Sky Bet Championship outfit Aston Villa suffered a demoralising defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest, to give boss Steve Bruce plenty to ponder ahead of this weekend’s home game with Ipswich Town.
The Villains are winless in 2017 and after taking the lead at the City Ground on Saturday evening, they really should have been able to see out the contest and claim a vital three points.
Bruce was extremely active in the transfer market during the month of January and he will be hoping that his new recruits can acclimatise to the expectancy at a club like Aston Villa quickly.
Villa are now 13 points away from a play-off place in the Championship and their hopes of promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking now look like mission impossible.
Ahead of Saturday’s crunch game with Ipswich at Villa Park, FLW writer Lee Clarke looks at two players who could be dropped by Steve Bruce.
Henri Lansbury
The recent signing from Forest has not yet displayed the quality which earned him the move to Villa Park in the first place, with the former Arsenal youngster desperately needing a performance in the Villa midfield.
With a plethora of midfield talent currently in place at the club, Lansbury will need to get himself sorted if he is to keep playing each week.
Given his disappointing performance against his former club on Saturday, Lansbury could be left on the bench for the visit of the Tractor Boys this weekend.
Sam Johnstone
The Villa goalkeeper didn't enjoy a great evening at the City Ground at the weekend, fumbling Jamie Ward’s first half effort straight to the feet of the lethal Britt Assombalonga, whilst he could have done better with Ben Brereton’s winner also.
Mark Bunn is the man waiting in the wings and after biding his time patiently, it could be time for Steve Bruce to show that no player within his squad is immune to being dropped.
Aston Villa fans, do you agree that these players should be dropped this weekend? Who else should be in line for the axe? Let us know in the comments below!!!