No Darren Bent means Aston Villa face relegation fight

Seven points above the relegation zone, and just six league wins all season, these are worrying times for Villa fans.

Things have taken a turn for the worst with the news that £24 million striker Darren Bent has been ruled out for up to three months.

These are worrying times for Villa, on the face of it they should have enough quality to avoid such a relegation fight, but in truth they have been a side in decline for two seasons.

The appointment of Alex McLeish has only served to divide the home support and performances on the pitch have barely improved from Gerard Houllier's ill-fated reign.

The figure of just six wins all season in the league tells its own story, and if anyone knows about being unexpectedly sucked into a relegation fight it is McLeish, after Birmingham's collapse last season.

The players stomach for the fight has to be questioned.

Gabby Agbonlahor yesterday said he 'cannot wait' to get to the end of the season, admitting the only chance of Villa improving is strengthening in the summer.

Is that a dig at McLeish for not strengthening in January, or simply an admission the squad is not up to scratch.

Fair play for his honesty, but it does not bode well for the side and does not fill supporters with confidence for the rest of the season, why should they pay their money to attend?

What is essential is that results come together on the pitch.

Villa's problem all season has been a lack of goals, and losing proven goalscorer Bent will hit them hard.

Agbonlahor is one who needs to step up now, with his early promising form tailing off badly.

Emile Heskey has never been a reliable source of goals, while Robbie Keane has now returned to the MLS.

A failure to sign a new striker permanently in the transfer window could come back to haunt the club.

Promising but unproven Nathan Delfouneso is on loan at Leicester City- where he is yet to score- but may have to be recalled.

Where will the goals come from?

A win is desperately needed at home to Fulham in their next home game but before that they travel to relegation battlers Blackburn.

After that they travel to the Emirates, and by time those two games are over, if they do not get a win out of them, they could find themselves well in the mire.

The problem is it is difficult to see the side getting three points at the moment. They need to turn that around but Fulham will give them a tough game, having won two on the bounce. Their next game against Blackburn will provide a good assessment of where the club really is.

Villa now face a big test, the players need to rise to it.

- Can the club survive? Who will score the goals to win them games?

image: © wonker

Dan Coombs

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Dan Coombs is a writer who is keen to embrace the internet revolution. He first started writing for us in June 2011 and commenced his new role as Sports Editor in February 2012.

As a trained journalist he has met famous faces from Mr T to Boris Johnson. He once featured in an England World Cup music video too, but it did not make the charts.

He grew up wanting to be a Formula 1 driver, but it looks like this dream has passed him by. Instead, he hopes you enjoy reading his writing on our site, as we seek to debate the day's sporting hot topics.