Tom Cleverley's Revival

Tom Cleverley was one of Villa's massive under-performers in the 'Paul Lambert' stage of this current season. He would seem like he was playing with gravy in his boots and cleats with every move and pass. There was honestly no reason for him playing or starting the matches that he did. Tom was a missing man and West Midlands Police should have been on the lookout for him; in every game he was absolutely nowhere to be seen.

When a new manager joins a football club, there's that 'new manager boost'. We've all seen it or been worried about it, but now we're feeling the effects of one. Tim Sherwood has got the club back on it's feet and one of those who has really impressed under Sherwood is the aforementioned Cleverley.

Tom's game has improved tenfold, and I don't need to throw meaningless stats your way to prove this. If you've been watching any matches or games since Sherwood took over, you'd know that Cleverley is playing out of his skin for Villa. His chemistry with the team and understanding of the game seems to have developed over night. The reason for this? For better or for worse, Sherwood is allowing his players to play the game they want.

Don't just take it from me either, according to Sky Sports, Tom Cleverley is a massive fan of the former Spurs man.

"He's brought belief and bounce to the club. That's no disrespect to Paul Lambert, I liked him. Tim's just freshened things up." - Tom Cleverley speaking to Sky Sports.

If Tom's form continues, Villa may have shot themselves in the foot if Cleverley joins another team on a free transfer in the summer. Aston Villa had the option to purchase the on-loan Manchester United midfielder but refused to pull the trigger in January, but let's not forget - Tom was a completely different player back then.