Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill says Young and Cuellar will become better players by playing out of position

Dec 9 2008 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

STAND-in full-backs Luke Young and Carlos Cuellar can improve their all-round games by continuing to be deployed out of position, according to Martin O’Neill.

The Irishman says the improvement Gabby Agbonlahor added to his game while playing as a wide midfielder two years ago should serve as a reminder of the strides that can be made.

Young has been playing at left-back with Cuellar at right-back and O’Neill concedes neither will have forseen such notions when they signed.

“I just think it will add to Carlos Cuellar and Luke Young’s experience, I don’t think it will do them any harm,” he said. “I don’t think Gabby playing wide up front during my first year did him any harm. In fact it gave him a better idea of what it is like to go wide and face up to those things. I think it helps you as a centre-forward.

“We signed Luke Young as a right-back and Nicky Shorey as a left-back, and Carlos as a centre-half but I don’t mind mixing them around if I think that is the best thing for the side.

“But I am sure Shorey will come through. He has got plenty of determination, he wants to get out there and do it.