Source: Team_Talk
O'Neill wants Gabby goals galore
Agbonlahor will go into Saturday's Premier League clash at Stoke on the 49 goal mark after recovering from the stomach upset which ruled him out of the FA Cup clash at Crystal Palace.[LNB]O'Neill has challenged the England striker to next aim for a century of goals and believes he can learn from the example of Wayne Rooney in improving his all-round game.[LNB]The Villa manager said: "Gabby has obviously improved since he was a kid and first came into the Villa side.[LNB]"He has got stronger for a start and his technique is improving.[LNB]"When you get to the 22-23 age bracket, you would think that players would maybe not be able to improve their technique anymore. But I think you only have to look at Wayne Rooney.[LNB]"He has said he has started practising heading goals to make himself the complete player and I think there are lessons to be learnt."[LNB]O'Neill added: "If Gabby eventually gets 50, his next target should be 100 and the quicker he gets it, the better for him. He has got plenty of things in his career to look forward to.[LNB]"I think he is capable of getting 20 goals (a season). I wouldn't put it past him. Sometimes, you can learn the knack of scoring what you would consider tap-in goals.[LNB]"Little rebounds off keepers, once you have added two or three of those a season to your list of goals, gives you the confidence from being in the six yard box and being comfortable inside the six yard box."[LNB]Agbonlahor's strike partner, John Carew, has put himself in contention for a starting spot after his hat-trick against Palace but it is a dilemma O'Neill welcomes.[LNB]And he is hoping the Norwegian can make a major contribution during the latter part of the campaign by being a consistent performer.[LNB]O'Neill said: "Too often there has not been that situation because players have not been available and it is nice to have that dilemma to deal with.[LNB]"It was a big boost for John to get the hat-trick and the one thing we have always said about John is that we look for that level of consistency you want in a player.[LNB]"We have seen this in the past. We sit here and we have these conversations at the time. John had a great, great end to last year, he came in and scored several goals for us.[LNB]"But it's that consistent application, which is vitally important - and this goes for any player."[LNB]O'Neill admitted he would copy Stoke and employ Rory Delap-style long throw-ins if he had the players capable of such a skill at his disposal.[LNB]He said: "Once we develop somebody in our team who could do that, I'm sure we'd do it. We've got young (Eric) Lichaj, who's very good in the reserves at it.[LNB]"I think it's a natural thing. I think some players can throw the ball decent distances and other players can't.[LNB]"If you're asking me, if I saw an up and coming player and I was looking for a list of 10 things that the boy could do, then a long throw wouldn't be one of them. But if he has a long throw it's great.[LNB]"It's a very good weapon to have, but you would be hoping that you were in the side because of your ability and that would be the proverbial bonus.[LNB]"I heard Tony Pulis saying other teams are doing it and, throughout our game at White Hart Lane, the lad Gareth Bale, who's got a decent throw, was putting it in there.[LNB]"Because Stoke started it, there's the feeling that they're the only ones doing it, but that's simply not the case."[LNB][LNB]
