BR - With Aston Villa under new management and the playing staff in a state of flux, there is a real opportunity for a number of young Villans to stake a claim for a regular place in the first-team squad.
As things stand on the eve of Villa's Premier League opener against West Ham United, the squad is decidedly thin. With Alan Hutton and Stephen Warnock reportedly informed by manager Paul Lambert that they will not play for the club again, the number of recognised first-teamers dwindles further.
