The final match of the season against Manchester United only shows how slim the margins are at the highest levels. Aston Villa did well to be in a position to qualify for Champions League. On the whole, earlier missed opportunities put the club in a position to be at the mercy of a poor decision during Matchday 38.
That should still not take away from how truly incredible this year has been. One of the downsides of losing the last match of the season, however, is the lingering taste of defeat that cannot be washed out until the first day the next year at the start of the new campaign.
Three points count just as much in October as they do in May. Dropped points against Ipswich Town and AFC Bournemouth, for example, have come back to haunt AVFC. Now with things standing as they are following the completion of the season, Villa will participate in Europa League next season.
The takeaway cannot be that Villa fell into the easier path to win silverware. Looking at the sides that are in that European tournament, it is far from a given that Unai Emery's men will be able to waltz through to that competition's final. That even comes with the Spaniard's prior success in UEL.
If this result and how it played out against Manchester United should show is that nothing can ever be taken for granted.
During the incredible Champions League run and the road to Wembley, Villa looked at times like one of the better teams in Europe. Their closing form to end the EPL portion of the year was also top-class.
Yet, when Villa needed to grab a result across the various competitions, the moment appeared too big for them.
Instead of panicking, overreacting, or lamenting the seeming curse of the club to win big games nowadays, this serves as an excellent opportunity to take a snapshot of where Villa currently are. From a stint in the Championship to fighting relegation, this club is vastly improved under Emery.
While it seemingly happens for everyone else except Villa, in order to achieve sustained levels of success and results and be on a team that does produce the winning moments does not happen without learning from heartache.
Current Aston Villa corps is on the cusp of greatness
Certainly there have been decades of heartache and fist pounding on the table. The players currently on the squad are not responsible for past performances. What can be acknowledged is that this season's Villans fell short when they needed to be at their best.
That is not a doomed sentence, though. For anyone who believes in what this club is doing and how Emery has handled being in charge, this may be one more painful stitch on a painfully woven tapestry.
In reality, it is one step closer to Villa setting out to achieve what others laugh at, the overthrowing of the status of the big six.