Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on May 17, 2025, 07:23:04 PM
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In a year where we returned to the CL, in such a short time since we were playing Championship football, nearly going down again and now competing for major shiny things, right now I’m feeling really down.
Premier League - yeh so Liverpool won it. I suppose it’s better than Man City, but it’s doesn’t matter because we weren’t in the chase.
But…
Champions League - did ourselves proud but still fell short giving PSG a proper battle and could very well have won the tie but couldn’t quite take it to ET. One of Inter or them will win it now and that’s fine.
League Cup - we didn’t even try and went out softly to Palace (edited). And then Newcastle who hadn’t won anything for ages lift that trophy vs Liverpool. Who let’s be honest didn’t make it any kind of priority.
FA Cup - what an opportunity spurned. We had it all go in our favour with the draws and how others teams got knocked out. But a pathetic SF and we now watch Palace win it against a truly poor Man City. Who we lost against in the league and what might be the difference to us qualifying for the CL next season.
Europa League - obviously we weren’t in it but to now watch these two clown show teams compete for it and one of them will be in the CL next season just makes me sick. I can see us falling short and Tottenham or Man U getting a spot.
Again…I should be happy. But today after Palace won the FA Cup and what’s to come next week, it’s just sickening in how it could all end up. The shit filled icing on the cake will be losing at Old Trafford too against one of the worst Man U sides ever. Fuck me, I need a stiff drink.
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Good rant but we lost to Palace in the League Cup....naturally
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We lost to Palace in the LC not Everton.
I'm very happy with the season. We've come a ridiculously long way in just two and a half years.
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TV, cop yourself on!
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Yeh I was thinking of the prior year with Everton. Doesn’t make it any better than we lost to Palace. Yet again. Point remains.
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I’ll correct it in my post.
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We're currently on the same number of points that Spurs finished fifth on last season, with a game to go. There's been a few disappointments along the way, but I reckon we've had a cracking season.
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Our first CL campaign for over 40 years. Our longest unbeaten home league run for over 30 years. We could finish top 4 in consecutive seasons for the first time in over 90 years. We have the best manager in world football.
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Our first CL campaign for over 40 years. Our longest unbeaten home league run for over 30 years. We could finish top 4 in consecutive seasons for the first time in over 90 years. We have the best manager in world football.
But, but, I want shiny things...NOW!
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Last time we won a trophy John Major was Prime Minister, Donald Trump was an eccentric millionaire best known in the UK for his appearance on the 1991/92 League Cup Quarter-Final draw and Gary Glitter was a national treasure. That's utter shite.
I'll still be happy enough if we get the Europa League spot so long as we don't miss out on the Champions League by some traditional Villa at Old Trafford-type bottle job, and I'll be delighted if we make the Champions League.
I do have a nagging doubt, though, especially with rumours of players leaving, that our best team in a generation might have missed the boat. Unless you're one of the Mersey/Manc/London cartel, opportunities to win trophies like we had this season don't tend to come along too often.
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I was only thinking last night - winning in second gear against a team we use as a yardstick. The best squad we've ever had. Our most successful youth team of all time. More grest Eutopean nights than any other season. A manager almost every other club would want. And it still feels disappointing.
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We will get more chances with the manager and the calibre of players we have and continue to attract.
This was a very good chance to win the FA Cup this season though. Man. City really are no good this season and we could still finish above them in the league if Bournemouth are motivated on Tuesday. I'd have fancied us big time in a potential final against them but you need to turn up in the semi final first.
Guess if Spurs win the mantle will be passed to us as the historic team that never wins anything anymore but we just need to go out and do it.
Olympiakos I give a pass to but Palace was a massively disappointment performance and general mentality.
I think a big problem is too often in Wembley games and SFs we go into our shells and wait for the opposition to mess up rather than being assertive in our own game. Been a real problem for as long as I can remember.
Palace had minimal possession today and rode their luck at times but they did remember to put a quality move together and actually score which we pretty much always struggle to do at Wembley bar the Derby play off final game.
We've shown we can win crunch games in the league regularly (at VP). Now we need to show that in future seasons in SFs.
If people are moaning about who is in the Europa league final then we need to go out and replicate those teams next season if we're in that competition. And have a serious plan for Palace if we end up getting them in that.
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I'm just praying Unai wins us a trophy before he departs to make him a proper legend.
Next season...
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I think it feels disappointing against the context of what’s happened elsewhere. Palace, Newcastle and now one of two of the worst teams in the league guaranteed a champions league spot. It feels galling for these reasons. A bit like when we used to finish 7th or 8th and get nothing.
