DOL ‘Hold Your Hands Up’

David O’Leary said after the 5-0 loss to Arsenal that the team had been taught a ‘lesson in ruthlessness.’

Adding: ‘The disappointing thing is that I felt we created a fair few chances ourselves, but we didn’t take them. When you don’t take chances against the top sides, they punish you for it. ‘We saw that with the first goal. Kevin Phillips might have put us in front one minute an the next they were at the other end opening the scoring. It was a poor goal to concede on our part and they showed that they do have the ruthlessness to punish sides.’

He also says he was pleased with Gabby Agbonlahor when he came on following the injury to Gareth Barry: ‘He’s not really a winger, but he’s shown a willingness to do a job there for us. He did well.’

He also said of Arsenal to Sky Sports: ‘Outstanding, hold your hands up.’ Blimey, is this a stick up?

‘They are an exceptional team, and when they are in this mood and they have been hitting it in the last few weeks, they can tear anyone apart as Juventus have seen the other night’

‘But it was a great learning process, it’s not a very nice experience but they will benefit from it. The Villa supporters are frustrated and I share their views because we want to get this club up doing well. I’ve never been down where I am as a player or a manager I don’t like where we are and they don’t. We share that and we have to focus and get to the ends of the season the best we can and concentrate on what we can do to put this club right for next season.’

He then looks forward, although privately he might be looking forward with dread, I’d have thought only a win against both local clubs will save the managers job as the natives get restless and realise yet again that the easiest target is the manager not the man who chooses the manager!

‘Without a doubt, the next two fixtures (Baggies, Blues) for us are more important, hopefully we will have a few more players back by then. The next two fixtures are really important for us, they are home games, they are going to be tough derby games but they are the ones we are really looking to do very, very well in.’

We’ll get plenty of decent talk off the pitch in the next fortnight, lets just hope they are up for it ON the pitch.