Philippe Senderos’s organisational skills have been the key to Aston Villa’s defensive stability (Picture: Getty Images)

Aston Villa are defying all logical explanation at present – and exploding some of football’s most popular received wisdom on the way.

A fallen giant on its knees? Second in the league, our best start in 16 years and a surprise victory at Liverpool suggests the patient is slowly awakening from the coma.

Poor summer signings and a collection of defensive misfits with tattered reputations doomed to relegation? Well, an unbeaten start after four matches, three clean sheets and a steely determination to prove the doubters wrong says not.

Philippe Senderos, the worst addition of the lot, a byword for brainless defending? Not now, he’s not. For me, he’s been the pick of the new boys – and with each game that passes he’s allaying all my fears.




I never judge people on reputations alone, that’s lazy.

But having seen Senderos play live numerous times, as a weak link in a porous Fulham defence (and sometimes second choice behind Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes), and borne witness to some of his trademark blunders I felt he was the last thing our leaky back line needed.

I was wrong. He’s been nothing short of sensational. His commitment to ugly yet effective defending has been the foundation on which our new-found resilience has been built.

As Greavsie would say – it’s a funny old game

Yes, it’s only four games, and he may well be caught out at times, but his partnership with Ron Vlaar is beginning to remind me of that between Richard Dunne and James Collins – not aesthetic, but a pair bonded by their love of defending.

After his World Cup exploits, Vlaar was expected to hold the Villa defence together and I, like others, feared his absence against Liverpool.

Senderos (left) and Nathan Baker formed a formidable partnership in the win at Liverpool (Picture: Reuters)

But Senderos took the mantle brilliantly and has shown himself to be a supreme organiser. Nathan Baker took his cue from the Swiss to produce one of his best performances in a Villa shirt.

Maybe Senderos should have scored – but his movement at attacking set plays was excellent, and if he can repeat that he’ll get other chances.

This is a completely different Senderos to the one I saw at Fulham, and the one written off in the latter stages of his Arsenal career.

For that, Paul Lambert deserves a lot of credit. Clearly, he’s had an energising effect on the 29-year-old.

But Senderos should be given the plaudits for the clear self-belief he retains in spite of a difficult few years for club and country, as he tries to restore his reputation.

Just think about this. The back four that kept Mario Balotelli and co at bay was Alan Hutton, Philippe Senderos, Nathan Baker and Aly Cissokho – all players who, at times, have been ridiculed for their unerring ability to make costly mistakes.

Along with Ron Vlaar, they now make up the Premier League’s tightest defence.

As Greavsie would say – it’s a funny old game.

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