Cole leaves Zola singing claret and blues
O’Neill can relax over the festive season, if his compulsive personality ever actually allows such luxury, in the knowledge that everything is going to plan for his sprightly young Aston Villa side.
Third in the table and ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal — the latter are their St Stephen’s Day opponents — all this Brian Clough disciple has to do is tell his key men to conserve energy for the next challenge.
West Ham’s Zola, on the other hand, has to make himself busy this week, not least to stop himself fretting about the way his first managerial job is already unravelling four months in.
His side is also playing well, yet is on the brink of relegation because it cannot score, with the principal reason for this going by the name of Carlton Cole.
The former Chelsea man, who previously had a loan spell under O’Neill at Villa, was presented with a succession of chances but not once could he beat Brad Friedel in the visitors’ goal.
Zola knows he could discard Cole and try his luck with fellow Italian David Di Michele or recent addition Diego Tristan but has already decided to give the target man one last chance, at Portsmouth on Friday.
“He has to score more goals because that would change his performances so much, ” Zola said. “I am going to be working on his finishing every single day from now on — until he is fed up with it.”
Villa’s finishing almost led to their undoing as Robert Green was also impressive as Fabio Capello watched. The goalkeeper’s double save to deny James Milner and then Gareth Barry as the end of the first half was nearing especially caught the eye, although Ashley Young only had himself to blame for hitting a post having already nipped past the former Norwich man.
Green was also helpless 11 minutes from time when a Milner cross looped over him off Lucas Neill and dropped under the crossbar to win the game.
Pure good fortune of course but a little of that can go a long way if you are challenging the established order.
Meanwhile West Ham’s England international defender Matthew Upson played town talk of a move away from Upton Park. But the scorer of England’s first goal in Germany last month, linked with a move to a more stable environment, tellingly, would not rule out such a scenario.
“Speculation can be flattering and it’s just part of what is happening at this club at the moment,” he said.
“Every player has been speculated about to be for sale. Whether that is true or not only the owners know and can come out and clarify their position so speculation is what it is.
“Whether things happen we shall have to wait and see but it’s definitely a difficult period in terms of the financial situation of the club.”
REFEREE: Mark Halsey (Bolton) 7: Neither side can have any complaints about the official, who allowed the game to flow.
MATCH RATING: **** This was a fascinating contest from the start and was decided in a memorable, if unfortunate, fashion. Had been on course for 0-0 but could easily have been 3-3.
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