Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Tuesday October 28 2008
Time: 10:49AM
UK time is: 02:11:40
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Villa Boss Happy With Strength Of Defence
Martin O'Neill says he has no worries about the attitude of Curtis Davies who has found himself on the bench having been replaced by Carlos Cuellar recently.
He also talks of the strength in depth at the club for centre backs and says they are all top class.
MON said: 'Curtis has been excellent. We as a team had a tough time at Stamford Bridge, so I made some changes. Curtis is the least of my concerns. He’s so strong mentally so that is not a problem. He’s played a lot of games for us so how can there be frustration the first time that he’s not started a game? I’m not saying that we will be rotating in the manner that other clubs with bigger resources than we have at the moment are able to do, but we will rotate.'
He also says he hasn't been dropped due to form: 'It’s not a problem. Overall I have actually been pretty pleased, but I think people start to run away with the fact that if somebody is not in the starting line-up they must be playing dreadfully. That wasn’t the case.' And on the strength in depth
'I think it’s brilliant to have three centre halves here that have real genuine quality in different aspects as well. It’s really good. Curtis Davies has done and will do exceptionally well. Martin Laursen has been a tower of strength here and Carlos has come in and been really excellent. I’m absolutely delighted. We’ve got Zat Knight as well and Zat in many aspects might be the unluckiest one of the lot after his performances last year from when he signed.'
He also says he would be happy to play any four of them in combination.
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Your Comments
Still happy!, excellent. Mr the Fear Sir, please could you find it in your heart to not use photos of the mighty Villans that make them look Gormless!
steff_the_villan
Thats a bit deep. "to have three centre halves here that have real genuine quality". He should have said 4 really, even if Zat isn't of the same quality its not very nice to just leave him out of the mentioning. I'd be pretty upset by that if I were Zat.
PTP
Yes, did think that PTP! Sorry Steff, will write 1000 lines tonight 'I must do better' LOL
The Fear
"Zat in many aspects might be the unluckiest one of the lot after his performances last year from when he signed"
Actually I think the fans have been unluckiest with Zat's performances from when he signed.
Harsh but true.
Platypus
I beg to differ, Platypus. That's harsh but untrue. Even if you personally don't rate Zat highly (and others might disagree with you) on the occasions Zat has played, he has been the best player that Aston Villa have had available and, as far as I could tell, he always gives 100%. Does that deserve your kind of comment? Do you tell your wife that she'll do for now, but you're sure you can find better? IMO, Zat deserves our support and encouragement, not snide comments.
BobTheBuilder
lol, sorry Bob, just got this image of telling a wife 'you'll do for now' no man would get out alive surely!?
The Fear
Zat is nowhere near as good as the other 3. Simple. He may give 100% but that doesn't mean that you would pick him over any of the others. They all give 100% really and that is down to MON and his man management as much as the players themselves. Really impressed with Luke Young aswell but we have had nothing to compare him with after not having a proper right back for so long.
Villan444
Sorry Fear - therapy might be a good option if there are nightmares ... :o) - Villan444, there is a difference between debating how good a player is and comparing him to other players, and effectively slagging him off for daring to play for our club. IMO, if a player pulls on the shirt and gives 100%, he not only deserves our support, but only a prawn sandwich would deny it to him. If you support a club you must support the club's players. What is the point of pulling your own guys down? Does anyone believe that does the team any good whatsoever? Strange psychology!
BobTheBuilder
I think therapy for me is long over due mate but I also get the feeling I'm a lost cause...!!!!!
The Fear
Bob - agree wholeheartedly. Does this include someone like Barton tho?
Steve64k
Ill always like Zat for scoring that goal against chelsea. And is it me or does curtis look like chris brown?
AussieVilla
Fair play to Zat Bob, as he is a fellow Villa fan but, would he be at Villa Park if A:he wasn't and B: if he wasn't so tall which I think these are the main (or only) reasons that MON bought him. Don't want to drag him down but am still frustrated from his lack of concentration when he does play which IMHO should be something that can be rectified. Fair enough if he hasn't the physical attributes or the natural skill but these aren't his problem.
Villan444
I don't have a problem with constructive criticism 444 - such as you've just posted about concentration - only with the destructive stuff that some 'fans' post. I really don't see the point of it. Do the people who post it really believe that the Villa staff aren't aware of the deficiencies of the players they work with on the training field every day? We see them once a week if we're lucky. It is a trivially easy job to be a fan and to drag some player down to make our own opinions look good. "If you can't do, teach. If you can't teach, criticise." How much harder to do what MON and other decent managers do - make a better player out of somebody who has shortcomings but has the right attitude and is available at the time you need them. And no, it doesn't include someone like Barton Steve, unless they prove they're a reformed character first! :o)
BobTheBuilder
Davies is quality, he will have to work really hard now though with Cuellar at the club.
young_jonah
They have their moments of madness, but overall the strength in depth of our defence is considerably better than it was last season, and probably stronger than it has been for a few campaigns before that.
glensider
Zat is much maligned, often extremely unfairly. Always does a job for us, and very rarely lets us down.
glensider
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