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Pretty much how I feel, TV, so you're not on your own!
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In a year where we returned to the CL, in such a short time since we were playing Championship football, nearly going down again and now competing for major shiny things, right now I’m feeling really down.
Premier League - yeh so Liverpool won it. I suppose it’s better than Man City, but it’s doesn’t matter because we weren’t in the chase.
But…
Champions League - did ourselves proud but still fell short giving PSG a proper battle and could very well have won the tie but couldn’t quite take it to ET. One of Inter or them will win it now and that’s fine.
League Cup - we didn’t even try and went out softly to Palace (edited). And then Newcastle who hadn’t won anything for ages lift that trophy vs Liverpool. Who let’s be honest didn’t make it any kind of priority.
FA Cup - what an opportunity spurned. We had it all go in our favour with the draws and how others teams got knocked out. But a pathetic SF and we now watch Palace win it against a truly poor Man City. Who we lost against in the league and what might be the difference to us qualifying for the CL next season.
Europa League - obviously we weren’t in it but to now watch these two clown show teams compete for it and one of them will be in the CL next season just makes me sick. I can see us falling short and Tottenham or Man U getting a spot.
Again…I should be happy. But today after Palace won the FA Cup and what’s to come next week, it’s just sickening in how it could all end up. The shit filled icing on the cake will be losing at Old Trafford too against one of the worst Man U sides ever. Fuck me, I need a stiff drink.
Nah, after 40 years of the odd good season amongst a sea of shit, I’m loving Villa under Emery. Don’t think we’ve anywhere near peaked.
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Was this how we felt in 1980 when 2nd division West Ham won the FA cup after beating us in round 6, before we had our time in the sun for the following 2 seasons.
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I remember my first game at home to Ipswich 1980. 1-1 meaningless and felt we were going nowhere as we had finished on 46 points three seasons on the trot. Then the impossible happened.
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I expect Emery is also disappointed that in his four seasons in English football he hasn't won a trophy.
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I understand the sentiment completely. We have had a brilliant season. We have a great squad; the best I have ever seen. We have played some great football at times. All this against a backdrop of the nonesense that is FFP. 7 years ago we were rotting in the championshop and stayed up in 2020 by the skin of our teeth, (saved by Covid imo).
And yet this season will be looked back on as so close and yet so far.
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I remember my first game at home to Ipswich 1980. 1-1 meaningless and felt we were going nowhere as we had finished on 46 points three seasons on the trot. Then the impossible happened.
Tony Morley scored a belter from outside of the box if I remember.
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Newcastle, Palace and possibly Spurs this season. West Ham the other year. Leicester before that. The lsit of clubs to win stuff since we last did is getting longer.
Our wait for a trophy is now lining up to be one of the worst of the lot. I feel this year's FA Cup was a golden opportunity and it would have been the thing that capped off a fabulous few years.
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Beat ManU and we will have improved on last year’s points total. Yes, we missed a great opportunity in the FA cup but maybe Palace’s name was actually on it. We can’t say they didn’t deserve it either. I think it’s been a fantastic season overall give our wobble in the first half of it and that due to our usual excessive injuries. If only we could have a relatively injury free season. I desperately hope we make the CL again as we deserve it.
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Every trophy which is won by others just reminds me it's another year of waiting. And some seem to be won by teams just bumbling their way there.
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I understand why the league is a priority, it has to be.
But now we are established as a top side I think we have to target a trophy. Football is still about winning things. Tottenham get ripped over their wait (a lot shorter than ours) because for all their top 6 finishes they didn't get a cup.
I reckon our own wait is going to come into more focus now that Newcastle ended their long wait and it it will also be a stick to beat us with now that we are back in the top 7 regularly.
The night Emery joined I looked at his CV and thought he'd surely win us a cup. He's done better than I ever imagined- absolutely stunning job. I was, however, expecting our day at Wembley to go much better than it did and I'm still not over it
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I'm kind of satisfied with the season - points and win wise its comparable with last year and perhaps going to better it. indeed the league table looks really really good, i think its our 3rd highest PL tally after 92/93 and last season .....but for me I haven't enjoyed it quite as much but maybe its cos our serious aspirations of a high league finish have only ignited in the last ten games or so as opposed to the mainly consistent excellence of last season. From about September to late Jan I'd say we've been pretty average with too many draws and disjointed league performances but the last ten games or so have obviously made things much much better. Maybe it's just the novelty of being a really good side has worn off a little bit for me after nearly three seasons of 18+ wins and 60+ points and I've taken it for granted but really these are great days and weve taken some big scalps again along the way. I also think seeing Palace fans emotions at Wembley though and getting caught up in the excitement of their win has made me a little envious, after all a trophy should be what it's all about.
