Nov 5, 2009 - 11:01 AM
0 shoutsDANIEL ROSE STATS European Football Writer=
LONDON (SE) - Bolton manager Gary Megson has challenged his defence to complete a whole Premier League match without conceding a goal when they go to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Bolton are the only team in the league not to have kept a clean sheet and so annoyed is Megson that he kept his defence behind for special training during the week in a bid to end the sequence.
Megson said: "I don't understand why we have struggled in this direction. We are not a million miles away from getting it right and no one can say we are defensively poor.
"Yet the facts speak for themselves and at Aston Villa we will need to be especially vigilant because they are strong on corners and free kicks.
"Martin O'Neill has got together a big, strong side and set pieces are a huge part of their game.
"Like Everton, they had a bad start to the season and are now recovering from it. They will desperate to make up for losing in midweek to West Ham."
Villa have scored ten goals from set pieces this season without conceding any from similar situations, prompting Megson to order the extra training sessions.
At least Megson is happier with his attackers after Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic was signed to provide competition up front with Johan Elmander and Kevin Davies.
Elmander went 23 games without scoring as he continued to justify his nine million pounds price tag before getting on to the score sheet.
Megson reckoned it was no coincidence. "Ivan has come in and Johan has responded. I have spoken to Johan about being positive and he has taken it on board. Against Chelsea he had four shots \2013 and that is more like it."
Aston Villa are still smarting from the defeat at West Ham who began the match second from bottom but who won with a last-minute goal.
Villa will be without defender Habib Beye who was sent off for a second bookable offence but Carlos Cuellar returns from suspension.
O'Neill's team were expected to see off West Ham and will be expected to beat Bolton with home advantage.
O'Neill said: "I have to be disappointed with the result. It was the sort of match we would be looking to win in the circumstances.
"But now we have a chance to get West Ham out of our systems, and Bolton is a fresh challenge for us to overcome.
"Our aim all along has been to break into the top four and I think it is still possible but results like that one at West Ham are holding us back."
Ashley Young, who missed a penalty against West Ham, insists he will carry on taking spot kicks if asked by O'Neill.
"Every penalty-taker misses at some stage. But I am ready to step up to the plate if required."
Villa could be without striker Emile Heskey who came off at half time with a back injury at West Ham.
