ston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has today provided an explanation to justify his somewhat controversial decision toleave almost his entuire first-choice side at home for the second leg of the Villans' UEFA Cup tie at CSKA Moscow tomorrow night.
A fairly formidable list of names will be left behind in Birmingham, with Gareth Barry, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Brad Friedel, James Milner, Carlos Cuellar, Stiliyan Petrov, Emile Heskey and Nigel Reo-Coker all missing out on the long trip to Eastern Europe.
With Villa now looking a lot likelier to hang on to a Champions League qualification spot than they did earlier in the season, priorities have changed for O'Neill, whose men worked hard to get in to the competition via the medium of the Inter-Toto Cup and its summer fixtures.
"Although it was a difficult decision, we have to trust the players who are going," the Irishman told The Birmingham Mail earlier.
"I think it's a great opportunity for some of the younger lads in the side, which is terrific. We're not going to be defeatist. We are going there to try and get through.
"But we've just had three games in six days and we looked a bit leggy to begin with against Chelsea. We need the players to try and stay as fresh as we possibly can, so that was the decision we made."
Villa's recent supreme form has faltered in the last week and a half, with the West Midlanders being dumped out of the FA Cup by Everton, before drawing at home with CSKA and then losing 1-0 to Chelsea at Villa Park on Saturday. With plenty of challenging tests ahead, O'Neill wants to keep his powder dry for the Premier League.
"We come back to Stoke on Sunday and are at it again on Wednesday night [against Manchester City], and that was going to be hard," he added.
"It's a pretty hectic schedule, and it was a difficult call. But the chairman has entrusted me with the decisions, and I believe what we're doing is for the well being of the football club."
Zack Wilson, Goal.com
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