Martin O'Neill cannot be criticised for much this season but there is one point of contention that continues to inspire debate among the Villa faithful.

The choice of Spaniard Carlos Cuellar, who was brought to the club to play at centre-back, at right-back has caused some fans to question O'Neill.

Cuellar has shown his credentials in his natural position in the middle on a number of occasions this season so there is no doubt that he has talent.

But, it is clear that he is just not suited to the role of attacking full-back.

What makes the selection of the former Rangers man even more mysterious is that Villa have a more than viable alternative warming the bench.

The marauding Luke Young is surely the solution as he has every attribute needed to play on the right side of the defence.

Young even illustrated his worth at left-back last season and he narrowly missed out on a Player of the Year award to much-improved captain Stiliyan Petrov.

The ex-Middlesbrough man is bound to be getting frustrated now and the worry is that he will leave Villa Park in the summer in search of regular first team football.

Young retired from England duty not so long ago because he wasn't given a run in the team that he perhaps merited and, understandably, he wasn't prepared to wait in the wings forever.

The same scenario is now materialising at club level and he could be forgiven for showing his dismay.

But he continues to stay quiet as Cuellar's poor distribution continues to rear its head.

The man nicknamed 'Ugly Betty' has exhibited some really ugly passing since he has been in the Midlands, but the rest of his game cannot be called into question.

There are suggestions from some fans that he should displace summer signing James Collins in the middle of the back four and that might not be a bad thing.

But Collins has been almost flawless since joining from West Ham and his partnership with another summer recruit, Richard Dunne, has been the cornerstone of Villa's fine season.

The pair have contributed to the best defensive record in the Premier League - Villa have conceded just 21 goals - and there is no reason why they should be parted now.

That means that for Cuellar, a place on the substitutes bench must beckon for now.

He is undoubtedly a brilliant man to have in reserve and O'Neill would clearly have no hesitation to throw him into the mix.

But the Villa boss must make the change now before he loses Young.

Villa went for a full season with centre-back Olof Mellberg playing at right-back and, while he put in a number of typically strong displays, he never looked comfortable there. He just wasn't a right back.

The difference in those days- two seasons ago - was that Villa had no alternative. Now they do.

O'Neill searched long and hard for a competent right-sided player and he found that man in Young.  

Now he must utilise him in the right way to avoid losing him for good, just as England did not so long ago. And how they could do with him now.