Prepared: The Aston Villa Guide

[Alienman]

I just started a Villa save today. I followed your advice on which staff members to sack but went my own way with the new ones brought in.

I managed to offload Heskey for 1 million, but still have to pay 25,000 of his wages, better then 60,000 though. So I think I win that competition.

Its a well written guide, but it does seem to take something away from the game to follow it step by step. Better for someone to use it as advice and in the end make their own decisions.

 

[Holte ender eating a pie]

wooo dont sell delph or davies ya nutter(s,) delph turns out to be lampard (with pace) and davies is solid and really quick allowing a high line latter on in the game, other than that, this is a replica to how i play lmao and very well contructed.

Also im yet to play fm11 extensively as i keep making new network games (patches n someone having a bad start in the italian leagues >.>) but im finding playing a slower tempo, higher line and no countering a issue for villa, i refuse to revert to mon tactics =P, any suggestions anyone lol?

 

[ChippyLowe]

Great guide, just one thing though, you've got £975k wage budget but no matter what target I set I only get £900k, is this a fix in the patch (i've not started a new game on 11.2.1)?

 

[saroy94]

A good guide, it's a shame i did not bother looking for an Aston Villa guide now I am in my second season

As for passing, my team did surprisingly well in the first season (when their passing didn't develop). I always played through balls, but as they have a fast squad with good anticipation, the players did manage to easily pick the passes up.

 

[Sam]

Cracking guide mate

 

[Average Joe]

Young and Gabby are machines!

Came 9th first season in league but won a few cups. 2nd season came 3rd and won every cup i was in (I think!), 1 point behind Man United.

(Before this guide was on here though)

Nicely written and good info Godcubed!

 

[GodCubed]

i came up second in the league and won Europa League in first season. So far in the second season i won the league cup (against birmingham in the final ) and i'm in quarter finals of the champions after beating Bayern Munich. I'm struggling in the league, sitting 8th but hoping to finish 4th

Good job, well done indeed.

I just started a Villa save today. I followed your advice on which staff members to sack but went my own way with the new ones brought in.

I managed to offload Heskey for 1 million, but still have to pay 25,000 of his wages, better then 60,000 though. So I think I win that competition.

Its a well written guide, but it does seem to take something away from the game to follow it step by step. Better for someone to use it as advice and in the end make their own decisions.

My Heskey record is offloading him for 1.2 mil, no strings attached. Was rather pleased with that piece of business.

Yeah, as I said in the guide these are just guidelines. Some players want to be babysat through the game step by step. More experienced or more individualistic players will take some aspects and then do it themselves. It's easier for both if I put it in a step-by-step method, because then it works for both parties.

wooo dont sell delph or davies ya nutter(s,) delph turns out to be lampard (with pace) and davies is solid and really quick allowing a high line latter on in the game, other than that, this is a replica to how i play lmao and very well contructed.

Unfortunately, Delph turns out okay but not as great as his potential would have him be because of his injury. Fair enough if you want to keep him though. Davies I sell because of extra money, having Clark as a good reserve and also because he's cack in real life.

Also im yet to play fm11 extensively as i keep making new network games (patches n someone having a bad start in the italian leagues >.>) but im finding playing a slower tempo, higher line and no countering a issue for villa, i refuse to revert to mon tactics =P, any suggestions anyone lol?

Thing is, those tactics were used by MON 'cause they work, just like they work on FM. I find it best to play solid, counterattacking football until I can bring in some good passers and work on a new style.

Great guide, just one thing though, you've got £975k wage budget but no matter what target I set I only get £900k, is this a fix in the patch (i've not started a new game on 11.2.1)?

Hm, maybe it is?

A good guide, it's a shame i did not bother looking for an Aston Villa guide now I am in my second season

As for passing, my team did surprisingly well in the first season (when their passing didn't develop). I always played through balls, but as they have a fast squad with good anticipation, the players did manage to easily pick the passes up.

It all depends on how you play, of course, but for a club of their stature Villa have relatively poor passers. Doesn't mean they'll misplace passes too often, just means they're limited in their options.

Young and Gabby are machines!

Came 9th first season in league but won a few cups. 2nd season came 3rd and won every cup i was in (I think!), 1 point behind Man United.