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"I thought this was going to be our year " Lennie Godber talking to Fletcher about our 3rd round loss to Rotherham 1968 in 'Porridge' and his subsequent decline into juvenile criminality.
Worse for Samuel Beckett who wrote "Waiting for Godot" based on his fondness for SHA.
Never attended a match as he had to work shifts at the Renault factory in Paris.
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Beat ManU and we will have improved on last year’s points total. Yes, we missed a great opportunity in the FA cup but maybe Palace’s name was actually on it. We can’t say they didn’t deserve it either. I think it’s been a fantastic season overall give our wobble in the first half of it and that due to our usual excessive injuries. If only we could have a relatively injury free season. I desperately hope we make the CL again as we deserve it.
The vast majority of this. The FA Cup semi-final still hurts.
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Beat ManU and we will have improved on last year’s points total. Yes, we missed a great opportunity in the FA cup but maybe Palace’s name was actually on it. We can’t say they didn’t deserve it either. I think it’s been a fantastic season overall give our wobble in the first half of it and that due to our usual excessive injuries. If only we could have a relatively injury free season. I desperately hope we make the CL again as we deserve it.
The vast majority of this. The FA Cup semi-final still hurts.
Why? Did you bang your head on it?
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I don’t remember being happier as a Villa fan to be honest. I’ll probably give up when Unai leaves though. Take up a new hobby.
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We have a brilliant manager he has moved us so far it's unreal . We reached some huge moments and it wasn't to be , this time. Hopefully we will be back in the mix again next season . Let's see what summer in and outs happen . Keep the faith , UTV.
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It's only disappointing because the owners and the manager have played such an absolute blinder in getting us back into contention for trophies instead of dicking about in the lower reaches.
I'm more than prepared to put up with that sort of disappointment.
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Pretty much how I feel, TV, so you're not on your own!
Me too.
Yes, we have had a good season but at the end of next week we could have feck all to show for it but a conference league place. Some will be delighted with that, but it really is the barest of minimums for this squad now.
The semi final the other week was an absolute blight on us. To not show up, to not adapt our play to the game in hand was a crime. I’m still struggling to get over that game.
So yes, we have had a good season, achieving something of note will make it a great one, and unfortunately, that’s out of our hands.
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Still not forgiven them for the semi final, not sure I ever will. Whatever happens in the future, I won’t miss the Sky TV changes, weird kick off times or worrying about Jane having to find her way home in the dead of winter. Not to mention the increasing cost of match tickets and the bullshit surrounding that topic more generally. Glad to see the back of it all, frankly.
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I was only saying to someone today how finishing 7th two seasons ago seemed like some impossible dream but now it would be viewed a disaster. That's how our expectations have shifted. For most of this season we were hit and miss but we've been brilliant for pretty much three months now. Shame the one game we didn't turn up to in that time was a semi final but shit happens. As long as Unai is around we'll be there or thereabouts, to coin a phrase.
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See that’s it really. In this rarified atmosphere every single point is critical, and therefore we become more critical. I guess I am seeing that I always thought we’d be happy when we got to hereabouts, but somehow, I am still just as surrounded by people who think everything is shit as I was when we were fighting relegation, possibly even more so.
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Football is only really about the next game. Happy if we win. Sad if we lose. The level doesn't matter, really. So long as you're fighting for something it always feels seismic. Which means as the bar moves, attitudes stay the same.
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It's only disappointing because the owners and the manager have played such an absolute blinder in getting us back into contention for trophies instead of dicking about in the lower reaches.
I'm more than prepared to put up with that sort of disappointment.
I know I should be happy being married to Michelle Keegan, but then I see Javier Bardem married to Penélope Cruz and...
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Think this has been a good season for us and football. Man City struggling to qualify, Man Utd struggling to remain relovent, Spurs just waiting for the season to be over so they can sack their manager, no team unbeatable. I think some forget the injury problems we have had this season that has impacted our results at times and the pressure of so many extra games. We have done well to be where we are and we are still a chance to qualify.
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See that’s it really. In this rarified atmosphere every single point is critical, and therefore we become more critical. I guess I am seeing that I always thought we’d be happy when we got to hereabouts, but somehow, I am still just as surrounded by people who think everything is shit as I was when we were fighting relegation, possibly even more so.
Yep, as others have said, it's all within the context of what was possible. On paper it's been a very good season.
