[SkeeterP]

I'm shocked Small Heath has a thread, but there's nothing for the True pride of the Midlands!



Aston Villa Football Club

Formed: 1874
Ground: Villa Park (Capacity: 42,640)
Nicknames: The Villa / The Villans
Fierce Rivals: Birmingham City
Facts: Founding members of the Football League in 1888 and one of seven clubs to have played in every season of the Premier League since it's introduction in 1992.
The fourth most successful club in English football history, winning 21 major honours, and is one of only four English clubs to have won the European Cup, beating Bayen Munich 1-0 in 1982. Despite this record, Villa haven't won a major competition since winning the League Cup in 1996 (not counting the Inter-Toto cup which was won in 2001)
Villa Park is the most used stadium in FA-Cup Semi Final history, hosting 55 games.
Villa were the first team to adopt the now-famous Claret and Blue colours.

Chairman: Randolph Lerner (USA)

Financial Status: Rich
Finances: £78m
FM08 Transfer budget: "Top Half Finish" - £15.75m (wages £675k)
"Continental Qualification Through League Finish" - £21m (wages £775k)
"Title Challenge" - £23.5m (wages £800k)
"Winner" - £26m (wages £850k)

Squad:
1. Thomas Sorensen (GK)
2. Jordan Collins (D R)
3. Wilfred Bouma (D R)
4. Olof Mellberg (D R/C)
5. Martin Laursen (D C)
6. Gareth Barry (D/M L/C
7. Ashley Young (AM/F L/R/C)
8. Luke Moore (ST)
9. Marlon Harewood (ST)
10. John Carew (ST)
11. Gabriel Agbonlahor (ST)
12. Mustapha Salifou (AM R/C)
13. Stuart Taylor (GK)
14. Adam McGurk (AM/F C)
15. Curtis Davies** (D C)
16. Zat Knight (D C)
19. Stiliyan Petrov (AM C)
20. Nigel Reo-Coker (M C)
21. Scott Carson* (GK)
23. Patrik Berger (AM L/C)
26. Craig Gardner (M C)
27. Isiah Osbourne (M C)
28. Shaun Maloney (AM/F L/R/C)
29. Stephen O'Halloran (D L/C)
(Players marked with * are on loan, players marked with ** are on loan but transferring to the club at the end of the season).

Star Players are Club Captain and England International midfielder Gareth Barry, attacking powerhouse John Carew and explosive winger Ashley Young.

Despite assistant Manager John Robertson's optimistic outlook that Villa have a squad "that should be able to put in a strong challenge" for the Premiership, this young inexperienced team needs heavily strengthening to make a realistic push for the Top Six.

From the squad as it is, the first choice team selection would be (442):


Defensively, the club has four solid centre-backs (Knight, Davies, Laursen, Mellberg), however with the squad only having one recognised Left Back (Bouma) and no recognised Right Backs (Mellberg doesn't cut it), serious investment is still needed.
Midfield is also a problem, with Gardner and Osbourne no where near ready to step up and provide any real cover for Reo-Coker and Barry in the middle, and despite his tremendous work rate and stamina, Petrov just doesn't have the attributes to stamp authority in a Premier League game. With Young and Maloney, there are two trememdous talents on the wings, but again there is a distinct lack of effective cover if anything were to happen to them.
Villa's attack is fast and young with Moore and Agbonlahor but there is only one experienced striker in John Carew. Marlon Harewood could be capable when implemented but there is still much room for improvement.

To conclude, a tough game but with the right additions to the squad you could be the man to bring the good times back to this underachieving Sleeping Giant of the Premier League.

Now go, and have fun!

[ObaMartins09]

Started a game with Villa, check out the tactics and training forum. I have outlined how I am going to line up for the season and there is a discussion there.

[pug206]

Will start with Villa when the game comes out on friday!! Can't wait!!! who's everyone going to buy first??? i'l be looking for a right back first, strengthen our defence!

