Imagine a claret and blue balloon with the words ‘Champions League’, ‘FA Cup’ and ‘Carling Cup’ written on it only for something to come along and gradually let air out.

Then imagine it flying around until it becomes a shriveled up and pathetic excuse for a balloon - and you can hardly make the words out anymore.

 

That’s basically Aston Villa’s season. It was promising for a while, with wins at Anfield and Old Trafford boosting hopes of Champions League qualification. But the ‘thing’ that deflated Villa last season – the despicable little niggling doubt in the back of Martin O’Neill’s mind that keeps telling him to buy average players and that his club aren’t good enough to finish fourth – emerged to puncture this season as well.

At least they haven’t gone backwards. But after £40m spent before the start of this campaign, they haven’t exactly gone forward either. Two terrible referring decisions went a long way in denying them glory in both domestic competitions, but it’s the squandered points, especially at home against poor sides, that will be the biggest disappointment.

They are not far away from where Tottenham finished. But there’s one key difference – Tottenham wanted it more.