Winning the Champions League was always highly unlikely. In the end, we did better than I thought we would and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
We have fought back admirably with a fantastic run in the league to give ourselves a chance of CL qualification for the second year running. After losing the players we have to sales and injuries, I have no complaints.
The FA Cup was eminently winnable, but we didn't show up against Palace, and sometimes that happens. When was the last time neither of the domestic cups were won by one of the Sky 6? That's a huge missed opportunity for a club on an upward trajectory.
It's been our best season for 30 years, but in four weeks we've gone from maybe achieving something remarkable on three fronts to being grateful for Europa League next year (from my perspective). Winning 8 of our last 9 league games has only been enough to give us less than a 50/50 chance of CL.
Then before the season is even concluded, all the talk is of which players we'll be losing.
It's been a great season, but ultimately, one in which we've been kicked in the balls more than any in recent memory.
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When was the last time neither of the domestic cups were won by one of the Sky 6?
2013 - Swansea/Wigan.
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When was the last time neither of the domestic cups were won by one of the Sky 6?
2013 - Swansea/Wigan.
The year we should've won the LC. Thanks CD, that's cheered me up no end!
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I'm here all week!
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At least we were shit then. Being good and not winning things is much tougher.
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I agree TV. One of those genuine shitebags Yanited or Total Hyperspurts are going to be in the CL next year so that's galling right from the kick off.
We've pissed the bed in two eminently winnable SFs in the last two years - even with a manager who's meant to be a serial winner.
And now the talk is of selling Emi and poss Watkins as well, to stay on the side of PSR wankenomics. When we've already sold our best outfield player for a relative pittance last year and a gun forward in Jan.
Football can be a complicated game at times. But if you continuously sell your best players and replace them with inferior ones you don't move forward.
We endured death by a thousand cuts with the Lerner 'young and hungry' conjob. I can't be facing that shit again for at least another decade or ten.
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Anything other than Champions League is going to feel a big disappointment, particularly after the nearly PSG and the shit show Semi Final.
Emery got some big calls wrong PSG Citeh Palace and I hope we don’t become the nearly men, but we may have seen peak Martinez Digne SJM Watkins Bailey Mings.
No idea what the future will bring but this week is huge.
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I said a month ago this season has given us some amazing moments. But if it finishes with us in the 2nd or 3rd euro competition, it will feel like a step back.
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On the other hand we could be like Newcastle who had a “fallow” year and won a cup and will probably qualify for the European Cup again.
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With the on going restraints of PSR it's difficult to see how we build again on this season. Ideally we would be at the stage where two or three major signings would be made season on season to gradually build on what we have. Yet we all know it's going to be another summer of wheeling and dealing to keep within PSR How is this sustainable? I wonder what the club see as a financial and football plan for the next five years to break this PSR cycle..
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The FA cup was definitely a self-inflicted missed opportunity, considering our squad and who our manager is (potentially the best since Saunders).
The semi defeat is the one that rankles with me the most this season because of our complete no-show on the day, with our eyes seemingly elsewhere, being lured by £ signs rather than the glint of silverware.
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All of the above. You've all captured the emotional roller-coaster of the season. I would re-iterate that I think we have seen some really good football through the season, and I hope next Sunday we do what we need to do to secure ECL for next season.
I'm pretty optimistic about the next couple of seasons: despite an apparent need to sell, we've got plenty to work with, especially if we can secure a couple more Rogers-type signings.
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I’m happy to be disappointed. 2016 we were in dire straits, relegated and getting schooled in the championship as a big scalp. 2018 we almost never existed as a club. I can cope with being disappointed if we are a top six club getting into Europe. We do need some silverware but be happy it’s the top 5 not bottom we are looking at. But it is nice to be disappointed for positive reasons
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I agree and have said the same. I recall looking at the bench for one of the games, perhaps Forest, and saying 'if we dont win something with this squad, we might never have this strength in depth to do it again'
A wonderful season with some nights that we will talk about forever, but still empty handed.
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I’m happy to be disappointed. 2016 we were in dire straits, relegated and getting schooled in the championship as a big scalp. 2018 we almost never existed as a club. I can cope with being disappointed if we are a top six club getting into Europe. We do need some silverware but be happy it’s the top 5 not bottom we are looking at. But it is nice to be disappointed for positive reasons
We can't keep saying look where we were 5/7/10 years ago. It's infuriating that the worst Manchester United team for fifty years are on course for another trophy while we, yet again, have got nothing. Several managers have commented in the past about our defeatist mentality; I still say that this is the biggest problem we face.
