What a difference only a couple of months makes. Aston Villa was on the cusp of sealing extra time against the eventual Champions League winners in PSG. Since then, the side has missed out on being repeat participants in the European competition and are instead preparing to go on a run in Europa League.
The 2025/2026 season has gotten off to a noticeably terrible start for Villa. Carryover from the last season should have allowed the side to have a better beginning than what has already been witnessed to this point. It appears, however, that the mental toll of everything going on within the club's activities is impacting the players more than what may have initially been thought.
To combat the PSR and SCR aspects, the club has been forced to resort to free transfers and loan agreements with players who are looking to prove that they can be effective in the Premier League.
These aspects naturally made it exceedingly difficult for Villa to look as competitive as they realistically should be so far. Individually, the players are there to mount another strong campaign and to be true contenders to once again qualify for Champions League while pursuing a piece of silverware in one of the competitions.
Reality of Aston Villa situation
The opposite, however, has transpired. What makes this more frustrating is that it is difficult to see how Villa will be able to have the needed flexibility to make significant maneuvers.
In other words, this is the corps that will be tasked with turning around the fortunes of Villa. Additional help is not coming. It is possible that Villa could add someone else at the January deadline again. This will, however, most likely require the club to see a notable player who sees regular minutes leave in order to remain in compliance. Villa are stuck in a difficult position. It will be up to those at Bodymoor to make the most of the hand that has been dealt to the club.