[mace85]

started a game with villa
i had Napoli come in for laursen for 4.5M (with clauses) so i let him go (as he is injury prone)
after telling teh board i would get euro qualification through the league, and tinkering with the budgets a little, i ended up with quite a war chest (around 25M)

key purchases
van der vaart 10.75M (hat-trick on debut from AMC)
modric (3.8M)
capel (4.1M)
ryan taylor(5M)
derek boateng (725K)
ever banega (2.4M)
ignasevich (free)

my team plays 4-2-3-1 and is lined up as such (with second team listed)

GK Carson/Sorensen
DR Taylor/Ignasevich
DL Barry/Bouma
DC Knight/Mellberg
DC Davies/Cahill
MC Boateng/Banega
MC Reo-Coker/Petrov
AMR Young/Agbonlahor
AML Modric/Capel
AMC van der Vaart/Maloney
FC Carew/Moore

First game was vs man city, 4-0 win with a hatrick to van der vaart and a late goal to moore, off the bench. ryan taylor is out injured still (injured when i bought him)

taylor is in reserves for now, but may end up replacing sorensen
collins, o'halloran and stieber are at my new affiliate (drogheda utd)
osbourne and gardner are in reserves
berger, salifou and harewood are all listed for transfer

If i can clear this deadwood outi may look at another striker(backup target man) or AMR(backup) to bolster this team

right now i have just under 200K in wages left unspent and only 370K left to spend on transfers
if i can sell off enough reserves i will maybe restructure wages and make a late run at Jo or Johan Elmander for a target upfront, look for a cheap right winger for cover (who is better tan salifou) or just snap up cheap prospects
any other suggestions for players?

[mace85]

sorry for the double post, but i forgot to add...i sacked a couple of staff and brough in better replacements
my coaching staff now gives at least 5/7 stars in every category and i have pako ayestrian (sp) as my assistant

[SkeeterP]

You know, despite making this thread I haven't actually made a proper start with Villa. That has now changed.

Budget-wise I tried to be a little realistic in foresight of the actual game, so promised EU qualification through the leage, so got £21m and then adjusted the budget to get an extra £11.5m on top of that.

With that money I got Van Der Vaart for £13.5m, Coloccini for £7.5m, Caldwell for £3m and Diego Capel for £4m. I'm waiting on a contract for Derek Boateng and if he accepts that'll leave me with about £3m left to possibly get either a 2nd left back or left winger or both.

I've opted for a 433 attacking formation, with so:

GK: Carson/Sorensen
RB: Coloccini/Caldwell
LB: Bouma
CB: Davies/Mellberg
CB: Knight/Laursen
CM: Reo-Coker/Gardner
CM: Van Der Vaart/Petrov
CM: Barry/Maloney
RW: Young/Gabby
LW: Capel/Maloney
ST: Carew/Moore

[Romeo Valentino]

my first demo game was with the Villans or "Poison Chalice" as i used 2 call them a week ago. First thing, raise expectations, clear the deadwood and shore up defence...

Players Out

Sorenson...Bouma...Laursen...Mellberg...Carew

Players In

Shorey DL....Taylor DR... Jean II Makoun..MC.. Gamst Pedersen AMLC.... Defoe S..

First XI - 4-3-1-2 Trying 2 play like Arsenal

GK: Carson - Safe Hands - Try and buy him
DR: R Taylor - Steady attacking U21 full back
DL: Shorey - Steady attacking INT full back
DC: Davies - pacey defender
DC: Knight - Strong defender - mistake prone tho
MC: Makoun - VCapt - playmaking holding midfield
MlC: Barry - Capt - Industrious Leader mid
MRC: Reo-Coker - Forward thinking midfielder
AM: Petrov - Surprisingly gd - playmaker
S: Defoe - SO GOOD IN FM08 - Goal machine
S: Young - 2footed dribbling/ assisting striker

Obviously had back ups like maloney, gardner & agbonlohar etc who are very handy. Wud buy new playmaker in summer - van de vaart is a genius in this game so most likely.

Played attack minded, c-attacking thru the middle up tempo football using my playmaker - 2nd at turn of year - not bad eh Randy???

Have deleted it tho - Im a forest fan and there revival must take priority when I receive the game...!

[mace85]

you sold carew? :eek:

he is a gun...perfect target man (albeit a little slow)

[rogier1985]

My villa team now:

GK: Carson
DR: Hutton - 5 mil euro from Rangers
DL: Bouma
DC: Knight
DC: Davies
MR: Young
ML: Barry
MC: Reo-Coker
MC: van der Vaart - 15 mil euros from HSV
FC: Palacio - 13 mil from Boca
FC: Carew

[IrishLad]

I am starting my first full version game of FM 08 in a few minutes, as the villains of course. i see a lot of you opted for transfers i'll most likely be making, vaart, shorey and taylor for sure.

will post more info later