(Before this guide was on here though)

Nicely written and good info Godcubed!

Thanks. And yeah, Ash and Gabby are monsters if you play them right.

 

[bakicicko]

Fantastic guide mate!Thanks My contribution is a screenshot of Barry Bannan after first season.I`ve set his individual training focus to passing View attachment 119329

 

[saroy94]

How successful is Albrighton in your game?

 

[bakicicko]

How successful is Albrighton in your game?

He`s just dicent cover.So underrated in this game

View attachment 119332

 

[GodCubed]

Fantastic guide mate!Thanks My contribution is a screenshot of Barry Bannan after first season.I`ve set his individual training focus to passing View attachment 119329

Thanks, very good results on Bannan there.

How successful is Albrighton in your game?

Horrific, in relation to his ability in real life. He's useful for backup.

 

[glamdring]

I usually sell Carew, not Heskey. I prefer hard-working players and Carew's work rate puts me off. I play 4-4-2, though I might try 4-2-3-1 one day. If you play 4-2-3-1 you could sell them both I guess.

Heskey and Agbonlahor did wonders in my first season, in which I finished 2nd but I kinda ragequitted and lost the save. In one of the last games of the season I had an away game at City and they were winning 2-0 by half-time. Right after half-time, we managed to get the score 2-2...then Milner (off all people) dived (according to commentary), got one of my players sent off and won a penalty, which they scored and cost me the game and the league.

---------- Post added at 11:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 PM ----------

Re. transfers, check Ajax's GK too. He's usually available for 8M.

I also like to raid Everton. They have class players that match Villa's hard-working ethos and are relatively cheap. Pienaar if you can get ****** him from Chelsea (5M), Fellaini (rock in midfield, just 10) and Rodwell (12).

Then there's Lukaku (targetman 5-6M), Lichsteiner (right-back 5-6M) and Vidal (DM which can be trained RB for 5M).

Also worth mentioning David Luiz and Coentrao from Benfica (each from 7-10M)

 

[Joel`]

I started up a Villa save today, just finished pre-season. Won all of my friendlies convincingly, except for a shock 1-1 with Dundee. Happy with my transfers too, just hoping to get a right winger; Eljero Elia is my first choice, he's unsettled but they've rejected £15m and I don't want to go higher than that. Albrighton had a cracking pre-season so I think I'll be using him and buying a winger in January.

http://img683.imageshack.us/i/astonvillatransfershist.png/
http://img259.imageshack.us/i/astonvillaastonvillafix.png/

 

[GodCubed]

I usually sell Carew, not Heskey. I prefer hard-working players and Carew's work rate puts me off. I play 4-4-2, though I might try 4-2-3-1 one day. If you play 4-2-3-1 you could sell them both I guess.

Heskey and Agbonlahor did wonders in my first season, in which I finished 2nd but I kinda ragequitted and lost the save. In one of the last games of the season I had an away game at City and they were winning 2-0 by half-time. Right after half-time, we managed to get the score 2-2...then Milner (off all people) dived (according to commentary), got one of my players sent off and won a penalty, which they scored and cost me the game and the league.

---------- Post added at 11:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 PM ----------

Re. transfers, check Ajax's GK too. He's usually available for 8M.

I also like to raid Everton. They have class players that match Villa's hard-working ethos and are relatively cheap. Pienaar if you can get ****** him from Chelsea (5M), Fellaini (rock in midfield, just 10) and Rodwell (12).

Then there's Lukaku (targetman 5-6M), Lichsteiner (right-back 5-6M) and Vidal (DM which can be trained RB for 5M).

Also worth mentioning David Luiz and Coentrao from Benfica (each from 7-10M)

Unlucky on the file. I tend to use 4-2-3-1 as it frees up the wingers to work their magic, which is essential for Villa.

Good calls on the buys, I didn't mention people like Coentrao because left back and left wing don't need strengthening. Stekelenburg is a good mention though, classy keeper.

I started up a Villa save today, just finished pre-season. Won all of my friendlies convincingly, except for a shock 1-1 with Dundee. Happy with my transfers too, just hoping to get a right winger; Eljero Elia is my first choice, he's unsettled but they've rejected £15m and I don't want to go higher than that. Albrighton had a cracking pre-season so I think I'll be using him and buying a winger in January.

