Football FanCast columnist Tom Jones feels that Aston Villa have all the ingredients required to challenge for a top four place this season.

Aston Villa’s demolition of Bolton in the Premiership will have lifted fans’ spirits after their struggles in recent times. Their impressive performance featured eye-catching displays all over the pitch and showed their rivals that they are genuine challengers for a top four spot this season. But do Villa have enough quality in their squad to go one step further this season and qualify for a Champions League spot, or will they struggle to score the goals required on a regular basis?

Everything came together for Aston Villa on Saturday. Carew led the line expertly, Agbonlahor was a threat as always and their midfielders were quick to support the play. When Villa are on form they are a joy to watch, combining quick attacking play with a combative nature throughout the team. Their energy levels are exceptional, they undoubtedly have quality attacking players who pose problems for any defence and they are always a threat from set-pieces. However, when Villa struggle to hit their straps are they capable of nicking a goal and grinding out results like the big clubs do on a regular basis?

Villa manager Martin O’Neill has put together a talented bunch of players during his time at the club, combining a core of youthful English players with the experience needed at this level. In Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and James Milner they have three of the most exciting players in English football who would be an asset for any Premiership club. But the worry I have for them is whether their target strikers Carew and Heskey will score enough goals between them, and if they don’t will their midfielders, especially Sidwell and Petrov, take up the slack and find the back of the net often enough?

The thing that most impresses me about Aston Villa this season is the strength in depth of their squad. I wondered when O’Neill bought players late in the transfer window whether they were panic buys, but of course they weren’t. James Collins, Richard Dunne and Stephen Warnock have been very impressive and have quickly formed a solid back line. Villa now genuinely have two good players for every position in the team, and injuries should provide little concern for their fans due to their strength in depth. The only real question that remains unanswered is whether Villa can learn from their mistakes last season and keep picking up points right until the final day of the season and challenge the top four all the way?

The signs look good for Aston Villa. They have quality players right throughout the team and don’t really rely on any single player, except maybe Agbonlahor or Young. The start that their challengers for a Champions League place have made will encourage their fans as well, with Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City all showing their frailties early in the season. The question for Villa fans is whether their team can perform consistently throughout the campaign? Right now I see no reason why they can’t, but will this be the season when Aston Villa can go one step further and finally finish in the heralded top four?