A positive season overall considering that they collected 4 points more than the previous year, improving also the final regular season positioning, from the 6th to the 5th position.
Anyway, unfortunately for a final judgment one cannot ignore the last two games, those of the playoff final. Also this year Sloetski's team was good at getting to the end but, while the previous year they won defeating Utrecht, this time they were defeated by the same opponents. A bitter epilogue, they had drawn at Utrecht but then threw everything away losing 0-2 at home.
Their season started very early, already at the end of July were on the pitch to play the second round of the Europa League qualifiers, a good start as they eliminated Viitorul Costanza, but in the following round were in turn eliminated by Basel.
As for the KNVB cup Vitesse were knocked out by AZ Alkmaar in the quarter finals.
Throughout the season the Russian coach (who almost always relied on a too static 4-4-2) has been criticized for his profitable but too defensive play, almost never able to entertain the crowd. To its partial justification, however, it must be said that the team has been continually troubled by serious injuries. Sloetski was almost never been able to count on forward on loan from Chelsea Charly Musonda and only at the end on the other attacker Tim Matavz. In the second part of the season also striker Oussama Darfalou was often absent. Finally the experienced defender Arnold Kruiswijk closed his season very soon (as well as his career).
The Norwegian midfielder on loan from Real Madrid Martin Odegaard showed his talent, albeit discontinuously. The strength of the defense was ensured by Karavaev and Clarke-Salter, both very positive. The best scorer was Bryan Linssen with 12 goals, while was disappointing Dauda, who came on loan from Anderlecht in January. Essential in midfield Serero and Bero, while the other midfielders did not give much support.