Brave choice. I find he's decent but I do like to have two class wingers.

I see you bought Poli, presumably as a DLP. How's your tactic set out if that is the case, I'm intrigued.

 

[Joel`]

My formation is a deep 4-2-3-1 like yours in the OP, Reo-Coker is there to break up the play and give it to Poli to distribute around the field, set as a DLP. I play Petrov in the same way, Poli was bought as the long term replacement, and as a future star of the midfield. I made it quite quickly during pre-season, will be seeing how I do in the league and tweak as necessary.

My tactic and player form:
http://img145.imageshack.us/i/astonvillaastonvillatac.png/

I'm hoping Albrighton can carry on like that into the league, I want Sanchez/Gervinho/Elija to come in but their clubs all currently want stupid money for them, hoping to get one unsettled for January.

EDIT: Chelsea came in for Carew at £2.5m which I'll be taking. Any ideas for a replacement? I may just keep Gabby, Delfouneso and Wickham.
EDIT2: Carew wouldn't move to Chelsea because of wages, lol. Downing has been an absolute beast so far, Albrighton has also been playing well on the right. 7 games, 7 goals and 4 assists for Downing <3 A hat-trick in my Europa League qualifier included.

 

[glamdring]

^ Sanogo or Lukaku.

Good calls on the buys, I didn't mention people like Coentrao because left back and left wing don't need strengthening. Stekelenburg is a good mention though, classy keeper.

I don't really like Warnock tbh. Depends where you want to take AV. But he can never be world class as his PA is quite low. In my season, he put in a lot of poor performances so much so that he lost his place to L.Young in the end.

Another great left back is Digne from Lille. He has great potential.

 

[DonVilla]

Great guide, although I prefer to play with two strikers. I play a 4-1-1-2-2 kind of formation, with Reo-Coker as a defensive mid, Ireland as an advanced playmaker, the two wingers, a target man and poacher.

 

[dannycope]

I didn't make too many signings but having a great season so far. Agbonlahor is increblible as you can see in the screenshot.

 

[GodCubed]

My formation is a deep 4-2-3-1 like yours in the OP, Reo-Coker is there to break up the play and give it to Poli to distribute around the field, set as a DLP. I play Petrov in the same way, Poli was bought as the long term replacement, and as a future star of the midfield. I made it quite quickly during pre-season, will be seeing how I do in the league and tweak as necessary.

My tactic and player form:
http://img145.imageshack.us/i/astonvillaastonvillatac.png/

I'm hoping Albrighton can carry on like that into the league, I want Sanchez/Gervinho/Elija to come in but their clubs all currently want stupid money for them, hoping to get one unsettled for January.

EDIT: Chelsea came in for Carew at £2.5m which I'll be taking. Any ideas for a replacement? I may just keep Gabby, Delfouneso and Wickham.
EDIT2: Carew wouldn't move to Chelsea because of wages, lol. Downing has been an absolute beast so far, Albrighton has also been playing well on the right. 7 games, 7 goals and 4 assists for Downing <3 A hat-trick in my Europa League qualifier included.

Good squad, interesting to see how well your fringe players are performing. Just checked, and it turns out in the latest patch Leandro Augusto and Fernando Arce have both been downgraded, so I'll have to remove their bits. :'( Downing's being realistically awesome I see.

^ Sanogo or Lukaku.

I don't really like Warnock tbh. Depends where you want to take AV. But he can never be world class as his PA is quite low. In my season, he put in a lot of poor performances so much so that he lost his place to L.Young in the end.

Another great left back is Digne from Lille. He has great potential.

Well yeah, but my point is that Warnock is one of your strongest starting members of your squad, he doesn't really need replacing as your budget can go on other, weaker parts of your squad.

But you do what you feel is best, Foe-Hammer.

I didn't make too many signings but having a great season so far. Agbonlahor is increblible as you can see in the screenshot.

That's impressive stats, well done indeed.

 

[Joel`]

I'm approaching the January transfer window now, and would like an attacking midfielder since Pires isn't getting any younger. I'm considering Iker Muniain since he is young, and has more of a scoring instinct than Ireland, and i'd like to take the goal scoring pressure off Gabby. Any other suggestions for players that can replace Pires/Ireland Godcubed, or anyone else?