FM08: Aston Villa Thread - Holte Enders In The Sky!

[Remalap]

Oh yes, I'm chuffed.

[villa30]

reo-coker is crap in the game, im in my 6th season, i got rid of him after the 1st as he wasnt performing, and still isnt for man city (his new team). I reccommend Miguel Veloso, can be bought for around £10m

[villa30]

p.s. remalap where did u get your skin from its wicked!!

[adamj11]

Petrov performs better than Reo-Coker in my experience no matter where you play them. Imo you should look at another DM, you can get Dacourt on Loan first season and buy him after that, you could also look at De Jong (4-5M), Makoun (6-10M) or Veloso (10-15M)

[jonahno6]

Originally posted by villa30:

p.s. remalap where did u get your skin from its wicked!!

It's called Asesino or something along the lines of that, you can find it at sortitoutsi

[Deano1]

Remelap - what stadium is that on your skin ? - v impressive !!

[Remalap]

Yeah it's called Asesino and can be found on sortitoutsi.net. The stadum is some computer graphic that comes default with the skin, nice though isn't it.

Still, nothing compared to Villa Park!

And yeah, I think Reo-Coker's off in the summer. I hope I can get a decent price for him. I don't understand why he's so bad, his tackling, work rate and stamina should make him a genius DM! I'll look into getting a player to replace him when I get around to offloading him.

[Conquistadore]

Has anyone ever had a new stadium built for their Villa team or are they still playing at Villa Park?`I have a savegame where the stadium capacity is at 58000 which I'm constantly filling up, but the local council is blocking another expansion. It is quite frustrating... I also have a savegame where I'm not managing any team, just letting the game run. I'm now over a hundred years into the future and they are still plating at Villa park!

[GeorgeCOYR]

Just Startd A New Game With Villa.

Whats There Strongest Formation? Minus Any Transfers.

On 8.02 Btw

[directormerrick]

Originally posted by GeorgeCOYR:

Just Startd A New Game With Villa.

Whats There Strongest Formation? Minus Any Transfers.

On 8.02 Btw

Whenever i start a new game the best formation with the current squad would be a 4-3-3.

4 at the back

1 dm

2 cm

rw + lw

lone striker

best selection would be

carew

young agbonlahor

barry petrov

reo-coker

bouma davies laursen mellberg

carson

keep a hold of maloney as he's really useful, you definatly need a right back and id suggest antonio barragan from deportivo, costs about £5-6m and is always brilliant for me

hope thats help full

[xXxSc00byxXx]

reo coker performs great for me in DMC as a lone holding midfielder...allows barry and petrov to support the front 3

i signed pineda and the fans are turning on him...how can i stop this?

[xXxSc00byxXx]

guys at the beggining of the seaon i set a european qualification as the target

i am currently 8th with 6 games to play...will i be sacked if i dont qualify for europe?

[bradyy88]

Im in my 3rd season I finished 6th then 4th in previous years. Now currently in December sitting 3rd in Prem and qualified from champs league group of Lyon, Bremen and some Polish bricklayers

Ochoa got injured for 4 months so quickly brought in Brad Friedel on a free as I had no 1st team keeper.

Squad at the minute is as follows

GK: Ochoa. Freidel

Defenders: Vanden Borre. Valera. Taiwo. Barry. Richards. Knight. Davies. Mellberg

CM: Reo Coker. Banega. Cana

Wingers: Young. Farfan. Agbonlahor. Maloney

AM: VDV. Lulinha

CF: Defoe. Jo. Moore

Normally play a 4.3.1.2 as follows with wingers and VDV arrows to the strikers

---------------Ochoa

Richards Davies Knight Taiwo

Young----Reo Coker----Farfan

---------------VDV

------------Jo----Defoe

Defoe bangs them in and VDV is awesome. Mention to Maloney who has been my unsung hero.

