There have been some notable problems thus far this season: there is still a vocal element of the crowd who are fundamentally opposed to Alex McLeish's tenure as manager. For those fans, the club will stagnate under the former Birmingham City manager, as long as his tea continues to play anti-progressive, unexciting football, eeking out points where possible and without any sort of panache. The squad boasts a number of players unsuited to the cause, or if the papers are to be believed, unwilling to play for it. The early days of the transfer window have already linked Villa with several deals, both incoming and outgoing, with young Irishman Enda Stevens having signed a pre-contract in the summer and now joining the cause from Shamrock Rovers and rumours linking Darren Bent with yet another move. Even if that doesn't happen, with the always under-valued Emile Heskey confirmed injured for a month or so, the Midlands club need reinforcements and refinement if they are to continue challenging for the top half of the table or higher. For some reason Charles N'Zogbia has so far flattered to deceive ever since moving to Villa last year, in a deal which made Stewart Downing's defection to Liverpool a little easier to take, but Villa can probably count on the Frenchman to come good into the second half of the season, as long as he remains happy (his biggest enemy is often his own attitude). So what else can we expect from Villa heading into the rest of January's window?
What They Need
A bit of a squad revamp, especially if Darren Bent does head off to Liverpool, who seem intent on buying as many £20m plus strikers as possible to populate an already very expensive bench. Villa's is not a massive squad, and features more elder statesmen than most of the upwardly mobile teams in the division, and while experience is the best bedrock for success, young blood and more willing legs are as big a part these days. But talking specifically, Villa need more options up front, which should come in the shape of Robbie Keane, if the Irishman's temporary move from LA Galaxy goes ahead as expected (and if Randy Lerner decides paying £250k for two months work from a player who is spending his days playing on the supposedly less taxing fields of th MLS is worth it). If that doesn't work out, expect Villa to join the queue for Bobby Zamora, who can likely choose where he wants to move when he leaves Fulham (probably). Creativity is also a must - you can't fault the signing of Charles N'Zogbia with that intention in mind, but so far it hasn't quite worked as well as expected, and the young Frenchman probably needs some support, rather than being expected to carry the creative duties of the team on his own back.
Outgoing?
Stephen Ireland will surely be made available again, though with few likely takers, unless he continues to show some more promise of his old Man City form, and with James Collins' contract set to expire at the end of next season, and no new contract offer yet forthcoming, this window would look like a reasonable time for Villa to cash in if that is the intention. With Sunderland and QPR rumoured to be interested in the Welshman, McLeish could at least count on some renumeration for the loss of the player. The big potential story for Villa this window will undoubtedly be that involving Darren Bent, and yet another lucrative move for the former Ipswich, Charlton, Spurs and Sunderland striker who has commanded increasing transfer fees with each move. If Liverpool persist with their rumoured interest, and offer something like the mooted £25m, Bent will likely jump at the chance to join up with a team still suggested to be challenging for top four (an achievement I personally can't see coming their way) and at least European qualification.