The season overall

[luke95]

7/10 ... can do better.

The Palace semi final defeat the biggest blot on the season .... 

[Mellin]

I wasn't that bothered about Palace. It was the missed chances vs PSG. Not a criticism, just a regret.

[Toronto Villa]

Unai Emery: "Overall, I can analyse the season. We achieved the objective, being in Europe. This is the third year in a row in Europe and we want to enjoy it. We lost opportunities over the season. We got 66 points, which is fantastic."

[Dante Lavelli]

7.5/10.

Slightly exceeded my expectations but as a result the near misses were even closer.

[Astnor]

Unai Emery: "Overall, I can analyse the season. We achieved the objective, being in Europe. This is the third year in a row in Europe and we want to enjoy it. We lost opportunities over the season. We got 66 points, which is fantastic."

That sums it up fair enough IMO. As someone mentioned earlier in the thread we need to rebuild a bit before / during next season like in the late 70s. The team as it is are potent but also some soft spots / vulnerabilities.

[Toronto Villa]

We will need to get the wages and overall spending in order so we don’t have keep selling our best players every summer. Commercially we have raise more also so when we do get the odd top player we’re not breaking the bank. This summer if we can steady the ship, keep most of our best players and add one or two savvy signings we can push on again. Today is shit but it’s not all lost at all.

[PaulWinch again]

Well yeah but that commercial point is massively influenced by Champions League.

[rob_bridge]

Top 6 in League. We were miles behind at the end of Feb and lost out on GD.
Europe Qualification 3rd season running.
FA Cup SF
ECL QF
Financially the most appreciated squad in the league.

Go back even 2 years ago and offer us that.

Go back 5 years and you'd be smiled at - notwithstanding the worst performing manager in Villa's recent history in StevieEffingMe in charge for a year.

Go back 7 years when were almost dead and you'd have been laughed at forever.

[SoccerHQ]

Think I had us 7th and CL QFs in August so can't be too disappointed.

FA Cup however a massive disappointment. Won't get a better draw in that from round 3 onwards for many years.

[brontebilly]

C. Par. 6th with the 6th highest wages. No trophy. Downgrade on European competition. Nothing to write home about.

A nearly season for me too. PSG on ropes at home, Palace and Man United no shows. Emery had a nightmare in those three unfortunately. But it's still 66 points, after a difficult summer too. Big nights v Bayern and PSG. Tielemans career transformed and Rogers a super signing. Cash and Digne had their best seasons at the club. Beyond that, some of our key players struggled a bit and another difficult summer ahead in the transfer market. Maybe B-.

[taylorsworkrate]

6/10 season overall

[cdbearsfan]

Round 5 onwards, maybe. I don't think successive Premier League opponents in Rounds Three and Four is necessarily that jammy. Liverpool played Accrington Stanley and Plymouth, Man City had Salford and Leyton Orient.

[Toronto Villa]

Well yeah but that commercial point is massively influenced by Champions League.

It is. And maybe we would have kept stretching things to an unrealistic level had we got in. Maybe this means we have to look at how we do things so it’s a bit more sustainable long term. We went for broke in January with Asensio and Rashford. And fair play to the club for trying. But a more reasonable and measured approach might be the way and forced upon us now.

[Crown Hill]

Got a horrible feeling we are really going to regret not qualifying for the Champions League. Another “what if” Villa moment!

[Beard82]

Really strange season.  I would have probably settled for it at the satrt of the season but feels like a massive missed opportunity.

We bottled it when it really mattered.  But was a good acheivement, but lingering feeling of this is as good as it gets.

The odds are stacked against anyone breaking the enforced concrete ceiling - and feels like missing out on Champions League well have to take a step or two back when in retrospect we should have avoided it. Feels like potentially another sliding doors moment where doing "well" is as far as we get.