If you don't concede in a football match, you can't lose the game. A sentence which stands true for all teams, but one that hasn't helped Aston Villa very much this season.

Having played 13 games and lost 10 of those, you'd suggest that the Villans aren't very good at defending, and you'd be right. Conceding 24 goals in 13 league games, keeping just two clean sheets, they're amongst the worst in the division for defensive fragilities.

Villans don't have bad players

So why has it been so bad? On the surface, they've got some talented individuals in their defensive fold. Micah Richards is an experienced defender, who has played in the Champions League. Alan Hutton and Ciaran Clark are experienced internationals, the latter of which helped his country to Euro 2016 last week. In addition to them, they've also got Carlos Sanchez, a part of the Colombian national team, in their holding midfield role.

Despite this, they can't seem to work as a unit, and with those ahead of them struggling to find the net, they're under more pressure. So, who is the weak link?

Richards' sheer physicality does point to signs that he could be a leading defender, but it's looking like he has the brawn, not the brains to play at centre-back.

Whilst it does seem extremely harsh to blame the skipper for their defensive woes, there is a case for him to move position. Richards has been handed praise, for building Villa attacks out of his central defensive position, this term, but not so much for his errors at the back.

There have been too many goals conceded this season that have come as a result of poor positioning by Richards, letting the opposition striker in on goal, and this must stop.

Richards was banned for one game after an altercation with Ashley Williams (photo: getty)

Villa have capable centre-back replacements

It's not like Remi Garde doesn't have a wealth of options available at centre-back. Joleon Lescott, Tiago Ilori, Jose Angel-Crespo and Jores Okore could all partner Clark, with the latter of those firmly on the comeback trail and pushing for a place in the side after a long term injury.

Something which seperates all of them, bar Crespo, from Richards, is that they're natural centre-backs. It's easy to forget that the captain isn't a born-and-bred central defender, and has spent most of his years at right back.

This would explain why he's so good at carrying the ball out of defence, and why it's plausible that he could move to right-back and benefit the team.

Moving to right-back, as opposed to dropping him, makes more sense because he is a very good footballer, and Garde is unlikely to drop his captain. Add the fact that neither Leandro Bacuna or Hutton have sparkled this season, and you've got a possible upturn in Villa's fortunes at the back.

Play two natural centre-back's in the centre, your best right-back at right-back, concede less goals. It doesn't seem so complex, when put like that.

Jores Okore is pushing for a return to the starting XI (photo: b'ham mail)

Change of position may satisfy Richards' international desires

Not only that, but there's the slightest of chances that a move to full-back could offer Richards hope of a re-introduction into the England fold.

John Stones, Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling and Phil Jagielka appear to have the four centre-back spots nailed down ahead of Euro 2016, but it's not impossible for Richards to force his way back into contention with some good performances at right-back, especially due to his versatility and international experience.

It's easy to forget that he's been capped 13 times at senior level by England, with 10 of those coming in 2007, and the last in 2012. Richards also appeared for Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics, and has spoken about his burning desire to get back into the fold.

So, whilst it might not be the most obvious move, a switch to right-back could be hugely beneficial to both Micah Richards and Aston Villa. It's up to Remi Garde to implement it.