Another year goes by without a domestic trophy for Aston Villa after an eventful fall out of the FA Cup. The wait continues for the return of silverware in B6, but another cup departure is a reminder that Villa must learn to capitalise on the big moments.
Now in the final third of the Premier League season, it's crunch time for Villa to show that they can achieve their goals for this campaign. Unai Emery has never shied away from the reality that Premier League performance is his top priority, followed closely by European success.
The appointment of Emery more than three years ago was not an appointment to simply steady the ship and maintain top-flight status. His arrival was the marker of a new era - one in which Villa should return to European football and bring trophies to the club.
There is no argument that Emery's work at Villa has not been remarkable, particularly when considering his relatively limited resources in comparison with Champions League rivals. However, the manager will be desperate for a piece of silverware to seal the deal on a successful tenure.
With the focus now solely on the league and European fixtures, a no-excuse culture is needed. All of the usual caveats around injuries, financial constraints and fixture congestion still apply - but it's time for this team to prove their mettle.
A relatively favourable run of fixtures since mid-January has so far resulted in patchy form as Villa struggled with a dismantled midfield. With the rest of February offering a similarly generous fixture list, it's time for another run of momentum to be built.
The gap between Villa in third and the team in sixth remains, but consistency will be key for the final 12 games of the season.
Meanwhile, the last 16 of the Europa League awaits. This is Emery's tournament - if there's a man to push Villa through to lift that trophy in Turkey, it's him. To do so, his team must prove that they can survive under pressure.
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