I've been forced to ditch the theme of this post, and start all over again. An idea conceived in the days leading up to the Norwich game, an article already half-written. Now it's useless, unfit to publish. And I'm delighted at that.

I had planned to write about how Villa are a side shorn of inspiration, following the summer sale of Ashley Young, a player who - though bafflingly criticised as 'lazy' by some fans - could almost always be relied upon to do something positive with the ball.

It was a huge feature of Villa under Martin O'Neill: get the ball, give to Ashley. And, a lot of the time, he did. Villa always had an outlet, and often a source of goals.

Take a player like Ashley Young away from a club like Villa - away from many clubs - and the difference will be tangible. Given the slow start made by Charles N'Zogbia, the player you would assume was Young's like-for-like replacement - Young's absence was felt even more keenly.

A week ago, I pondered this: where will Villa's inspiration come from this season?

After Saturday's win against Norwich, the question answers itself. The player who has stepped up and taken his game to another level isn't a new signing, it's a player we already had. Gabby Agbonlahor's form this season has been nothing short of a revelation. He's reaching heights I wasn't sure he would ever be capable of.

I knew he had pace: though a couple of seasons ago a debatable fitness programme seemed to bulk his physique up and strip off a yard or so, he appears to have recovered his blistering speed.
I knew he had an eye for goal, and the ability to seize on a chance in the penalty area. I knew he had a good work ethic, that he'd put 'a shift in', and I knew he also had the tools to be a versatile striker, be it a centre-forward who could hold the ball up until support arrived, or a roaming type who could work the channels and stretch defences.

I didn't know Gabby had added vision to his game. Not only is he ripping past defenders now, he's also laying on great service, looking up and delivering crosses and passes which are literally begging to be put away; when you have a strike partner like Darren Bent (exactly like Darren Bent), who feasts on such stuff, those are important assets to have.

The two goals Bent grabbed against Norwich, both typically netted from close range, came from inch-perfect Agbonlahor crosses. Expert deliveries allied to exquisite timing and movement.

It's a partnership that is highly promising and blossoming. Bent is doing what Bent has always done - it looks easy, but it isn't, and the skills he has mastered are only matched by a handful at Premier League level. Despite not hitting top gear yet - I can recall two or three relatively straightforward chances he should have converted this season, and hasn't - Bent is on five league goals for the season, in 11 games, on course for that enviable one in two ratio that he has commanded for the majority of his career, and that is beyond most strikers.

Agbonlahor is exceeding expectation. He now has the same number of goals as Bent, a couple of which - strikes against Blackburn and Wigan - demonstrated the variety he's capable of; both were efforts from outside the penalty area, struck with precision and curl.

But his overall contribution is even more impressive. Gabby has nine assists for the season, and that goes up to 11 if the penalties he won against QPR and West Brom are considered, which they should. He's fast on his way to becoming one of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League, if he's not there already.

What's interesting to note is that Agbonlahor's form has peaked since he was used in a wide left attacking role - once the domain of Young. While they are very much two different players in terms of style, it may be that the departure of one has allowed and encouraged the other to flourish.