Hoping to establish in the top 4 again then kick on next year with a title challenge. I could go for the title with a few signings in January. I need a new backup keeper, a quality centre half and a partner for Defoe (if Jo doesn’t progress)

[Adam C]

Every time a new game of FM08 copmes out, i always get a new faveroute team to manage. On 05, it was Hull, on 06, i forget, on 07, it was Reading, and on 08, It's Aston Villa, so i wanted another go at managing them. I've signed a few players, but ive transfer listed a few players who i believe need to go:

Transfer Listed Players:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Moustapha Salifou

Patrik Berger

Marlon Harewood</pre>

Loan Listed

Loan Listed:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Genero Zeefuik

Jordan Collins

Lee Boyle

Wayne Routledge

Luke Moore

Stephen O'Halloran</pre>

Signed Players:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Genero Zeefuik 200k

Igor Tudor 1.1m

Perrier-Doumbe 575k

Matt Hill 1.8m

Salvador Cabanas 2.5m</pre>

Players im bidding for:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Florin Bratu 600k

Sergio Floccari 3.5m

Steven Defour 3.5m</pre>

Any tips and help would be welcome?

[adamj11]

Get rid of Melberg and buy a proper DR thats my main advice.

[pnalyd7]

Im just starting my 3rd season after finishing 4th & 3rd respectively, no trophies yet only runners-up in the FA Cup 2008.

My team

G/K Ochoa

D/C Van Buyten

D/C Van Damme

WB/R Ponzio

WB/L Mathieu

DM Reo Coker

MLC Barry

MCR Matias Fernandez (as AMC)

AMR Agbonlahor

AML Ashley Young

ST Adriano (ex-Inter)

Subs

G/K Quim (lol just for the name)

ST Carew

AMLC Pattio

AMRLC Maloney

AMRC Zarate

DC Curtis Davies

DRC Stearman

WBL Bouma

ST Moore

ST Delfonueso

AMC Forrester

MC Ramsey

AMLC Huszti

Need World Class DC and maybe WBR or DM, have

£39M to spend.

These are my targets: Micah Richards (Man C) they want £57.9M for him !!!

Mathieu Bodmer (Lyon) £20M accepted !! (should I sign ? just delayed for a week)

Breno (B. Munich) £20M rejected new offer £25M.

Giorgio Chiellini (Fiorentina) they want £38.3M, just went back with £30M offer.

Criscito (Juventus) £17M offered.

Why are the players more expensive when you have more money to spend ???

[Guest jacobharris]

Carew is a goal machine for me, I'm in November now and he has scored 16 in 13 games.

My team at the minute is

--------------Carson-----------

Mellberg-Knight-Davies-Mullgrew

-------------Reo-Coker---------

-------Gardener----Barry-------

Young-----------Agbonglahor/Marin

-------------Carew--------------

2nd in the league only lost 1 game, against Spurs. Beat United 3-1 with Carew scoring in the 88 and 90th minutes and Young also scoring in the 90th minute. I'm in the 1/4 of the league cup and set to play Watford, which I should win. I only signed 4 players: Mullgrew (from Wolves for £2.4M) Stancu (for £2M) Marin (for £900,000) and Claudio Lopez on a free. But he is pretty poor. Stancu hasn't played too well for me so far, however, Carew got injured in my last game against Birmingham and Stancu came on and scored, so hopefully he has some confidence now. Carew is out for 2 weeks so Stancu will have to replace him, unfortunatly they're completley different players with Carew winning headers from Mullgrew's corners and Young an d Marin's crosses, meanwhile, Stancu is pretty terrible at heading so I think I need to change my tactics a little bit. I honestly don't need to sign any players in Jan, however I've been given an extra £10M to spend so I may have to sign a new holding midfielder...or should I wait for the summer?

[Stomalomalus]

OK, just started a Villa game with my edited database that fiddles with a few players stats. I want to bring in Huntelaar, Matias Fernandez and a RB, but dont have enough money. Does anyone know how to get rid of Harewood, Salifou, Routledge and Berger? Ive tried offering them for 0, but no-one wants them! I have to get rid of them

[pnalyd7]

Originally posted by Stomalomalus:

OK, just started a Villa game with my edited database that fiddles with a few players stats. I want to bring in Huntelaar, Matias Fernandez and a RB, but dont have enough money. Does anyone know how to get rid of Harewood, Salifou, Routledge and Berger? Ive tried offering them for 0, but no-one wants them! I have to get rid of them

Sign Jeremy Mathieu(Toulouse) I got him for £3.4M he plays WBL/MLC/DM.... He always wins player of the season, also fantastic in the air at corners, near post flick on at corners he will score loads. Named in Premier League team of the year 07/08 & 08/09. Also runner-up in PFA player of the year 09.

