O'Neill: Craig will come good

Oct 29 2007 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O'Neill dropped Craig Gardner from the squad that travelled up to Bolton yesterday- but then revealed he expects the versatile youngster to come "roaring back".

Gardner was a surprise ommission from the 16 with Shaun Maloney, Stiliyan Petrov and Isiah Osbourne all preferred in what turned out to be a five-man midfield at the Reebok.

Gardner has been in good form of late despite being troubled by a niggling groin injury. He smashed home replica free-kicks against Tottenham and West Ham but found himself on the sidelines yesterday.

"Overall I have been pleased with the players", said O'Neill. "Shaun Maloney tried to get into the game and Isiah has had a really good time of it in the reserves and I felt he deserved his chance.

"With young Craig Gardner I felt it was right to rest him for just one game but he will come roaring back.

"Please, do not read anything into that- or think that it was anything to do with how he played against Manchester United.

"I am a great pains to say that. I thought Stiliyan Petrov played pretty soundly but for too long we were out of the game.

"It was a totally different game to last week and totally different to the West Ham match. It just shows different aspects of the Premier League. We just have to cope."