A lack of cash, injuries, refereeing decisions, international breaks, a bad pitch . . . David O'Leary has many reasons for why Aston Villa sit uncomfortably in the lower regions of the Premiership table.
The Villa manager, who is likely to be without Patrik Berger and Eirik Bakke for the fixture at home to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, has never known a season like it.
His main problem is that his players have been unable to gain some sort of momentum. Villa won 3-1 away to Sunderland last Saturday but that was their first match in two weeks because of England's friendly against Argentina the previous week.
As a former Republic of Ireland player, O'Leary can hardly moan about international commitments, but he does look forward to the day when Villa can play regularly without any breaks.
"It's been stop, start, stop, start for the first three months of the season," O'Leary said. "We've had three separate two-week breaks.
" September, October, November is a funny period because of that. I don't think we can say it's been that detrimental to us, and that you can say in that way that's the reason we're in this position.
"The only tiny excuse I'll make we have is that we have had a lot of disruptions throughout the season as well which have not helped. But we also know that all of them can raise their level and play better than they've been showing.
"We know how much international football can work against us. You only have to look at some of the players we've had out long term as a result. But that happens to a load of clubs.
"And we've had a bit of a Catch 22 in particular with Milan Baros with him playing international football, but I'm delighted that he has finally come through and that we've got the chance to put out a team something more like I'd imagined it.
"There are no more international distractions for the next four months, we've got a proper chance to get on with it, with a big bulk of games. That's where the big squads kick in with all the players they've got."
Thomas Sorensen is expecting Christmas to be somewhat busier than usual but the break has given him the chance to take stock of what is going wrong at Villa Park.
"This Christmas is going to be the busiest since I've been here at the club," said the goalkeeper. "And with cup games coming up too, that's why it was nice to have a couple of days off during the international break last week and enjoy a bit of a quiet time to prepare for the month or more we have ahead of us.
"We should have played the Republic of Ireland in a friendly but that was called off when they changed their manager. And, as it's so long before our next game in four months' time, with all the matches we've got coming up in the league it was for once a welcome thing not to have to go away with Denmark.
"Our performances have not been what they should have been. We're hoping the Liverpool game was a turning point for us and that a few wins can change things for us like they did two years ago."
Sorensen is now fully fit after the lower-back strain that caused him to pull out of the match at Manchester City last month.
"I'd had the problem for a few days and I overstretched. I was pulling my hair out because it was such an important game, but it was just one of those things," he said. "I'm happy it was just one game and if that's the game I'm going to miss this season, then that will do for me."
Berger will definitely miss the match against Charlton and probably the match against Doncaster Rovers in the Carling Cup next week.
The former Liverpool midfield player broke down in training yesterday with a knee injury. The injury, however, is not serious.
O'Leary said: "He went off to see the surgeon straight away because we don't want to take any chances." n David O'leary will open the newly-refurbished Villa Village this afternoon at 4pm.
BPNOV24
