O'Neill plea to Barry: We'll push on at Villa if you stay for a year

Ashley Young's stunning solo effort five minutes after the interval of Saturday's InterToto tie will be a contender for Villa's goal of the season in 10 months.

But Wilfred Bouma's injury and the on-going Gareth Barry saga has served only to highlight the amount of work Martin O'Neill needs to do between now and the closure of the transfer window.

For starters, Villa do not have a fit, recognised right back or left back.

The pressure is now on to add faces particularly as Villa are in the UEFA Cup for the first time in seven years.

The fickle face of football: A Villa fan has a message for Barry

Yet in manager O'Neill, Villa fans trust. He is trying every ploy to persuade Barry to stay.

And he confirmed that Bouma, out of contract at the end of the campaign, will be offered a fresh deal, assuming he returns to the game after what turned out to be a dislocated ankle.

Judging by the screams of the player, the crowd were probably fearing an Eduardo- style injury, particularly as the defender's twisted right leg had been thrust in the air for all to see.

Cheerio? O'Neill would love to hold on to his prize asset

O'Neill said: 'I've spoken to the doctors and it's a dislocation. It's in plaster now. It's a blow to us. He had a brilliant season last time.'

Barry entered proceedings and did what he does. Unfussy, uncomplicated. The crowd, too, were onside.

O'Neill is trying to cover every angle to keep him, including guaranteeing a testimonial, revisiting contract talks and asking him to stay for one year of the two he has left on his existing deal.

Short of lashing him to the Holte End, there isn't much more he can do.

'We need Gareth Barry at this club,' he said.

'He would be a terrible loss - very hard to replace. My own view is that he should hang around another year. If we don't make the progress that he would want, then he can move elsewhere.

'It's very obvious we value him more than Liverpool do. He's a top European player. The price we are asking (£18million) is true and realistic. I think it's really cheap actually but that doesn't mean I want him to go. 

Barry shrugs off Hans Henrik Andreasen

'Our position has not changed. We want to keep him. But if the situation remains the same with Gareth and his agent, there's not much more we could do. The player belongs to us. Liverpool know the situation.

'Gareth had a testimonial scheduled for two weeks' time. Obviously, events have overtaken that. If he were to stay, then, of course, we could visit it in the future. If anyone deserves a testimonial, he does. He's been here 10 years.'

New Villa signing Brad Friedel, now 37, was also praised by O'Neill, who said: 'Pat Jennings was a world-class keeper 10 years after Tottenham thought he couldn't do it. Brad is in that type of mould.'

ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Taylor; Gardner, Knight, Laursen, Bouma (Barry 16min); Young, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Petrov; Agbonlahor, Carew.

ODENSE (4-4-2): Onyszko; Helveg, (Ruud 46) Haaland, Troest, Sorensen; Andreasen (Bolanos 75), Hansen, Djemba-Djemba, Absolonsen; Fall, Runstrom (Jacobsen 82).

Man of the match: Ashley Young.

Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).