Also Mathieu Bodmer is very good get him now because value will shoot up to £20M after 18 months.

[Stomalomalus]

Ive made my signings, and yes, Mathieu was one of them - I usually sign him for teams outside the top4. Still havnt had any offers for Harewood, Routledge and Berger. Salifou has gonje out on loan, but I just cant shift my donkeys!

[grahamf]

Just about to start my second season with Villa.

Signings I've made are -

Paulo Ferreira

Leon Andreasen

Gil Swerts

Luis Ernesto Perez (signing of the year last year, well worth 1.5 mil)

Marco Rigters

Claudio Pizarro

and Alcides on loan

Obviously I need a new keeper, any suggestions who I should bring in? Also any other areas I should look at? Does O'Halloran become a decent defender in the long run.

Still have 24 mil to spend but dont want to waste it on a couple of players. I had negotiated a deal with Lazio for Corrizo but then they tried to renegotiate to 21 mil plus Barry obviously I wasnt going to pay that much for a keeper.

[coops_10]

I have just started a game with Villa. My side so far..

Carson

Taylor - Samba - Davies - Warnock

Young - Reo-Coker - Barry - Downing

Carew - Moore

Sorensen

Melberg

Znight

Bertrand

Aquino

Stancu

Agbonlahor..

I have £10M burning a hole in my pocket though? Any ideas..Not fuused what position

[sopops72]

HI i am in desperate need of an AMC was thinking about signing Arshavin but i am not sure. Anyone else know of any quality AMC. thanks

[D3AN]

Originally posted by sopops72:

HI i am in desperate need of an AMC was thinking about signing Arshavin but i am not sure. Anyone else know of any quality AMC. thanks

Matias Fernandez is the man you want. I had him for Villa and he was top scorer first season.

[sopops72]

Originally posted by D3AN:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by sopops72:

HI i am in desperate need of an AMC was thinking about signing Arshavin but i am not sure. Anyone else know of any quality AMC. thanks

Matias Fernandez is the man you want. I had him for Villa and he was top scorer first season. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks i'll try signing him he looks good

[kyle_11]

how much money do you have at the start of the first season with Villa

[chernosamba]

just started a new game wit villa. united fan so never really played wit villa b4. was wondering is there any real prospects in the reserves/youths?

[megafan2005]

Just started a game with Villa

Transfers In

Jeremy Mathieu £3.6M out for 3 months

Yury Zhirkov £7.5M Doing well

Andrey Arshavin £7.5M Top Scorer

ReneMihelic £500k ok

Pablo Piatti £1.2M starting XI

Andres Rios £500K looks ok

Paulo Ferreira £1.6M Chelsea transfer listee solid debut

Claudio Pizarro also chelsea transfer list £1.8M

Transfers Out Isiah Osbourne £1M

Gareth BArry £9M

[Harryseaess]

Hey, I fancied a new game and have opted for Aston Villa .

I'm on August 5th 2007 but I think I have finished with the transfer market atleast until January so I will post my signings and outgoings:

Transfers In

Rafael Van Der Vaart - £11mill

Matias Fernandez - £10mill

Aquino - £400k

Christopher Samba - £1.3mill

Bogdan Stancu - £700k

Gabriel Torje - £400k

Aaron Hunt - £6mill

Transfers Out

Wilfred Bouma - £5mill over 24 months

I have decided that my tactic will be 4-3-1-2:

Gk - Carson

DR - Samba

DL - Barry (it was either here or not in the team so he had to settle for DL lol)

DC - Mellberg

DC - Laursen

MR - Young

ML - Fernandez

MC - Reo-Coker

AMC - Van Der Vaart

FC - Carew

FC - Hunt

Will update again at the end of January .

[stoner123]

this is the aston villa thred, also any good player iam on 8.0.2 patch, 2nd season, and about 8m

[arsenal_2111]

I did say I'd answer you when you posted in the right thread, but post your team first please so we know where you need to improve.

And yes, this is the Aston Villa thread.

