GettyImagesRon Vlaar has been the one mainstay for Villa's defence

Villa fans could be forgiven for shooting rueful glances in the direction of Carlos Cuellar on Saturday. The Spaniard will be lining up for opponents Sunderland, but his former club could certainly do with a player like him in their ranks this weekend.

Put simply, Villa are running out of fit central defenders, and the situation is reaching crisis point. Bar late fitness tests throwing up a positive result, Villa will field a fourth different central defensive partnership in as many Premier League games. It's like a revolving door of defenders these days.

Cuellar was steady rather than spectacular in a Villa shirt. He was certainly popular with supporters, and grew a fantastic beard on several occasions, but for a defender who cost the best part of £8 million, he really should have been the leader at the heart of Villa's defence, rather than an occasional fill-in and a slightly uncomfortable-looking converted right-back.

Nevertheless, the sight of him will revoke recent bitter-sweet memories for Villains: this man couldn't nail down a regular centre-back place for much of his four years in the Midlands. Richard Dunne and James Collins had those two positions sewn up; Cuellar was back-up, Stephen Warnock at left-back, Luke Young the plan B for either full-back role. Experience and no small amount of quality. For a time, anyway.

Even last season, during the darkest days of Alex McLeish's solitary campaign in charge, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins and Warnock remained fixtures across the back four. Solidity and knowledge, if nothing else. One can only wonder - and shudder - how Villa's season may have ended up had McLeish been on the receiving end of the kind of defensive injury problems that his successor, Paul Lambert, is now faced with.

If all good teams are built on the foundation of a solid defence, it's easy to see why Villa are struggling. At Sunderland, on Saturday, Lambert could be forced to field his fourth centre-back partnership. Four different combinations in the first ten Premier League encounters. Far from ideal when, according to wisdom, the defence is best left alone and uninterrupted.

Dutchman Ron Vlaar has been the one constant, but beside him all has changed. His first partner, Ciaran Clark, was alongside him until the game at Spurs in October (despite being sent-off against Everton in August) but succumbed to a knee injury while training with the Republic of Ireland.

Nathan Baker, who started the season at left-back, until Joe Bennett arrived, and switched to central defence when Clark was dismissed, stepped in against Fulham. He lasted just after the hour before injuring his ankle.

Next up, Norwich; in came the versatile Chris Herd, ever eager to give his best, whether it be in midfield, right-back, or centre-back. He's by no means a central defender - his lack of expertise betrayed by that crude lunge on Grant Holt on the half-way line - rash, needless and fortunate to escape a red card.

A full-time central defender would have stood off a few yards, wouldn't have got that tight, and wouldn't have ploughed through the striker 50 yards from goal.

By the end of the match Herd was limping. A few days later, at Swindon in the League Cup, he was yet another victim of injury. The Australian left the field on half an hour, and yet another defensive reshuffle took place. On came rookie Irish left-back Enda Stevens, with Eric Lichaj moving across to right-back, and Matt Lowton filling the middle.

A pick and mix defence does no team any favours. The effect on Villa has been to concede sloppy goals. At Fulham - with Baker off - the winning goal was scored late on, with a flick at the near post from a corner: lazy defending. Against Norwich, the Canaries took a short corner, under no pressure, and Wes Hoolahan was able to pick his spot with the decisive cross.

Basic errors, simple goals. It happens with midfielders dropping into roles they are unaccustomed to, and full-backs being moved around.

Villa's defence was always going to face a difficult season, with the pillars of previous campaigns moved on: Collins to West Ham, Cuellar to Sunderland, Warnock loaned, nay frozen out. Dunne is still there, somewhere, but struggling with a groin injury that has kept him out of action all season. Villa could use him now.

Clark and Baker are both said to be close to squeezing into the squad for the Sunderland trip. Villa need one to make it. Otherwise, I expect Lowton to partner Vlaar, with Lichaj starting at right-back and Bennett, back after suspension, returning at left-back. It will be yet another re-jigged defence at a time when Villa desperately need consistency.

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