Aston Villa missed a golden opportunity against Chelsea in the FA Cup. Photo: Reuters/Karl Resin
With apologies to Chelsea, Aston fans Villa's midweek defeat in the FA Cup replay is a setback for English football.
Villa had the opportunity to reach tops of Wembley. Their loss means it is highly likely that the top three national honors will once again be shared between the same clubs, highlighting how difficult it is to stand out from the crowd, which is why trophy engravers write different names.
Since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, there have been only three seasons in which Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea or Arsenal did not win the title.
During this period, only four have passed year which of these clubs or Liverpool did not win the FA Cup.
Anyone other than these five has had a better chance of winning the League Cup, but not recently. The last team outside Manchester, Chelsea and Liverpool to win the competition was Swansea City in 2013. By May, it's likely that 80 of the last 96 major national trophies will be on display in the same five stadiums.
That's a healthy situation for serial winners, but not for our game. We need more diversity in awards lists.
The reason for this is not just the power and wealth of the Big Five. Those just below them should have done better.
Villa and Spurs have been underdogs for decades
Unai Emery and Ange Postecoglou were so warmly received outside their fans by the team's early season form because when teams like Villa and Tottenham Hotspur come together it gives hope that the status quo will be challenged .
Aston Villa is transforming under the leadership of Unai Emery. Photo: PA/Nick Potts
These are clubs of equal quality who continue to lose in national cups — competitions where you can win. – regardless of the strength of those who dominated.
Villa and Spurs have won the League Cup twice since 1993. This indicates insufficient performance. That doesn't mean they lose out to cup winners or runners-up every season.
That's why Spurs fans were so upset by the team's selection for this year's League Cup, and why Villa lost both cups of the competition in This season is a huge disappointment. When you have a good team and a great season, you need to grab the nettle.
«Take it in because you can't be sure how long it will last,» I wrote during Villa's stunning performance in November, only to end up in a heap of Villa fans on social media.
In all respects, Villa are better than Chelsea this season. They were clear favorites heading into Wednesday's match. Realistically, how often will this happen in the future? When the strongest clubs fail, the rest must take advantage.
Villa have exceeded expectations but must try even harder
The same applies to Villa's rivalry with Manchester United in the race for the top four this season. The meeting between the two this weekend is hugely important for the Champions League prospects. Villa's eight-point lead over United is deserved. If they miss this over the last 15 games, a season of excellence will turn into a season of failure.
Many will dispute this and suggest that Villa, like Newcastle United a year ago, are defying and exceeding expectations based on pre-season predictions. This is true. That doesn't mean there shouldn't be pressure on Villa to maintain the fundamentals of the first 23 games. Unfortunately, as expectations rise, question marks appear against them. Recent evidence suggests that this team may be more suited to the underdog role.
Villa could go top of the league on December 22 if they beat Sheffield United at home. They drew 1-1. They have since dropped a further eight points, including throwing away a two-goal lead to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Emery's enthusiastic reaction to scoring in last weekend's emphatic 5-0 win over Sheffield United underlined how he is trying to get the team back on track. The manner of Chelsea's defeat was worrying. If they lose against United, those chasing them will feel like they could be knocked down.
Clubs must seize the moment — otherwise they will be left behind.
We hear and read a lot in football about improving teams taking the next step. ' after a promising run. Football is about recognizing the moment and taking advantage of it. Unless you play for one of the biggest clubs, there may not be a next time for a certain group of players and coach.
When Leicester City made that remarkable final move and actually won the league title in 2016, it was a one-off, not the start of a power shift. Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic fans celebrating the FA Cup were soon relegated, in Wigan's case in the same season as their Wembley victory.
David Moyes (right) returned West Ham to European glory. Photo: Getty Images/Chris Brunskill
I hope Villa do well in Europe this year so they can take something tangible away from a more enjoyable season.
It is not our intention to be overly pessimistic or defeatist about Villa — or about any of these clubs, with the exception of the five regular trophy-takers. It is simply a universal truth: the richest and most established clubs will always show their claws sooner or later. This is not my opinion. The facts in terms of trophy distribution speak for themselves.
For the elite, truly bad seasons are an anomaly. Even in bad times, they are always there for the silver. Otherwise, truly great seasons turn into controversy as their successful managers move up the football pyramid, or the best players are poached by those paying the highest wages and the biggest transfer fees.
There is a tendency They mistake a good game for the start of a new era.
In my experience, for many clubs this is one of the game's greatest myths.
If Aston Villa finish in the top four and win the League conferences in Europe this season, it would be wiser to enjoy it as if it were the peak of Emery's glorious reign, and not necessarily a taste of what's to come.
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