Aston Villa: Was the Season a Success or a Failure?

Contributor Written on April 14, 2009

BLACKBURN, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 07: Gabriel Agbonlahor of Aston Villa celebrates victory with Ashley Young during the Barclays Premier League match between Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa at Ewood Park on February 7, 2009 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Some Aston Villa fans will no doubt be disgusted with how Aston villa have thrown away a possible Champions League position, however, other Aston Villa fans will be delighted with the progress made by their side this season.

Okay, let me start by saying I understand how Villa fans will be disgusted with how our club went from being eight points ahead of Arsenal to eight points behind but what most people don't think about is how Aston Villa fans would have dreamed of being only eight points behind Arsenal at this stage in the season.

When you consider Arsenal finished 36 points ahead of Aston Villa in the 2004-05 Premier League season, then this season is a real success.

When you look at how young stars such as James Milner, Ashley Young, and Gabriel Agbonlahor have propelled to greatness this season this should fill you with hope. If these players are capable of playing so good at such a high standard this early into their lives imagine how brilliant they could be in three or four years time.

This season is just the beginning of transforming Aston Villa from a mid-table team into a major force in the Premier League. All Villa need to do is sign a quality striker who will be able to convert chances created by Young and Milner into goals.

Yes we do have a very capable striker in Agbonlahor but if he gets an injury I don't have confidence in Carew and Heskey to convert enough chances to make Villa a major force.

I praise the work Martin O'Neill has done since becoming Villa manager but fans must also recognise a man who has made the potential of Villa a reality. This man is chairman Randy Lerner. Without Lerner having faith to invest his cash in quality players Villa wouldn't have a hope of achieving their potential.

Overall I think this season should be viewed as a success. In the last year Aston Villa have gone from a being a mid-placed team into a major force and I have no doubt this season is the the first of many happy seasons at Villa under the Lerner-O'Neill partnership.

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written on April 14, 2009 Opinion

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