[Setsuna]

Started my first season at Villa today and I'm going great. Currently 3rd in the league (recent bad form has made me drop 1 place.)

I've just bought Hugo Lloris for 16m. I know it's really steep, but I had the cash from selling other players so whatever! At the start of the season I brought in Larsson, Pavlychenko, Samba, Mathieu, Fernandez and Mihelic. Larsson and Pavlychenko took about 10 games to get into the swing of things and now they're scoring all the time, but Fernandez has been on fire all the way through the season, picking up two player of the month awards, 11 man of the match awards, 28 goals in 37 appearances and 26 assists!

I also recently just snagged Jimenez for 3.5m. I needed to buy a WB-R, but the transfer deadline closed before I could finish up bagging Srno to complete my squad. If anyone can think of some good options for the next window, feel free to let me know.

Here are some screenshots!

If anyone has any tips for strengthening my squad, feel free to share. My defense could do with a bit of sprucing up I guess, but Zat Knight on set pieces is unstoppable. He scores headers all the time, so I can't bring myself to take him off the first team for another defender. He's a good player anyway, just lets in the odd own goal or two!

EDIT: Also, that isn't how Barry and Reo are usually layed out in that first picture, but because Ashley Young is injured, I'm playing them like that. Usually it's Barry CM running back the way, with Ashley Young up the right pushing forward.

[redstar12]

hey guys, I just started with villa, but unfortunately I'm not having the success stories. 15 games in and im 15th on the ladder. the funny thing is, all the games i've lost have been by a goal at most.. usually in the dying stages. biggest problem is the strikers, I have many chances each game but they just cant bag them.. carew has underperformed big time

my team:

gk - carson

dl - bouma

dr - mellberg

dc - knight/cahill

dc - laursen

dmc - coker/gardner

aml - maloney

amr - milner/young

mc - petrov

mc - barry

fc - carew/moore/abo

hmm. i wonder why i cant seem to score any goals. anyone got any tactic ideas?

[Setsuna]

Well I finished my first season and got beat by Chelsea 3-2 on my final game which meant I finished 3rd in the league. I then lost to Chelsea 3-2 again in the final of the FA Cup!

redstar12, I personally got rid of Maloney and Petrov straight away. I played Maloney in a few games to get his value up to 2.7m and then sold him at that. As for Petrov, I can't remember what I sold him for, but it was a mediocre sum.

I'd suggest bringing in Larsson or Pavlychenko. I got Larsson really cheap and he played amazing 2nd half of the season. He'll be better than all the other strikers on your team too, unless you bring in Pavlychenko. He's only really worth a season though, as he's now started to lose attributes in my 2nd season. But by that time, Gabriel will be pretty much good for a first team place. I played him enough in the first season, bringing him off the bench etc, and now I'm playing him almost every game in the 2nd season and he's performing amazing next to Pavlychenko who has also been on fire for me the past two seasons.

Also, I got rid of Bouma and brought in Matthieu, much better player. I'd also suggest bringing in Samba as he's played amazing for me in my Villa game. I replaced Laursen with him.

All these guys can be bought on your first season. Pavychenko will move for 6.5mil which I think is a bargain. Larsson for 650k, but you can probably get him less. Matthieu for about 4mil, Samba for 1mil. I also brought in Rene Mihelic who's playing amazing atm. Bought him for 100k, and had a 10mil offer after the first season from AC Milan, but I rejected! Matias Fernandez is amazing too. I payed 10mil for him.

Yeah, I've pretty much just told you how my team have performed really. But some of those signings are really worth it. And in the 2nd season if you've had some success, I'd suggest bringing in Alves in place of a moving Melberg. He'll go for 26mil and that's not a lot of money if the Villa board gives you a lump like they did for me I had like 50 mil to spend on the 2nd season.

