Aston Villa boss tries to toughen side

Apr 22 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O’Neill is looking for Villa to develop a hard edge over the final five games of the campaign.

Villa have in most people’s eyes been one of the more pleasing teams on the eye during the current Premier League campaign.

Despite their current eight-game winless run in the league Villa have continued to entertain with three thrilling games behind them against Manchester United, Everton and West Ham which yielded six goals and just two points.

“I believe we deserve that (reputation),” O’Neill said of the ‘entertainers’ tag. What we have to try and improve is being harder to play against without relinquishing that lovely ability we possess to go forward.

“That is a fine balancing act. We lack the sheer professionalism that endures those top sides like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United and I’m hoping that will come.

“Manchester United like playing against us because we don’t try and close the game down, we keep it open and that’s something in future we would like to try without compromising too much.”

Villa remain two points up on last season with their best points haul from 33 games of a season since Brian Little’s side took 56 to sit fourth in early April 1997.

That is even more remarkable with senior players like Martin Laursen, Wilfred Bouma and John Carew on the sidelines for long spells.

O’Neill said: “We have missed Martin Laursen this season but it is up to other players to step up.