An England team is being built at Villa Park

Martin O'Neill was overlooked as England boss two years ago - but is building his own England team at Villa Park.

He deserves tremendous praise for putting his faith in homegrown players, and he is reaping rich rewards.

His Villa team is packed with English talent-Gareth Barry, Ashley Young, Curtis Davies, Nigel Reo-Coker, Marlon Harewood. The list goes on. O'Neill also signed Nicky Shorey, James Milner and Steve Sidwell this summer as if to prove a point.

O'Neill also has a terrific talent in Gabby Agbonlahor who is arguably better than England's hat-trick hero Theo Walcott. The Villamancan play wide, through the middle, scores goals, has great pace and has been playing consistently well in the Premier League for a long time now.

Agbonlahor can play off John Carew and make terrific runs either side of him, giving Villa a host of attacking options.

Fabio Capello has called up Agbonlahor in the past and he has been unlucky with injuries, while Walcott has taken his opportunities and flourished.

But I sincerely hope that Agbonlahor will get his chance in England's senior side soon, because he is improving and developing rapidly under O'Neill at Villa.

O'Neill (right) is a very clever man first and foremost and is making slow but steady and longstanding progress.

The top four may be out of reach this season - but if his side keep improving at their current rate then they can break into that elite group next season.

Under O'Neill and the club's owner Randy Lerner, Villa are heading in the right direction.

O'Neill also showed great maturity and superb management skills this summer in his negotiation of the minefield surrounding Gareth Barry and his potential transfer to Liverpool.

Barry wanted out, he publicly criticised O'Neill to such an extent that most managers would have flipped, sold the player and then seen his team suffer as a result.

But O'Neill handled it brilliantly. He punished Barry, but also won him over, kept the fans onside and now he has a real chance of keeping him in the longer term if Villa can break into the Champions League elite.

O'Neill does have foreign players but generally they are old enough, mature enough and good enough to have made their mistakes in the past.

New skipper Martin Laursen is a world-class defender who has blossomed while Carew is proving to be a top-class striker.

Other big factors for foreign imports is whether they will settle in their new surroundings or feel home sick, and whether they can find their feet in a very different league.

So, O'Neill has gone for old hands and it has worked because there is a really good blend of English players, foreigners and youth and experience.

The signing of Milner from Newcastle shows he is prepared to develop young players, improve them and also build a strong and talented squad.

The only thing holding Villa back at the moment is perhaps an inability to win ugly or win when they are not playing particularly well.

You only have to look at their game at Stoke City earlier this season as they twice came from behind and yet still ended up losing in the last minute.

If they have ambitions to reach the very top, they must find the determination to scratch out results when they are not playing well, a trait that Chelsea have certainly developed. But Villa did serve up a 4-4 thriller at Chelsea last season and go to The Bridge with Luiz Felipe Scolari's men struggling with injuries.

Didier Drogba is a huge absence for Chelsea because they miss his power and his ability to hold the ball up and play as a lone striker.

Chelsea's big worry is their lack of depth in this department. They look thin on options, with Nicolas Anelka having struggled to play up front on his own.

But Scolari does have a strong squad in other areas and I like the way he has taken the shackles off the full-backs. He has given them licence to bomb forward and now the Blues are an attacking team with flair and style.

I just fancy Chelsea to edge out Villa but it will be a good game and O'Neill's men are really starting to compete with the Premier League's big boys in almost every respect.

Interview: JOHN CROSS

Under-fire Ramos has the pedigree

Juande Ramos needs to be given timebecause the Tottenham manager has got top-class European pedigree and has led the club to its first trophy for many years. No one could cope with losing Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov and Jermain Defoe.

Ithasknocked Spurs for six, they have brought in Roman Pavlychenko who is struggling to settle and they are struggling for goals and form as a result.

Ramos is partly to blame with his tactics and tinkering but they are also missing Ledley King at crucial times and he's such a big player for them. But Tottenham need to give the manager more time.

Ramos was brilliant at Sevilla, he needs some results and he needs the fans and the board to stick with him.

Chelsea v ASTON VILLA

Venue: STAMFORD BRIDGE

Time: 3pm tomorrow

CHELSEA

Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Chelsea 4-3-3

Luiz Felipe Scolari has given his full-backs, Jose Bosingwa and Ashley Cole, a new lease oflife. They can bomb up and down the flanks in a way that they never did under Jose MourinhoorAvram Grant. But Chelsea's lack of cover up front in the absence of Didier Drogba is a major concern and that is why Scolari will probably have two wide players, Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou, supporting Nicolas Anelka.

TYPICAL MOVE

Anelka has not flourished at Chelsea and yet will be asked to play as the lone striker during Drogba's injury absence. That means Scolari will probably go narrow with Kalou andMalouda either side of Anelka. But more importantly, Ashley Cole and Bosingwa can overlap, put in crosses for either Kalou or Malouda to flick on for Anelka to run in and score.

ASTON VILLA

Manager: Martin O'Neill

Aston Villa 4-4-2

Martin O'Neill has the option to use Gabby Agbonlahor playing just off John Carew and he has the pace and power to run either side of him. Ashley Young can play wide and loves playig wide left so that allows him to cut in and attack the penalty box with his other foot.

Furthermore, James Milner is a good signing as he has youth, pace and plenty ofpotential.

TYPICAL MOVE

Nigel Reo-Coker is full of energy and ideas and he can play the ball up to Carew whose flicks and nod-ons give Agbonlahor plenty to feed off. Young and Milner can support from the flanks but often it is Agbonlahor, with his pace, movement and flair, who can run into the opposition box and undo the defence with his speed and finishing ability.

0 ACOLE

GOALS THIS SEASON

He had a real lull after moving from Arsenal. Until this season, Cole looked as if he was going backwards because he was having to defend more and not given freedom to roam. Now Scolari has set him free - and given him a new lease of life as an attacking full-back. Just watch him go.

5 AGBONLAHOR

GOALS THIS SEASON

Heisareal emerging talent and Fabio Capello would be wise to call him up for his World Cup double headers. He has pace, strength and has been consistent with his goals and ability in the Premier League for more than a couple of seasons now.

lawromania@mgn.co.uk