Villa need goal power: Hendrie
Lee Hendrie is calling on Aston Villa to start converting their chances if they are to revive their hopes of securing a European spot.
Villa will go into the Barclays Premiership match with Blackburn on the back of four successive defeats and without a goal in their last three matches.
They have only hit the target twice in their last six games from which they have collected a solitary and fortuitous point against Liverpool.
Juan Pablo Angel has failed to score since early November while his strike partner Carlton Cole is without a goal since August 28.
Even the supply from midfield, which was enabling Villa to overcome the lack of productivity in attack, has dried up.
Hendrie said: “In the last couple of games we’ve done fairly well and got nothing out of the game.
“It is a matter of taking our chances and scoring goals really otherwise we’re not going to win any games.
“That’s what we’re not doing, scoring goals. They have dried up after a period when we were flying at one stage. We need to put that right.”
Hendrie believes Villa have the opportunity to put their season back on track in January with fixtures against struggling Blackburn, Crystal Palace and Norwich.
He said: “We need to kick on. We’ve got a big month ahead and hopefully we can get a few wins under our belts.
“We’ve got games coming up where we feel we should take three points like against Blackburn. They are all going to be tough but you half-expect to take the three points from them.
“We have got to have a good month and push us back into that pack chasing the top six. I don’t think the confidence has been affected by this run. We have played some decent stuff but haven’t had that end product.”
Hendrie is confident of being fit to face Mark Hughes’ side despite limping away from Villa Park after the midweek defeat by Manchester United.
He said: “I’ve got a few little niggles. I got a whack against Chelsea and got a bit of a sore foot from a challenge by Rio Ferdinand the other night but I feel alright.
“I just feel a bit stiff because I hadn’t played for a month before (St Stephen's Day). There is nothing serious. I should be alright for the weekend. I’m just a bit stiff and tired really.”
