What you start with
Having spent the past couple of seasons dangerously close to the bottom three, the board expect you to perform far better during your first season at Villa Park and your primary aim is to guide Aston Villa to Europa League qualification. The board explain that your success will mostly be judged in the Premier League, and ensuring you can lead the team to a top seven place will impress them.
In terms of domestic cup competitions; the board suggest they would love a cup run and therefore your target of reaching the round of 16 is the minimum aim. While winning a cup could grant you entry into the Europa League, it may not satisfy the criteria should you fail in the league.
To help you achieve these targets, the board allocate you an initial transfer budget of £10m in order to strengthen your squad with a wage budget of just less than £853,000 per week.
The Squad
Who you should build the team around…
There are no prizes for guessing who the main man at Villa is, with Christian Benteke proving an indispensable member of the first team. He is the player you should be looking to build your team around as much of your success will depend on his goals.
His pace, physicality and shooting ability make him a lethal threat, and can be the difference between winning and losing. It may be tempting to cash in on the Belgian when offers come your way, but with the potential to reach a rating of 85; selling the striker is not an option.
In midfield, Scott Sinclair is another player who will play an important part in your first campaign at Villa Park. The winger is looking to get his career back on track having arrived on loan from Manchester City, and his pace and dribbling skills make him a big threat on left wing. He’s a great outlet to have out wide, and can provide plenty of crosses and assists for Benteke during the season.
And finally in defence, Villa have also have Jores Okore; another young star who you should be building the back four around. The centre back is a beast and a great defender to rely upon given his pace and physical attributes. He’s someone that won’t be easy to beat, and will only improve over time with a potential rating of 82.
Three players you should sign…
One of the first messages you will receive from your assistant manager will be explaining the need to sign a new wide midfielder as this area represents a weakness in the current Villa squad. With this in mind, signing a new right midfielder in particular should be a priority; given you already have Sinclair in mind for the other flank.
A great option in your first transfer window is Serge Gnabry from Arsenal, who may only be 18, but has a great deal of potential and presents a real bargain.
He’s valued at £8.5m by the Gunners, but a bid of £4m will be enough to prize him away from the Emirates. The German is lightning quick and good with the ball at his feet ensuring your side will carry a threat of both flanks. He has scope to improve to around a rating of 82 and can become an important member of the team from the off.
Another player available for £4m is Burnley striker Danny Ings who can provide another decent option upfront. The 21-year-old is nearing the end of his contract at Burnley and is another whose pace will give you a real advantage on the break. Ings can reach a rating of 79 and will prove a good partner for Benteke when called upon.
Keeping the trend of signing talented youngsters, Derby central midfielder Will Hughes is the third player you should look to bring in during your first summer in charge.
A bid of £5m should be enough to bring him to the Premier League, and he can become one of the best players on the game in years to come with a potential rating of 85. He’s another one for the future, but £5m will represent a real bargain when he’s developed into one of the league’s best central midfielders.
Three players you should sell…
With two decent options at right-back in Lowton and Bacuna; both with youth on the side, it’s advisable to sell Alan Hutton to bring in some much needed money. He’s not a player you will need during the season and so the chance to recoup £1.4m from Sunderland is handy and an offer you should accept.
Darren Bent is a player that can bring in a decent transfer fee providing you take a £425,000 hit by recalling him from his loan spell at Derby. Once you’ve got him back you can sell him for around £2.3m to the likes of West Ham and Newcastle which isn’t bad for a player with less than a year on his contract. Certainly beats losing him on a free next summer.
And finally it’s a good idea to cash in on another of your back up strikers in Libor Kozak who was sold to Cesena in Serie A for a cool £2.1m. The Czech forward is only going to be used sparingly, and unlike much of your other attacking options is pretty slow which isn’t ideal. Therefore the chance to bring in further funds from his sale is also recommended.
Youngsters…
In terms of youth, Jack Grealish, Carles Gil and Callum Robinson are the three young players you should look to develop into first team regulars.
Grealish is a left midfielder who may not feature heavily straight away, but should be given minutes throughout the season given the fact he can rise to a rating of at least 82 further down the line. He’s particularly impressive with the ball at his feet, and will attract the attention of the top Premier League sides later on in his career.
On the opposite side of midfielder, Carles Gil is another star to keep in mind and someone who will follow a similar path to Grealish. Again he’s not the quickest, but he certainly makes up for this with his technical attributes and can also grow to a rating of 83. The 21-year-old is already valued at £3.4m, and is a player who should be featuring regularly in your first season.
Callum Robinson is an exciting prospect upfront, who again will show significant progression over the years, falling just short of an 80 rating. He’s only 19, but can become a useful back up to the main men upfront, and one that can be sold for a decent fee at some point in his twenties.
Tactics
A simple 4-4-2 formation is the suggested option when starting life at Aston Villa and should provide you with success in your quest for a European place.
In goal Guzan is your best option, while Shay Given represents a decent number 2, ensuring you have a decent duo for your first season.
The back four should consist of Lowton, Vlaar, Okore and Cissokho, with the squad containing sufficient cover for each position ensuring you won’t fall short should you pick up a few injuries.
Cleverley and Delph are the two men who will patrol the centre of the midfield, decent ball players with plenty of energy required to do well. Sanchez is a great option to have when rotating to ensure they don’t get fatigued, while Hughes and Westwood should also get their fair share of game time throughout the season highlighting the depth you have in this area. Meanwhile Sinclair and Gnabry will ensure Villa carry a big attacking threat down each side, while N’Zogbia is the perfect man to have in reserve when either needs a rest.
Benteke and Agbonlahor make up a threatening strike force, with their pace in particular ensuring you will be able to rely on them for plenty of goals that can help you sneak into the top seven.
[n5lbanner type=”london”]
[ad_pod id=’ricco’ align=’center’]
[interaction id=“none”]