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It was certainly apparent at Wembley, for me it was after I saw the team sheet, but it was a really pensive atmosphere in the Villa half.
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I’m happy to be disappointed. 2016 we were in dire straits, relegated and getting schooled in the championship as a big scalp. 2018 we almost never existed as a club. I can cope with being disappointed if we are a top six club getting into Europe. We do need some silverware but be happy it’s the top 5 not bottom we are looking at. But it is nice to be disappointed for positive reasons
We can't keep saying look where we were 5/7/10 years ago. It's infuriating that the worst Manchester United team for fifty years are on course for another trophy while we, yet again, have got nothing. Several managers have commented in the past about our defeatist mentality; I still say that this is the biggest problem we face.
100%. The fact we weren’t very good against Wigan in 2019 doesn’t alter the reality that we’ve fluffed two semi finals that we should have won in the last two seasons, and haven’t won anything for 29 years.
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It was pensive because we played shite.
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Cup semis, European cup quarters, top 5 chase in the leauge - and we're disappointed, which is ok, but shows how far we've come, and how close we are
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We need to stop being close and start actually winning things.
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If PSR wasn't a thing, and assuming we finish in the Europa, I'd say it was a good season. But the fact we'd be forced to sell a top player makes it all feel a bit shit.
And I know that sounds spoilt bratish
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I said a month ago this season has given us some amazing moments. But if it finishes with us in the 2nd or 3rd euro competition, it will feel like a step back.
Although on the other hand we can realistically win one of those trophies next season and end the 30 year drought.
And just my opinion, against Olympiakos last season we were crawling over the finishing line in the league and blowing out of our arse, and had a number of key players unavailable for that tie, including having Olsen in goal. No excuses for the recent Palace no show though.
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I was only thinking last night - winning in second gear against a team we use as a yardstick. The best squad we've ever had. Our most successful youth team of all time. More grest Eutopean nights than any other season. A manager almost every other club would want. And it still feels disappointing.
I think we're perhaps making the depressing transition as supporters from ambition to expectation.
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We will win something, we're a really good side and will continue to be, despite the financial rules deliberately stacked against us.
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We will win something, we're a really good side and will continue to be, despite the financial rules deliberately stacked against us.
I think you’re right. With Unai in charge we will continue to be a very good side.
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Cup semis, European cup quarters, top 5 chase in the leauge - and we're disappointed, which is ok, but shows how far we've come, and how close we are
the history books don't tend to capture those who came close . It's all about winning and we should have at least one trophy under Emery by now given the resources poured in .
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Cup semis, European cup quarters, top 5 chase in the leauge - and we're disappointed, which is ok, but shows how far we've come, and how close we are
the history books don't tend to capture those who came close . It's all about winning and we should have at least one trophy under Emery by now given the resources poured in .
Fuck the history books. Unai has done an amazing job and will win us something before he’s done I’m sure of it.
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I’m surprised people see this as step backwards when deep down we’re actually well ahead of schedule. Rewind back to when Emery took us on, we didn’t expect Champions League this quick? We’ve had some phenomenal runs which keep propelling us upwards, but that’s Emery getting every inch out of the players. Our squad was stretched to the limits from August to February and it showed in our inconsistent performances, weak defence and being less clinical on the attack.
I’m extremely disappointed to lose that semi-final, it was a very bad day all round, players and Emery at fault. However they’ve earned enough credit for me to move on.
We’ve had another brilliant season with so many memorable moments to cherish. It would be gutting to lose a character like Emi, however I do have the utmost faith in us making the right choice to replace him.
I’m very happy with how this going, actually more than happy, I’m still flabbergasted sometimes when I watch us play and then think to how bad we sunk to in the Lambert year to where we are now.
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I’m happy to be disappointed. 2016 we were in dire straits, relegated and getting schooled in the championship as a big scalp. 2018 we almost never existed as a club. I can cope with being disappointed if we are a top six club getting into Europe. We do need some silverware but be happy it’s the top 5 not bottom we are looking at. But it is nice to be disappointed for positive reasons
We can't keep saying look where we were 5/7/10 years ago. It's infuriating that the worst Manchester United team for fifty years are on course for another trophy while we, yet again, have got nothing. Several managers have commented in the past about our defeatist mentality; I still say that this is the biggest problem we face.
Me too unfortunately. We have a better squad and manager than Crystal Palace. We are at least as good as Newcastle. The difference is those clubs stepped up against one of the top sides and siezed the opportunity to win something, while we're looking like 'we shouldn't really be here'.