EDIT: Also brought Paul Caddis in on a season long loan for my 2nd season as a backup DR/WB-R. He's performed well in the few appearances he's made for me. I also forgot to say I got rid of Moore. He's a whiny git and I never needed him anyway

[redstar12]

haha. too late now, they sacked me the bastards. just as i was making a mid-season run. ah well, time to see how i fare with abacente

[redstar12]

update - started the game up again, thankfully with different results this time around. coming 6th and looking good about mid-way through the season. i play a 4-3-3 with coker at dmc and young/maloney at amc:

gk - carson

dl - bouma/arca

dr - mellberg

dc - laursen/knight

dc - davies/cahill

dmc - reocoker/banega

mc - barry

mc - gardner / milner

amc - young/maloney

fc - gabby

fc - carew

I notice a lot of you play carew at lone striker...im thinking of doing this.. should i perhaps use young and gabby on the wings? I tend to score a lot, but i also concede way to much... 6-2 against Manutd =(

[Proto Tarkula]

Here is my team. Also Andrea Luci, Luis Jimenez, Miralem Pjanic and Riccardo Lattanzio are coming next season. And I have Eros Coradini, Henri Saivet, Vincent Acapandie and Alessandro de Vitis(I'm not sure he is regen, he doesn't have regen face but I haven't seen him before. He has PA 184 and is MC, he came from Fiorentina maybe).

And I have no patches.

What do you think?

[simonlambert]

Patch 8.0.2, Database from 8.0.1 though.

March 2010 so towards the end of my first season. Finished 4th, 10th respectively and hovering in 5th at the moment. If I don't have a real title push next season I think I will get sacked.

Playing a 3-1-4-2

GK De Sanctis (Sevilla, £850k)

DC Coloccini (Deportivo, £16m)

SW Garay (Racing, £14m)

DC Davies

DMC Barry

RM Young

MC Johnson (Man City, £6m)

MC van der Vaart (HSV £10.5m)

LM Pander (Schalke, free)

ST Defoe (Tottenham, £4.2m)

ST Carew

Subs & notable reserves

GK McGregor (Rangers, £825k)

D C Cahill

D RC etc. Vanden Borre (Fiorentina, £3.8m)

DM C Flamini (Arsenal, £3.6m)

AM LC Mihelic (Maribor, £350k)

AM LC Arango (Mallorca, £6m)

AM LC Trecarichi (Sevilla, £6m)

AM R Torje (Parma, £6m)

AM C Gardner

FC Chevanton (Sevilla, £10.25m)

I don't ever use Scout or anything I don't want to use downloaded tactics. I just seem to be really struggling to get any kind of consistency. Garay and Coloccini have been great, I have just started playing Johnson who seems promising and Defoe is sometimes good. The rest? van der Vaart seems massively overrated by people on here. I have tried playing him 'in the hole' but nothing doing. Mihelic is still developing, Torje seems over-hyped too and Chevanton was a gross waste of money.

I just need a little pointer in the right direction before Randy gives me the chop. Your thoughts comrades?

[cmellows619]

How is everyone getting the best out of Agbonlahor? I'm half way through the second season and all he does is hit one on ones straight at the keeper and balloon it over from 2 yards out.

[WizOfOzNike]

I've just begun as Aston Villa.

I've chosen Barry with Reo-Coker as my captains.

I've got all their new layers, Cuellar, Young, Shorey, Milner, and i've improved Young, Barry and Agbonlahor.

I'm going to play 442, with Milner and Young on the Right and Left respectively (improved Young on the left, bemused by him having 0 there). Carew will be a target man, with Gabby with him up top. Reo Coker and Barry will be the CM's, the two new fullbacks will start and Cuellar will accompany Laursen in defence until Davies is good enough, and finally Friedel will start in goal.

[simonlambert]

Summer 2010. End of 3rd season. I have deals agreed for Huntelaar (£19m) and Stancu (£13m) but can't decide which one I should sign (can only afford one of the two and have only been playing one upfront lately anyway). Finished 4th, 10th and 3rd so none of the 'superstar' players are realistic options yet.

Which one do I go for? Huntelaar or Stancu?

I'm playing with the 8.0.1 database on the 8.0.2 patch, btw.

[Arsenal_Fan_1986]

I sold a lot of players in my 2nd season to raise cash. I still havent found the right tactics although I think I have a good team.

