Aston Villa, after 2 years in the wilderness in the post Martin O'Neil era, are still struggling to find their place in the Premier League, and the way results are going, they could well end up losing it this season. However, there is a sense of calm and optimism around Villa Park at present; unlike the debacle of last year under McLeish; even when they are not achieving the results, they look threatening and are playing to their strengths. There is a sense that Lambert has a long-term plan, not just a weekly strategy to avoid defeat. If Bent, Benteke and Agbonlahor begin to hit stride, the goals, and and as a consequence results, will begin to flow.
It is most definitely a rebuilding season for the Villans. The aim is to avoid relegation and cement a respectable mid-table finish. They find themselves with just 5 points from 8 games, but have not yet lost any ground on the pack, and one win against Norwich at home next Saturday could vault them up several spots in the table. There is an unrest among some followers with Paul Lambert, but the smarter supporter knows that success will not come overnight; it will not improve as quickly as it deteriorated. Points are harder to come by than they were four years ago, when Villa were threatening the top 4. The likes of Tottenham, Newcastle, O'Neill's Sunderland and of course Man City are improving and challenging the established order, and it is up to others to match these rising standards.
It is a slow building process, and Lambert knows this. He has brought in new faces across the board. He has showed an air of professionalism in the manner in which he has shown no loyalty in selection; it does not matter about your reputation or how much the club paid for you, if you are good enough, you will start. The replacement of Shay Given with Brad Guzan is a prime example of this. In defence, they are clearly missing Richard Dunne, but the replacements are beginning to show their worth at this level. Vlaar and Lichaj are looking to be up to the challenge in this new look back four.
Lambert is still figuring out his strongest XI, but Randy Lerner understands that this takes time. In many ways, he has the ideal relationship with his boss. Many managers are reluctant to drop high profile players, with the chairman constantly peering over their shoulder, but as football has taught us down the years, it is not up to the manager to create revenue, they are there to get results. Commitment from a chairman to a manager is a recipe for success. Managers need time and support, and the Scotsman has both.
Result-wise, it has not been an ideal start to the Premiership campaign for Aston Villa, but there are certainly causes for optimism. Paul Lambert has the support of the Holte End and more importantly the board, something which Gerard Houllier and Alex McLeish lacked. Things are not as bad as they suggest on paper. Villa have the quality to stave off relegation in this transitional year, and use it as foundations for a bright future. There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for the Villa fans; In Lambert We Trust.
