O'Leary aims for top six again
Bolton 1 Aston Villa 2
David O’Leary says it would be “an unbelievable achievement” if Aston Villa were to emulate last season’s sixth-place in the table.
He is convinced the top five will consist of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle and Liverpool, although though not necessarily in that order.
O’Leary believes their main rivals for the next spot will come from Middlesbrough after heavy investment in the squad in the summer.
“They’ve had another go (in the transfer market) with a wonderful chairman and you really have to fancy them for sixth spot,” said the Villa boss.
“Our ambition is to finish above them and see if we can do what we did last year. It would be marvellous.
“That is not to say we are afraid to try and do any more. I am a realist and I look at the big five.
“I look at Newcastle, I look at Liverpool. They have got there because they have spent lots of money.
“We are looking to finish the best of the rest. There is a group of us who on our day can all beat each other.”
Villa clinched their first away win in the league this season thanks to Thomas Hitzlsperger’s spectacular volley two minutes from time.
It was great timing for both the player and the club as the 22-year old midfielder now travels to Germany for their friendly against Cameroon in Liepzig on Wednesday.
Hitzlsperger is hoping to win his second cap after making his debut against Iran and the goal will have helped him enormously.
O’Leary said: “He is always liable to do something like that. It was a wonderful strike to win the game. Perhaps he should hit the target more often.
“When he hit it I thought ’the keeper is in trouble, that’s got a chance’.”
Villa had battled back to secure the three points with Gavin McCann cancelling out El-Hadji Diouf’s opener.
O’Leary said: “I am full of admiration for the players. We have a small group and they try and do their best.
“We have to work hard as we don’t have any outstanding individuals.
“Anything you get here you deserve. Bolton play a certain way. It is a physical way and they get the ball forward quickly.
“But that is not something to be ashamed of. They make it very hard for you and do it brilliantly .
“You have got to stand up and be strong. We had the right spirit.”
Bolton made the breakthrough in the 20th minute with Diouf’s second goal for the club since arriving from Liverpool on loan.
There seemed little danger when Kevin Nolan played the ball into the area but the Senegal international stuck out his foot and diverted a shot past the stranded Thomas Sorensen.
O’Leary said: “I was very disappointed with the goal we gave away.
“It took us a while to get going but we have been very solid away from home.”
Villa drew level five minutes before half time in their first real attack.
Lee Hendrie delivered a superb cross into the area and McCann stole a yard to flick a header beyond Andy Oakes for his first goal of the season.
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said the turning point was when Diouf’s header came back off the post with the scores locked at 1-1.
Instead he saw his team slump to their first home league defeat of the season after a brilliant start to the campaign.
Allardyce said: “It was our own fault for not capitalising on what was a very good performance.
“We have suffered games like this a lot in our first two years in the Premiership and now it has happened again.
“It serves to remind you how it feels to lose a game when you don’t deserve to.”
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