This is my 4-4-1-1

GK - Carson - I just keep extending the loan lol

DL - Bale (from spurs)

DC - Davis

DC - Woodgate (from spurs)

DR - Blaszczkowski or Ferreira (dortmund and chelsea)

ML - Barry

MC - Knight

MC - Johnson (from man city)

MR - Malony

AMC - Young

ST - Agbonlahor/Vennegor/Rosenborg (from Celtic and Werder Bremen) I use these on a rotation system.

Sometimes I play 5-3-2 where knight moves back to CB and my DL/DR just move up to WBL/WBR. Young will then play CM and I will play 2 of my 3 ST.

Finally If I start a game badly and concede early goal and it looks like im gonna do it again I use 4-2-2-2 (2xCM, AML, AMR).

[arsenal_2111]

update - started the game up again, thankfully with different results this time around. coming 6th and looking good about mid-way through the season. i play a 4-3-3 with coker at dmc and young/maloney at amc:

gk - carson

dl - bouma/arca Play Arca

dr - mellberg

dc - laursen/knight Play Knight

dc - davies/cahill

dmc - reocoker/banega Play Reo-Coker

mc - barry

mc - gardner / milner Play Banega

amc - young/maloney Play Young

fc - gabby

fc - carew

I notice a lot of you play carew at lone striker...im thinking of doing this.. should i perhaps use young and gabby on the wings? I tend to score a lot, but i also concede way to much... 6-2 against Manutd =(

I'd keep your formation. It looks good, and I don't rate Gabby too highly.

But otherwise, keep playing that team. Banega is much better at CM because he isn't great defensively.

[arsenal_2111]

Here is my team. Also Andrea Luci, Luis Jimenez, Miralem Pjanic and Riccardo Lattanzio are coming next season. And I have Eros Coradini, Henri Saivet, Vincent Acapandie and Alessandro de Vitis(I'm not sure he is regen, he doesn't have regen face but I haven't seen him before. He has PA 184 and is MC, he came from Fiorentina maybe).

And I have no patches.

What do you think?

de Vitis is a regen I think. Havent heard of him, although he could have a PA of 0 which means that he could have any PA from 0-200. Maybe you got lucky...

- Play Petrov as AMLC instead of Maloney, then use Banega as AMCC. Retrain Banega, he's much better as an AMC

- Get a new LB, Pander should be good.

- Try and fit Bojan in there somewhere.

[arsenal_2111]

Patch 8.0.2, Database from 8.0.1 though.

March 2010 so towards the end of my first season. Finished 4th, 10th respectively and hovering in 5th at the moment. If I don't have a real title push next season I think I will get sacked.

Playing a 3-1-4-2

GK De Sanctis (Sevilla, £850k) Goodish, but there are better, like Costil or Riou

DC Coloccini (Deportivo, £16m) Overpaid by LOADS, but is good, shoulve got Samba

SW Garay (Racing, £14m) Not great. Pretty awful defensively, nd not great anywhere! Should've got Fazio

DC Davies

DMC Barry

RM Young

MC Johnson (Man City, £6m) Great player, great price

MC van der Vaart (HSV £10.5m) Good player, good price

LM Pander (Schalke, free) Strange choice for a ML, I would have tried Marcelo

ST Defoe (Tottenham, £4.2m) Should be great

ST Carew

Subs & notable reserves

GK McGregor (Rangers, £825k)

D C Cahill

D RC etc. Vanden Borre (Fiorentina, £3.8m)

DM C Flamini (Arsenal, £3.6m)

AM LC Mihelic (Maribor, £350k)

AM LC Arango (Mallorca, £6m)

AM LC Trecarichi (Sevilla, £6m)

AM R Torje (Parma, £6m)

AM C Gardner

FC Chevanton (Sevilla, £10.25m)

I don't ever use Scout or anything I don't want to use downloaded tactics. I just seem to be really struggling to get any kind of consistency. Garay and Coloccini have been great, I have just started playing Johnson who seems promising and Defoe is sometimes good. The rest? van der Vaart seems massively overrated by people on here. I have tried playing him 'in the hole' but nothing doing. Mihelic is still developing, Torje seems over-hyped too and Chevanton was a gross waste of money.

I just need a little pointer in the right direction before Randy gives me the chop. Your thoughts comrades?

Apart from Garay, I like your transfers and think you should be aiming for a top 6 position. Awful formation because it will leave your defence uncovered, but otherwise good team.

