Source: Daily_Mail
Villa legend hits out at O'Neill over his rotation and treatment of Agbonlahor
Former Aston Villa captain Dennis Mortimer believes Martin O'Neill has made mistakes with team selection and the way he has handled Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Mortimer, who led Villa to European Cup success in 1982, is against rotation, believes the fans were short-changed with the weakened UEFA Cup sides and that Agbonlahor should have been rested before the fans could get on his back.
Villa fans showed their feelings to the team and Agbonlahor as Tottenham Hotspur won 2-1 at Villa Park yesterday.
Mortimer said: 'What is happening with Agbonlahor has been coming. His style is all about pace, running in one direction towards the goal. If he's denied that a lot of his game is nullified. There might have been more man-management with him in recent weeks.'
Some Villa fans believe the arrival of Emile Heskey has had a negative effect on Agbonlahor but Mortimer said: "I don't think Heskey's made any difference to Agbonlahor's form.
'It's Agbonlahor who's responsible for his form. Martin O'Neill might have managed that situation a little better and taken him out of the side.'.Mortimer sympathises with the Villa fans who had hopes of a top-four finish.
He said: 'There is a lot of frustration at the moment because the fans have been feeling they can break into top four but it's coming a little unstuck.
'Some players' form is dipping which is a shame because they've done really well. Now we're seeing the squad not big enough or has the necessary quality.
'This has been a great opportunity to break into top four but all of a sudden looking like top four will be same top four again. The fans be very disappointed if it doesn't happen.
'In some ways the fans been short changed because Villa could have gone on in the UEFA Cup but played a weakened side against CSKA Moscow.
'The club not have not respected the wishes of fans by winning a trophy.
They decided the Champions League was the goal but there is no trophy at the end of that.' Mortimer cannot see the benefit of constantly changing the line-up. He added: 'Why not put your best team out every week and see what happens? Why change?
'There's a natural fallout with suspensions and injuries. Why do it every week? If players start to perform poorly then take them out of the team but until that happens stay with them.'
