The loss of the three regular starters leaves O'Leary with a number of selection headaches because as anybody who has had the misfortune to stumble across his post-match summary and drop the remote control will know, Villa have not got the biggest of squads.
Angel´s absence leaves only two senior strikers in Darius Vassell and on-loan Carlton Cole for the October 16 meeting. De la Cruz´s unavailability leaves Villa with defensive problems with the squad´s back-line currently down to bare bones with Lim Ridgewell and Martin Laursen both injured.
Mark Delaney - already filling in at centre-back - may have to revert to his accustomed right-back role, while left-back JLloyd Samuel switches to the centre alongside skipper Olof Mellberg, and Peter Whittingham deputising at left-back. This line up was tried out in the Carling Cup game against QPR recently, and although Whittingham looked reasonably composed on the left, Samuel looked like a fish out of water in the middle.
Actually, scrap that, at least fish move a bit on dry land. More like a whale in the Sahara. It would be a shame to miss the effervescent youngsters surging runs, as you feel his pacey outlet on the left could have been one of the few rest-bites the Villa side got against an Arsenal side nearing 50 games unbeaten.
Provided Villa´s other players on international duty return fit – the loss of Mellberg would be interesting, in a sort of multi-car pile-up sort of way – Solano should be easier to replace with Thomas Hitzlsperger or even Steven Davis waiting on the sidelines.