[LNB]"Had I really reflected on the comment and given it overnight thought, I wouldn't have even mentioned it. But it was a silly thing to say."[LNB]Roy Hodgson admired Fulham's efforts to overhaul the deficit in the second half but admitted his squad is struggling beneath an injury list that includes Andy Johnson, Clint Dempsey and John Pantsil.[LNB]"Up until that two-goal period the game looked a 0-0 in the making. We didn't pose enough threat, they threatened more," said the Cottagers' boss.[LNB]"We've suffered a bad home defeat and don't feel good about that, but we weren't diabolical today.[LNB]"We're suffering from our injury situation but we were disappointed with the manner in which we conceded those goals. We gave it our all in the second half."[LNB]Fulham have now lost five-successive league matches and Hodgson, who lost Simon Davies to an ankle injury midway through the first half, admitted he must rally his players.[LNB]"Of course I'm concerned about this run but I'm more worried that the players who would help us out of it aren't available," he said.[LNB]"We've got to keep working through it and make sure players don't start dropping their heads."[LNB][LNB][LNB]