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We have finished the season in the sort of form that if we’d started like it in August would have seen us challenging for the title. Emery will have learnt from that and while it may not be with exact same squad the template is there to give us a proper go at it next year.
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All the points about the great season are on the money, for my 15 year old watching us win has become the norm. He/we, us together, have experienced unbelievable highs, particularly great European nights, beating Bayern and PSG, incredible. Regularly beating the sky super six at home etc.
But I have a nagging feeling that I can’t shift. If you look at Unai’s history, he doesn’t really stay at one club much longer than three or four years. I think we’ll do well to get more than next season out of him, and my nagging doubt is, if we don’t win something with this fella, will we ever in my lifetime.
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During the post match pint on Friday, there was a consensus that Wembley had left us all feeling flat. Despite an incredible winning record in 2025, the late defeat at Man City, followed by the FA Cup disaster was a massive disappointment. My mood hasn't been helped when I see crud like Spurs and Newton Heath on the cusp of the Champions League after terrible league campaigns and Palace going on to lift the cup.
It got me thinking of that press conference after a defeat earlier in the season when Emery was tapping his head indicating the mindset of some players wasn't quite right. It's perhaps something to address for next season to try and get us over the line if we go deep in competitions again.
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All the points about the great season are on the money, for my 15 year old watching us win has become the norm. He/we, us together, have experienced unbelievable highs, particularly great European nights, beating Bayern and PSG, incredible. Regularly beating the sky super six at home etc.
But I have a nagging feeling that I can’t shift. If you look at Unai’s history, he doesn’t really stay at one club much longer than three or four years. I think we’ll do well to get more than next season out of him, and my nagging doubt is, if we don’t win something with this fella, will we ever in my lifetime.
Yeah this is similar to my concerns - Im worried that this is the as good as it gets. I think we will get at least 2 more years out of Unai - as I think this summer we're going for a big rebuild. And I think the club will move heaven and earth to keep him. But I just have a feeling that none of this is sustainable. We're just relying on a manager working mircales and players finding new levels.
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We have finished the season in the sort of form that if we’d started like it in August would have seen us challenging for the title. Emery will have learnt from that and while it may not be with exact same squad the template is there to give us a proper go at it next year.
Good point Chris. I suspect this is what Unai is building for next season. A few times he has said that he is getting the players to focus on total football, eat, sleep and drink football. I reckon he will be even more demanding next season and will separate those he feels can't/won't take us forward. Makes for a really interesting transfer window.
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So I have been thinking a lot about it with the highs and lows of this weekend. Was buzzing after beating spurs, but Chelsea winning and Emi crying has massively lowered my mood. Seeing Palace win the FA cup didnt help.
The whole club has done an amazing job since we came up - bar the Gerrard nonesense. But I just have a this nagging feeling that we've been here before. We get a decent squad together and a manager doing a great (or at least good) job and seems to be driving us forward - Taylor, Little, Gregory, MON. And we fall just short of truely achieving what is possible, of getting Villa to where we think we belong.
But we never really fulfill on that potentially - we come close, but theres always next season. And then, we lose our best players, and try to go again - but before we know where we are we have slipped in to the also runs. Under Unai, we may have got slightly further than some of those others did - but how sustainable is this. We're still having to sell our best players, and trying to replace them just to stay still.
At the moment we have one major advantage, which is Unai. But how long is that for. At my most optimistic I see him being with us for 10 years - being like a Saunders, Wegner or Ferguson. And I think there is a chance of that, as were probably the biggest club in the world that can give him the keys to the estate. Where backing, potential and prestidge is combined with complete freedom.
But what if even Unai cant overcome the limitations of constiently having to rebuild to stay still. The problem in the PL you have 6 - 8 very good teams. So to be in the top 5 consitently is much more difficult than in other european leagues. So to sustain competitivness on a budget is really, really difficult. Maybe Unai's magic has same limitations, or like Ramboandbruno says - actually he just will never stay at a club for more than 4 years (or thinks he has achieved all he can with villa) - will we have again missed that wundow to truley make history and establish a basis to stay around that level.
Dont get me wrong - Im am loving the journey - but the fear is that is all there is another great journey ending with an ending of what if.
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I think we are easily one of the best teams in europe but the mentality thing to get over the line is missing. (flapped the conf league semi's, fa cup semi, last min at the ethad, switched off in Paris, only turned up at home against paris when 2-0 down)
we need to get silverwear next season otherwise Emery might think we're cursed to be perpetual also rans. Like leeds in the early 2000s. Didn't he ditch his mrs and call her a witch when results went against him at arseanl?
