Aston Villa dropped into the relegation zone for the first time this season after losing 2-0 away to fellow strugglers Hull City. It was Villa’s four consecutive league defeat, and the eighth game of their last 10 that they have failed to score in. The Midlands club have gradually been dropping down the table week after week since December, and recent form has seen the majority of supporters turn indefinitely on the manager.
Fans were seen lofting banners with “Lambert Out” during the game, and they could well receive their wish in the coming months. Lambert’s post-match interview had the air of a defeated man who had little left to give. The task to keep the club in the Premier League has never been harder, as they are enduring the worst form since the Scot arrived at Villa Park.
“The dressing room is as flat as you’ll probably get it, the way they’re feeling. You’ve got to go into the next game and win it. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. We’ve got to keep battling away and keep our heads up. We’re certainly in a fight. You have to keep going and keep being positive. There’s a lot of football to be played,” said Lambert following the Hull City defeat.
There was an element of luck with how Hull City scored both goals to earn three points over the Villans, but the table doesn’t lie, and this season Aston Villa have been one of the weaker sides in the division. There’s enough time to get themselves out of the drop zone, but Lambert’s future was another story.
He found himself in a similar predicament as Alan Pardew did during his time at Newcastle, where supporters wanted the manager gone from the club regardless of the outcome to the campaign. The Aston Villa boss signed a four-year-deal earlier in the season to many fans’ surprise, but his current position was untenable after another disappointing result to a relegation-threatened opponent.
Defeats to the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea can be excused if the club are still picking up points against the teams around them in the table, but Aston Villa have lost to Hull City, Leicester City and West Brom in the last two months. A five-game losing streak isn’t even the worst of the season, but a lack of goals, and little indication of improvement have been enough to signal the end for Lambert.
