Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Thursday November 9 2006
Time: 9:39AM
UK time is: 15:32:52
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O'Neill Wants Villa To Compete
Martin O'Neill held his hands up after Villa were slaughtered 4-0 by Chelsea last night declaring: 'Let's be honest, we were beaten by probably the best team around tonight, but I want us to come to these places and compete.'
Not only did Villa suffer a major embarrassment on the pitch, they also saw inspirational skipper Gareth Barry and Danish international defender Martin Laursen limp off the field with injuries.
O'Neill said after the game, 'Next time I want to come here and compete. We did that when we came here in the League, but it wasn't to be tonight. I still thought at half-time, even though we were 1-0 down, that we could get back into the game and give them a run for their money. But the second goal was a killer and the third and fourth just put the icing on the cake for them.'
O'Neill, who went over after the game to thank the travelling claret and blue army who were 6000 strong added, 'The fans were terrific. I don't want this to sound in any way patronising, but myself and the players all appreciate the backing we got here tonight. I know the chairman put on the free travel, but supporters still have to pay for tickets and take time off work. That's a big commitment and we did appreciate. Unfortunately we didn't give them anything to cheer about and that was disappointing. We have to look at Chelsea and think that's where we want to be.'
'We know we've still got a long way to go and that will take a while, but in the short term, we need to pick ourselves up for the weekend.'
Next up, Everton, who were knocked out of the cup by Arsenal.
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Your Comments
It was a disappointing night. We went as under dogs, true. To go to Stamford Bridge and lose against the caliber of side Chelsea fielded is no disgrace. However to go and roll over and die is. We didn't have a single shot on target all night, absolutely disgusting.
still skeggy
Wonder if any of the Chelsea reserves would like to come to the Villa, Wayne Bridge, SWP, Joe Cole or Geremi would be nice. Dissapointing result last night, but had to be expected with Chelsea being the only top club taking the competition seriously. Good to see Martin O'neill gracious in defeat, maybe a few other managers should take a leaf out of his book?
Big Chris
Here we go again, a short sighted, whinging Villa fan. I suppose Skeggy be calling for MON to resign next and the owners to sell up. Get it in to some perspective, we played a Chelsea team bank rolled by a Russian multi billionaire with 2 players costing the same as the new Villa owners paid for the entire assets associated with Aston Villa. MON is right that he wants fight from his players but the difference in class is miles apart. When Chelsea want to win they will beat any team. Until the transfer window opens Villa are running on a skeleton squad who will all (barring injuries) have to play every game till new players are bought in to compete for places and replace tired players. I think we have already seen that 2 games a week is too much for them especially when you are playing teams like Liverpool and Chelsea who can rotate the whole squad week in and week out without too much disruption to performance and results. At the tempo MON wants to play at it’s impossible for them to perform at that level every week on the squad we have.
Hoss The Villain
Shame you guys were so poor, you gave them a good game at the bridge!!
BaldyYid
I think Villa underperformed last night, I didnt expect us to get anything but I felt we would put up a better fight. To be fair though losing Laursen and Barry meant the fight back wasnt every going to be on in the 2nd Half and they did look tired, its just we should have made a bit more of an impressio. Good night all the same though.
MACCA UTV
Reminded me of when we played them in the FA Cup final of 2000. We just went and rolled over. Time to face facts that the current players just aren't good enough I think.
DeanoVilla
We had a bit of luck in the league their and at the emirates, the positive it shows we need to spend in jan if we had too much luck mon and randy might of thought twice about spending the amount the team needs.
chris the villan
I hope Randy dont regret spending money on the travel
Christo
deano chill out. It is impossible to compete just yet with a club who are losing a £140 million a year. We can have pride in defeat but there can be no pride for them when they are just buying trophies. Shevchenko cost more than the whole Villa team and the four goalscorers cost £88 million. The current players are not good enough to win the league ..... true. But that is the same for every club in the Premier League. Not being good enough to win the league though, does not mean they are bad players. We are sixth and punching above our weight. It takes time to build a dynasty but over the next three or four years it will develop. We will not win the league in the next three years. Hopefully we can have some cup success and possibly qualify for the Champions League via a top four league finish. Then with the revenue earned we can start to challenge at the top end of the table. Keep the faith and think three years not three games. UTV
voiceoftheholte
just face it we were well beaten, but it will only get better. Chelsea are taking the cup seriously but they took us very sreiously too!
samtozer
Chelsea took us seriously because they know in time, MON backed by Randy Lerner, will make us a threat. Not overnight but it will happen.