Fans might flip with the slow cat and mouse football or the other scenario he might get tapped up for another big job in yerp and think fuck it.
The other thing is we need a big pot. If Emery was at Villa for 6 years and history showed we "only" had a league cup to show for it, I'd be like "I know I should be happy but..."
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We have two years left within which to leave our mark before Small Heath permanently overtake us. It is vital we seize the moment.
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It's just frustrating that we are in touching distance of winning a trophy, but just falling short when presented with the opportunities; and being unable to properly build on the previous season because we have to constantly sell key players.
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What’s pissing me off (and yes I know it applies to any club threatening the established few) is that every time we want to two steps forward we are forced to take a step back. I absolutely get that Emery is making us strong in the league because competing at the top of the PL all the time pretty much guarantees Europe and we know how much he covets that level of competition. We are edging closer to a level of competency and consistency none of us imagined 5 years ago. The question is having to always sell influential or key players in some cases to those we want to catch means we might not catch them. We will need this window to be outstanding because last summer fell short. January helped us mainly with players we don’t own. That’s not sustainable and papered over cracks. We cannot afford to be languishing mid table next season and especially if we are not playing CL football. We can continue to feel happy with our progress and be grateful for what we have but in the end our success won’t be measured by that. It will be winning trophies and getting close isn’t enough.
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I still stand by my positivity earlier. We were also crooked by injuries for a lot of this season. It will click and be the sweeter for it when it does. I will keep the faith and be happy for where we are, how far we have come and lament what just was not meant to be.
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I’m happy to be disappointed. 2016 we were in dire straits, relegated and getting schooled in the championship as a big scalp. 2018 we almost never existed as a club. I can cope with being disappointed if we are a top six club getting into Europe. We do need some silverware but be happy it’s the top 5 not bottom we are looking at. But it is nice to be disappointed for positive reasons
We can't keep saying look where we were 5/7/10 years ago. It's infuriating that the worst Manchester United team for fifty years are on course for another trophy while we, yet again, have got nothing. Several managers have commented in the past about our defeatist mentality; I still say that this is the biggest problem we face.
Me too unfortunately. We have a better squad and manager than Crystal Palace. We are at least as good as Newcastle. The difference is those clubs stepped up against one of the top sides and siezed the opportunity to win something, while we're looking like 'we shouldn't really be here'.
The difference with Villa now compared to the 90s is we seem happy to be there or thereabouts rather than grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and taking the prize home.
I hope that Emery can crack that
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At the beginning of this season, we seemed to be slightly underprepared, with an only-average transfer window. We have gradually wound things up and ended brilliantly (FAC / Citeh game aside); learning - en route - that the depth of squad talent is pretty crucial to maintaining the season's high-level performance.
Despite the upward trajectory it does look like we'll go through another metamorphosis this close-season: I'm hoping that it looks and feels more coherent than last summer and that the changes occur early, so that we can bed in the newbies.
I'm optimistic that Emery has another 4-5 seasons in him for us. If that's the case, we will have won something before he leaves! I'm sure.
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I still stand by my positivity earlier. We were also crooked by injuries for a lot of this season. It will click and be the sweeter for it when it does. I will keep the faith and be happy for where we are, how far we have come and lament what just was not meant to be.
Teams that have done well have had relatively small injury problems like Liverpool, Forest and Newcastle and teams like us Citeh and Arse can point to much bigger issues.
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I think we'll win the Conference league next season if we're in it. I know we ballsed it up v Olympiakos but them following Lille was a million times harder than anything Chelsea had come up against this season.
Fair chance in the Europa league given Rangers potentially being pot 1 seeds dosen't suggest a huge amount of quality. Spurs's knock out run was Alkmaar-Frankfurt-Bodo Glimt so that is comparable to our Conference opponents.
One disappointment on playing in Europe is we see the league cup as a inconvenience and just want to get knocked out of it as soon as possible which is a shame.
If we're in the Conference league I'd like to see us cut a couple of players from the squad as Chelsea did and they can play in league cup instead.
We won't get a better chance of reaching an FA Cup final for a while. Three home draws, the only championship side left in the QFs and then the lowest ranked prem side in the SFs. Messing that one up spectacularly will be something to rue for many years I fear.
In August I predicted we'd finish 7th so can't complain too much and we are ending very strongly again which bodes well for the start of next season.
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I really hope in the future we're not looking back on these times and saying, how come we didn't win anything?
