The season overall

[Duncan Shaw]

I'm with John E and Ads, their combined posts sum up most of my feelings.  Apart from I think it might be our sliding doors moment, and we'll struggle to hit these heights again next season as the rules are just not letting us compete on a level playing field, with owners willing to splash the cash.  So I'm all in for an all-out assault on the Europa League, even with a mid-table PL finish.

[Richard]

Agree with Duncan about the need to go full on with the Europa League (see also FA Cup, League Cup) as probably easier to qualify for the CL that way than via the league.

Having said that, we are now what I'd consider an established top 6 side (7th, 4th, 6th) and if there are 5 places up for grabs again and with maybe Newcastle and Chelsea distracted by the greater intensity of the  CL, then top 5 is not beyond us anyway.

It's been a good season overall, let's make next year a great one.

[Duncan Shaw]

I forgot to add, I think it overall it has been a good season, with a title-winning level of performance in the latter stages to get us back in contention.  But we are just not mentally tough enough to get the opportunities over the line when they present themselves and this really is something Unai needs to resolve.

[Toronto Villa]

Re the Guardian article, he's essentially saying it's our fault the referee guessed at his decision and guessed wrong.  The "journalist" can fuck off.

Not sure but it’s probably the same fucker on the Guardian podcast basically saying tough shit.

[eamonn]

Does anyone (PWS or Dave usually good for this) know at what point of the season were we ever as high as top five with all our rivals having played the same number of games?

Despite our barnstorming April, I think we only hit 5th after wins against the likes of Newcastle & Saints but Chelsea and the Barcodes had a game(s) in hand. I find it easier to accept not finishing top five because we were always playing catch-up and in contrast to last season, got better as the season went on.

It was a funny season, we were solid but a tad unconvincing up to Halloween, then had an awful November and patchy December. The away games during that period is where our GD came back to haunt us in the end (losing by three at Spurs, Chelsea and Newcastle).

[Smirker]

Get Dr. Steve Peters in to deal with the weak mentality.

He was the psychologist behind the British cucking team at the 2012 Olympics that won everything. Also worked with Liverpool when Rodgers was manager and they turned into a machine. Ronnie O'Sullivan turned into a back-to-back World Championship winner when he got Steve Peters on his team.

Get him in.

[Dogtanian]

Get Dr. Steve Peters in to deal with the weak mentality.

He was the psychologist behind the British cucking team at the 2012 Olympics that won everything. Also worked with Liverpool when Rodgers was manager and they turned into a machine. Ronnie O'Sullivan turned into a back-to-back World Championship winner when he got Steve Peters on his team.

Get him in.

The British what team? 

[Smirker]

😂😂😂

Cycling!

[Dogtanian]

I thought I'd missed an enthralling event, then!

[garyfouroaks]

Get Dr. Steve Peters in to deal with the weak mentality. ]

He was the psychologist behind the British cucking team at the 2012 Olympics
A great idea to get the girls involved

[garyfouroaks]

This was a good season- but it was also our nearly season

it will be tough to regroup

[Dave]

It was good for what is was, and disappointing for what it could have been.

[olaftab]

We didn’t win anything.

This for me as well. Next season is Unai's 4th here he is now under pressure to win something.

[dr.chekov]

It was good for what is was, and disappointing for what it could have been.

This for me. Probably our 2nd best season of the century that feels less good at the moment because of how it finished and it coming a year after our best season of the century.

[olaftab]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/may/26/villas-champions-league-miss-wasnt-just-about-one-bad-call?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
It's hard to disagree with anything in this article.
Nails our season completely.

Yes some good points and this is similar to something I said in match thread before kick off.

Mistakes happen; the key is to put yourself in a position that if they go against you, they don’t matter.