Stevew
After what seems a life time of the egotistical parasite 3 years of the right ownership should hopefully put us right. then the missing fans might come down games like fulham charlton and not just man u.
chris the villan
i totally agree with hossthevillain and voiceoftheholte. it just shows how naive some people can be.
JASON
THe injuries to Barry and Laursen shows just why it is so important to have a number of new players as soon as possible. At the moment both of these players are irreplaceable from our current resources. I agree with voiceoftheholte we are not in a possition, yet, to pose a threat to Chelski, but we will. Within three years we will be seen as a serious threat to the dominance of the Big 3. And as samtozer said, Chelski took us very seriously and put out a superb team against us. But, as the Randy and Mon revolution continues beating us will become a task beyond the capabilities of most teams. Personnally I am looking forward to the season when we beat Liverpool, one of out bogy teams, every time we play them.
Then we will have arrived.
DoogieTyBrenin
It's amazing isn't it? One bad defeat and one poor performance and the whingers are back on again. Probably the same that spend Saturday on the golf course continuing their Ellis boycott. Yes it was a poor performance and yes it was a bad defeat and a bad night all round with the injuries, but it was by no means disgusting as some on here have suggested. The players had a bad day at the office, but we're 6th in the table, we have a fantastic new board and one of the best managers in the country in charge. In July, I would have taken any one of those, never mind all 3. Now is the time to forget the moaning, forget the pessimism and stop jumping on the players after every bad performance. It's time to look to the future and for the first time in many many years, we can do that with a massive amount of optimism. rant over :-)
Geordie_Villa
Agree with Geordie Villa, afterall there are possibly only 4 or 5 players playing last night that Martin O'neill isn't considering replacing.
Big Chris
I just felt we were good enough to get a shot on goal, im not pessimistic, i love the fact we are where we are and I love the fact that in 3 years time will be in an even better position and one of the big clubs again.Its a just an isolated criticism of one performance where I felt the players didnt peform the way they could have. It was a good night all the same and its still rosey days for AVFC .
The fact that things are on the up dosent mean we cant say when a peformance was below par. Ill probably be beeming about the lads when im driving back from Merseyside on Sat, as long as Ive still got me tyres.
MACCA UTV
I can not believe what I am reading. Villa fans are looking at positives and the 'big' picture. Sure, over the next few weeks, months and years, there will be some ups and probably as many downs. But the Villa are on the roll again. For the first time in years we have been big enough to say "we lost, we got stuffed, but we are moving forward". I remember Newcrapstle sticking 5 past Manure a few years ago. But you wouldn't fancy supporting the barcodes now would you? Mind you, I wouldn't fancy supporting manure either ........ dirty southerners. Remember how we felt after Doncaster last season? Today is nothing like that. We are moving forward. And Randy, thank you for the transport. A fantastic gesture and a massive PR coup for the Villa. I have waited years to see Villa milk the media like that. To the stayaways ...... it is feeling good to be part of the revolution. Come and join us. Enjoy the highs and suffer the lows with your Villa family. When you go through the bad times 'with' the club, the good times feel unbelievable. Any old muppet can just turn up when things are going well. Gloryhunter is the term we give to other fans, who have only bothered to show their face for the big games. So what are you ...... Gloryhunter? ...... or Villa Supporter?? We lost. But we are not beaten. Viva la revolution. UTV (or as our friend tylervilla would say .... UTGC .. up the golf course)
voiceoftheholte
I certainly wasn't taking issue with your comments macca. Think it was the first comment which has annoyed people
Geordie_Villa
we've got time, we've waited years for success and seen nothing but backward steps, now we are going to march forward and give it a go, most fans know that I think.
The Fear
not your night........mind you 6000 fans along to support you is brilliant...........
ernshaw
most excellent reaction, a positive responce from true fans, yes we got stuffed, but we got stuffed by Chelski, not southend. UTV
steff_the_villan
A blip, a mere blip in the learning and progressing curve. Yes, a sobering result, and under the previous manager/board it would have rightly signaled the alarm bells to begin sounding, but not today. MON/RL have been at the helm for five minutes, they know where we need to be and how we're going to get there, and its down to every single one of us to take results like this on the chin, and keep on believing in the brighter new tomorrow. O.K., we're now out of the Carling Cup, but in the bigger scheme of things, that result is somewhat immaterial. Keep the faith, and get yourselves off to Goodison on Saturday.
glensider
It was a one0off. We hope!!! Definitely put in our place.
glensider
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