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I’m happy to be disappointed. 2016 we were in dire straits, relegated and getting schooled in the championship as a big scalp. 2018 we almost never existed as a club. I can cope with being disappointed if we are a top six club getting into Europe. We do need some silverware but be happy it’s the top 5 not bottom we are looking at. But it is nice to be disappointed for positive reasons
We can't keep saying look where we were 5/7/10 years ago. It's infuriating that the worst Manchester United team for fifty years are on course for another trophy while we, yet again, have got nothing. Several managers have commented in the past about our defeatist mentality; I still say that this is the biggest problem we face.
Me too unfortunately. We have a better squad and manager than Crystal Palace. We are at least as good as Newcastle. The difference is those clubs stepped up against one of the top sides and siezed the opportunity to win something, while we're looking like 'we shouldn't really be here'.
The difference with Villa now compared to the 90s is we seem happy to be there or thereabouts rather than grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and taking the prize home.
I hope that Emery can crack that
Villa in the nineties were the absolute epitome of being happy to be in the top six and generally act like we didn't belong instead of constantly striving to improve.
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As well as we’ve done, right now it has the feel of the O’Neill era for me. Coming close but ultimately not quite good enough to crack it. Selling our best players who we’d rather not. At least under Emery we qualified for the champions league.
I think what Toronto may be getting at is the feeling that this is era is going to be the same whilst others have their day in the sun, this is our best.
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Would you accept being in the Conference League next season if that meant we won it?
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Would you accept being in the Conference League next season if that meant we won it?
I would be delighted to win the conference league or league cup.
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It's been a great season, with some fantastic memories and proves we are on an upward trajectory. I just hope we can go out against the Mancs on Sunday and put them to the sword and if it's not to he with Champions League, hey ho but at least they gave it a hell of a run.
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Would you accept being in the Conference League next season if that meant we won it?
Yes but I fear I won’t discover the true meaning of life until we have two successive seasons of winning both the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup.
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Would you accept being in the Conference League next season if that meant we won it?
each to their own but for me that isn't a trophy we should be competing for. It's designed for the smaller nations clubs, not Prem elite.
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Would you accept being in the Conference League next season if that meant we won it?
Yes but I fear I won’t discover the true meaning of life until we have two successive seasons of winning both the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup.
This made me laugh, a lot.
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I really hope in the future we're not looking back on these times and saying, how come we didn't win anything?
It's funny with Spurs. Finally won a trophy but that side under Poch was far far higher quality.
Finished 2nd in 2017 with 87 points I think. Then reached the CL final two years later.
It is expected you win a trophy if you keep getting to the business end of competitions and are top 5/6 regulars in the prem. Less so if you're just seen as a making up the numbers bottom half side as we've been for most of the last 15 years so this is where we need to step up in the next few years.
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I’m happy to be disappointed. 2016 we were in dire straits, relegated and getting schooled in the championship as a big scalp. 2018 we almost never existed as a club. I can cope with being disappointed if we are a top six club getting into Europe. We do need some silverware but be happy it’s the top 5 not bottom we are looking at. But it is nice to be disappointed for positive reasons
We can't keep saying look where we were 5/7/10 years ago. It's infuriating that the worst Manchester United team for fifty years are on course for another trophy while we, yet again, have got nothing. Several managers have commented in the past about our defeatist mentality; I still say that this is the biggest problem we face.
Me too unfortunately. We have a better squad and manager than Crystal Palace. We are at least as good as Newcastle. The difference is those clubs stepped up against one of the top sides and siezed the opportunity to win something, while we're looking like 'we shouldn't really be here'.
The difference with Villa now compared to the 90s is we seem happy to be there or thereabouts rather than grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and taking the prize home.
I hope that Emery can crack that
Villa in the nineties were the absolute epitome of being happy to be in the top six and generally act like we didn't belong instead of constantly striving to improve.
1996 Cup final wasn't really like that, Leeds were still a decent team in those days. Completely wiped the floor with them.
I think the 1990s gets a bad rap for underachievement as we did win stuff and finishing outside the top 6 was seen as complete failure.
The way we lost the 2000 final was a sliding doors moment. The manner of it and then Chelsea really sped past us with the Abramovich takeover three years later.
Ellis should've sold up there and then as in the coming seasons we did just settle to becoming an 8th place team who didn't want to take risks.
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Would you accept being in the Conference League next season if that meant we won it?
Yes as I think we know have the squad to have a decent go at the league cup if we're in that.
It would be six group games up to December and then nothing until March so I'd be hugely disappointed if we're just chucking away ties as we did in the other Palace cup final defeat.
Different if we're in the other two competitions of course.