Hotly-tipped for a relegation battle after struggling through last season, Lambert's side shoved the words back down the throats of their critics with an excellent start and a string of impressive performances.
In fact, 10th place in the table belies a stellar start that was only halted by the visits of FA Cup holders Arsenal and champions Manchester City either side of a trip to table-topping Chelsea.
Until suffering defeats by all three they had been unbeaten and were second in the table after a surprise win at last year's runners-up Liverpool.
They complete the set of consecutive matches against last term's top five with a visit to Everton on Saturday, finishing a gruelling run that has done nothing to dampen the spirits of a new-look Villa squad.
"We have a good team. The new signings have come in and they are really good," French midfielder Charles N'Zogbia told the club's website (www.avfc.co.uk), referring to new signings Philippe Senderos, Carlos Sanchez, Tom Cleverley, Aly Cissokho and Kieran Richardson.
"The dressing room is really good. The lads have settled in really fast. Everyone is happy here. It's not complicated. Everyone took to each other very quickly. We have a good vibe here. It's a good atmosphere.
"We had a really good start to the season. We did really well. Then we played against the big teams...it was a big challenge for us.
"We had a tough part of the season. Now we just have to stay focused on what is coming. We want to start again and make sure we bounce back," he added.
BENTEKE RETURN
There is even more reason for optimism with Villa Park welcoming the return from injury of talismanic Belgium striker Christian Benteke.
The 23-year-old, who notched 29 league goals in the last two seasons, came on as a second-half substitute in the 2-0 loss to City this month to make his first appearance in six months since rupturing his Achilles.
"I'll let him go for it when he's out there," Villa manager Paul Lambert said of Benteke's return. "He deserves it.
"The start we've made has been really good but we've done it without a number nine."
Three wins and a draw in seven games have renewed hopes from their long-suffering fans and the club's hierarchy that Lambert, a Champions League winner with Borussia Dortmund as a player, can bring European football back to Villa Park.
Having negotiated a tricky period, new Villa chief executive Tom Fox certainly believes the only way is up and is targeting a top-six league finish and Europa League football next season.
"We should be perennially sixth, certainly in the top half," Fox told the club's website this month.
"This is a club who used to have that (Europe) as a regular occurrence and it would be fantastic to bring a mid-week European match back here.
"I see how we can do that and it makes sense to me. It's not a wild dream, it's a journey we can go on."
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
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