There have been many critics of Aston Villa who lack any sympathy regarding the situation surrounding PSR and SCR. The more immediate concern is that of the wage-to-revenue ratio. This figure is not allowed to exceed 70% of the club's total revenue.
According to some, conventional wisdom would simply dictate that Villa should have known not to even approach this number. After all, these rules have been agreed upon, and all clubs have elected to partake in this new way of doing things to ensure financial fairness.
This mentality misses out on a couple of different aspects and, in truth, works backward.
Firstly, those clubs that have not been worthy to be part of the 'big six' never would have had a true voice or chance to actually vote, shift policies, much less elect to opt out of these guidelines.
The rules were set up to preserve the status quo. The supposed aim of these rules was to prevent clubs from going under and having supporters left looking to potentially scramble for a solution in the case of a rich owner walking away, which would be, from the perspective of the person with money, a failed financial project. Another point supposedly was also to ensure equal footing for all clubs.
These points, however, only sound good in theory and are not at all how the new system works in practice.
Villa have operated essentially debt-free. This is certainly the case when comparing to the other clubs. When looking at how the past summer transfer window unfolded, it is also safe to say that things are far from an equal playing field.
In regard to the wages aspect. Clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United now have all of the leverage due to the inherent nonsensical nature of revenue being the most important factor when it comes to spending limits. Those clubs are never going to be in a position where they need to worry about getting fair value for their players when they are looking to sell.
Reality of Aston Villa situation
Instead, Villa is left hanging in a situation in which the decision-makers have to either accept a ludicrously low offer or to not engage in an agreement where there ordinarily would be one to be had. That is to say, Villa are now not afforded the same opportunity whatsoever to fix these rather sudden, yet significant changes in the sport in the grand landscape of operations.
Instead, the enforcement thereof has painfully fallen on the shoulders of Villa, without there being a real way to bounce back while also competing among the best in the Premier League and the rest of Europe.