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<H1>Chelsea just like Brazil, says O'Neill</H1><SPAN class=artDate>Last updated at 16:00pm on 9th November 2006</SPAN>
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Martin O'Neill: impressed</DIV><H2><DIV class=modBot></DIV><DIV class=modBot><P class=modItem></DIV>Chelsea have been labelled the strongest team in Europe by Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill. </H2></DIV>
O'Neill watched his side humbled by a power-packed Chelsea and the man who won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest was full of praise for Jose Mourinho's side.
Goals from Frank Lampard, Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba sent Villa packing from the Carling Cup and Chelsea into the quarter-final draw.
Chelsea's display had everything - guile, passion, power and finishing - and the awesome combination was not lost on O'Neill who likened them to the Brazil side of 1982 in terms of quality and strength.
O'Neill said: "They can also play as well but there is nothing wrong with being a very strong side.
"They are the strongest team in European football. But they have also got a lot of class players.
"One of the best sides that didn't win the World Cup back in 1982 were Brazil. Italy won it but Brazil were by miles the best side.
"The Brazilian players were so, so good and strong as well. There is nothing wrong with that, absolutely.
"Essien's very strong, these players are very strong and they are very good."
Villa took 6,000 fans to Stamford Bridge but the club could find themselves in hot water with the Football Association after a plastic bottle was thrown in the direction of Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.
The bottle was collected by referee Mark Halsey and passed to the fourth official. It is almost certain to be included in his report to the FA.
It was an incident which O'Neill accepted had no place in football following on from the coin-throwing antics at the weekend.
O'Neill said: "I did ask the fourth official what had happened and he said a plastic bottle had been thrown.
"That's really not what we want. He wasn't hurt but absolutely it is not what we want from our fans. Absolutely not."
O'Neill also had much sympathy with captain Gareth Barry, being tipped for an England recall in Friday's squad, who went off injured in the first half with a back injury.
He will have a scan today to assess the damage and O'Neill added: "I would not know what is in Steve McClaren's mind about his squad.
"But he has been playing very well for us this season and I am looking at it from a club point of view - he will be a big loss for us if he is out for some time. But I don't know yet.
"His least effective game for us this season was, unfortunately, when Steve was watching. But he has been excellent for us this year."
Reader comments (2) <DIV class=right id=LookHere><DIV id=ArtContentImg> Martin O'Neill: impressed</DIV><H2><DIV class=modBot></DIV><DIV class=modBot><P class=modItem></DIV>Chelsea have been labelled the strongest team in Europe by Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill. </H2></DIV>
O'Neill watched his side humbled by a power-packed Chelsea and the man who won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest was full of praise for Jose Mourinho's side.
Goals from Frank Lampard, Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba sent Villa packing from the Carling Cup and Chelsea into the quarter-final draw.
Chelsea's display had everything - guile, passion, power and finishing - and the awesome combination was not lost on O'Neill who likened them to the Brazil side of 1982 in terms of quality and strength.
O'Neill said: "They can also play as well but there is nothing wrong with being a very strong side.
"They are the strongest team in European football. But they have also got a lot of class players.
"One of the best sides that didn't win the World Cup back in 1982 were Brazil. Italy won it but Brazil were by miles the best side.
"The Brazilian players were so, so good and strong as well. There is nothing wrong with that, absolutely.
"Essien's very strong, these players are very strong and they are very good."
Villa took 6,000 fans to Stamford Bridge but the club could find themselves in hot water with the Football Association after a plastic bottle was thrown in the direction of Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.
The bottle was collected by referee Mark Halsey and passed to the fourth official. It is almost certain to be included in his report to the FA.
It was an incident which O'Neill accepted had no place in football following on from the coin-throwing antics at the weekend.
O'Neill said: "I did ask the fourth official what had happened and he said a plastic bottle had been thrown.
"That's really not what we want. He wasn't hurt but absolutely it is not what we want from our fans. Absolutely not."
O'Neill also had much sympathy with captain Gareth Barry, being tipped for an England recall in Friday's squad, who went off injured in the first half with a back injury.
He will have a scan today to assess the damage and O'Neill added: "I would not know what is in Steve McClaren's mind about his squad.
"But he has been playing very well for us this season and I am looking at it from a club point of view - he will be a big loss for us if he is out for some time. But I don't know yet.
"His least effective game for us this season was, unfortunately, when Steve was watching. But he has been excellent for us this year."
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