Team Focus: Fading Villa's Survival May Hinge on Shock Results

"We want our Villa back" is a chant that has cropped up on numerous occasions since Martin O'Neill left the club in what the board clearly felt was a financially untenable state.

It was aired once again as the Midlands outfit slumped to another damning defeat this weekend, with the fans anger targeted at those behind the scenes as much as the manager on Saturday. Lerner, Faulkner and co. have slashed the wage bill since the aforementioned Ulsterman's departure, making the task of maintaining Villa as a top half side unenviable, if not all but impossible.

Houllier and McLeish were both ousted by fan power as much as poor results (of which there were admittedly many), although ill health curtailed the former's tenure. Paul Lambert now seems perilously close to following suit. The suspension of his two trusted tagalongs Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa were curious to say the least, with player power apparently taking its toll this time, and it's left Lambert's job security hanging by a thread that wears thinner with every passing defeat and disappointment.

Villa's run of 6 league matches without a win, last tasting victory against Chelsea in a memorable evening under the floodlights at Villa Park, is the longest in the Premier League. With just 1 point gained in that run their safety in England's top-flight is not secure and despite the fact that they may well stay up with their current points tally (Fulham and Cardiff would need to win both of their remaining games while Norwich would need 4 points from 6 to overtake the Villans), this decline has gone on for too long. Changes from top to bottom at the club seem likely to be a necessity.

The team is too reliant on the now sidelined Christian Benteke, although his arrival must be credited to Lambert and the Villa hierarchy. The club's initial bid for the Belgian was rumoured to be around half of the eventual sum. It would have been easy to baulk at Genk's high demands for a player that was a near unknown, but Villa were convinced. Their signings elsewhere, however, have been far from convincing at times. Bennett, Luna, Sylla, Tonev, Bowery, Helenius and Holt are not names that the fans have grown to love (drastic understatement) and it isn't hard to see why.

In terms of their playing style Villa's is a little rudimentary to say the least. The ball invariably finds it's way to the head of Benteke - Villa have averaged the second most long balls per game (60.7) and the Belgian has won the most aerial duels per game (8.8) - but they struggle to operate from there.

The likes of Delph and Westwood in midfield have proven to be among the side's best players but they make up a rather unintimidating midfield in terms of physical presence. It's a word that sums Lambert's men up pretty nicely. They commit the most fouls in the league (13.1 per game) but the lion’s share smack of poorly timed challenges that come with the inability to effectively exert any physical dominance on a game.

A forward line including the pace of Agbonlahor and Weimann looked destined to prosper this season but the duo have had bitterly disappointing campaigns in truth. It all started so well as the team's counter attacking approach shocked the Emirates on the opening day but Villa have relied on exactly that. Shock results.

Lambert's side have picked up wins against both City and Chelsea, as well as the Gunners, along with a point at Anfield. The 10 points gained from those results look likely to save their skin. If you were to exclude the games that each of the 8 sides still mathematically able to be relegated have played against the current top 4 Villa would have the joint fewest points along with Sunderland (25).

It may be obvious to say that if you take away a side's points they'll come lower down the table but this is the strongest indicator that Aston Villa have simply not been good enough in the games that are most important, against those around them. It's always a great day for the supporters when your team pick up an unexpected victory but they'd trade it for two 'expected' victories any day of the week. Teams to have done 'the double' over them this season include Stoke, Fulham and Crystal Palace. For Villa fans that's simply not acceptable.

Lambert's job has been an incredibly tough one. To encourage an upturn in results in correlation with a downturn in expenditure on wages is perhaps the truest test of a manager's credentials. Despite signs of improvement along the way Villa's current 'project' is failing. Miserably.

With 6 points fewer than last season's final tally and City and Spurs still to play, Villa may well need another upset to ensure their survival. It's clear though, that they have unfortunately gone backwards. Again.

Should Aston Villa sack Paul Lambert come the end of the season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below