Gabriel Agbonlahor sets a New Year goal target

Dec 31 2007 By Bill Howell

GABRIEL Agbonlahor spoke of the relief at ending his six-game goal drought at Wigan - and immediately set his sights on adding three more to equal last season's 10-goal haul.

The England under-21 man took his tally for the season to seven after finally adding to his goal in the win at Middlesbrough five weeks ago.

Now he is on the look-out for the hat-trick to start the New Year in style against Tottenham tomorrow.

"I got 10 goals last season, and if I can get the same that would be my main target," he said. "I definitely want double figures, so a few more would be nice."

Agbonlahor believes his luck finally changed for the better at the JJB.

"The last few games I have had a lot of shots and they haven't been going in for me," he said. "I have hit the crossbar, had one cleared off the line, had a goal disallowed against Manchester City that should have been a goal - so it has been disappointing for me.

"I had got six goals well before Christmas and I wanted to get a few more, so that was a bit annoying.

"As a striker you don't want to see other players scoring. It is nice to set other people up but you want to score yourself. That's what I want to do - be a goalscorer.

"But after getting back on track by scoring at Wigan, hopefully that will get my confidence back and I can get a few more."

Villa will be without Norwegian international John Carew against Tottenham with Agbonlahor likely to partner Luke Moore or Shaun Maloney up front.

He concedes the loss of Carew, who injured his knee at Wigan, is a blow.

"I think he will only be out for a couple of days and it is nothing too bad, just a little bruise, but it would be a blow to the team to be without him tomorrow.

"But Luke and Marlon Harewood are good strikers too. We need a good squad."

Manager Martin O'Neill is still waiting to hear the extent of Carew's injury.

He said: "It's easing up a little but it's difficult to make a judgment on the injury straight away."