Aston Villa: Stephen Warnock urges Villa to cut out their slack defending against Birmingham
Nov 30 2010 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
STEPHEN Warnock has warned Villa’s creaking backline of the urgent need to recover their mean machine qualities in tomorrow’s win-at-all-costs Carling Cup quarter-final collision with Blues.
Defenders Warnock, Richard Dunne and James Collins celebrated dream debuts on the previous visit to St Andrew’s last September by keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 Premier League away victory.
Villa went on to boast one of the top flight’s best defensive records last season and showcased their reputation as an impassable unit after using the solid Second City shutout as a springboard.
But, this term, clean sheets have been sparse for the claret and blue backline with just four all season and Saturday’s depressing 4-2 league defeat to Arsenal at Villa Park exposed worrying weaknesses.
Last month’s scoreless draw at home to Blues was one of the few occasions Villa have stopped opponents scoring this season with the others coming against West Ham, Everton and Chelsea.
And after conceding 30 goals in 19 league and cup games already this season, Warnock admits he, Dunne, Collins, Luke Young, Brad Friedel and Co must strive to reach last seasons standards.
“Of course it is a concern,” said Warnock.
“It is disappointing from the defenders’ point of view that we are conceding so often and as many goals as we are conceding.
“I think we’ve got to knuckle down now and get our heads down and work as hard as possible on the training ground to put it right.
“It is a big game but once you have been beaten you want to play any game as quickly as possible and try and get back on the field.
“We just want to get a game in as quickly as possible.
“The fact it is a derby it is a massive game.
“People will be watching it with anticipation to see what comes of it.
“There was me, myself and James Collins and Richard Dunne who made our debuts there at Birmingham last season and fingers crossed we can do the same again and win.”