[arsenal_2111]

Summer 2010. End of 3rd season. I have deals agreed for Huntelaar (£19m) and Stancu (£13m) but can't decide which one I should sign (can only afford one of the two and have only been playing one upfront lately anyway). Finished 4th, 10th and 3rd so none of the 'superstar' players are realistic options yet.

Which one do I go for? Huntelaar or Stancu?

I'm playing with the 8.0.1 database on the 8.0.2 patch, btw.

Go for Huntelaar, he's much better value for money than Stancu. But if you can get Edison Cavani, get him instead.

[arsenal_2111]

I sold a lot of players in my 2nd season to raise cash. I still havent found the right tactics although I think I have a good team.

This is my 4-4-1-1

GK - Carson - I just keep extending the loan lol

DL - Bale (from spurs)

DC - Davis

DC - Woodgate (from spurs)

DR - Blaszczkowski or Ferreira (dortmund and chelsea) Blasz is much better

ML - Barry

MC - Knight Zat? At CM?

MC - Johnson (from man city)

MR - Malony Improve here, Maloney isnt great

AMC - Young

ST - Agbonlahor/Vennegor/Rosenborg (from Celtic and Werder Bremen) I use these on a rotation system. Rosenborg, then Gabby, then JVoH

Sometimes I play 5-3-2 where knight moves back to CB and my DL/DR just move up to WBL/WBR. Young will then play CM and I will play 2 of my 3 ST.

Finally If I start a game badly and concede early goal and it looks like im gonna do it again I use 4-2-2-2 (2xCM, AML, AMR).

Thought of squad in quote

[Arsenal_Fan_1986]

Well I brought woodgate in, zat is a good player and has CM in his positions, I've set him to learn it in training so it becomes Competant, he getting good match ratings.

I know maloney isnt great, I did have him transfer listed but no one wanted him.

For some reason the fans don't like Rosenborg, and the board say it was a poor peice of judgement, but he scored in ever pre season friendly, has scored 5 goals in 8 of his competetive games and has an average rating of 7.6, so god knows why they say that.

[arsenal_2111]

Well I brought woodgate in, zat is a good player and has CM in his positions, I've set him to learn it in training so it becomes Competant, he getting good match ratings.

I know maloney isnt great, I did have him transfer listed but no one wanted him.

For some reason the fans don't like Rosenborg, and the board say it was a poor peice of judgement, but he scored in ever pre season friendly, has scored 5 goals in 8 of his competetive games and has an average rating of 7.6, so god knows why they say that.

I don't rate Zat, but if he's doing well then thats fine I guess.

The fans should warm to Rosenborg if he carries on like that! It sometimes takes a while!

[SeanH91]

Hey guys! I've started a new game as the Villa, mainly because I like them IRL and I've never played as them in the game yet! I want an all English team, and as Villa already have a pretty strong English contingent then I shouldn't have to bring in many players to make us a competent side. I'm playing on 8.0.2 patch with an updated database from TFMS (That Football Manager Site).

English Contingent

So with the English theme in mind here's the current backbone of English talent I have to start from (Playing a 4-3-3):

GK: Taylor

DR: Young

DL: Shorey

DC: Davies

DC: Knight

DM: Reo-Coker

MC: Sidwell

MC: Barry

AMR: Milner/Agbonlahor

AML: Young

ST: Agbonlahor/Harewood

So as you can see that is a pretty strong team already. However there are areas in which I would improve on, those being at Goalkeeper (Replace Taylor), Centre Back (Replace Knight), Central Midfield (Replace Sidwell) and Striker (Replace Harewood and also Agbonlahor isn't that good in-game.)

Transfer Targets

Right now that I've appointed areas to improve on, I've drawn up a short list of players for each position I am targeting:

GK: Ben Foster, Robert Green

DC: Steven Taylor, Joleon Lescott, David Wheater

CM: Kevin Nolan, Michael Carrick

ST: James Vaughan, Dean Ashton, Daniel Sturridge

There may be more players come into my mind as I'm searching but those are the main ones I'm gonna try for. As I only have £15.75m to spend, it looks like I'm going to have to sell a lot of the foreign players to get my targets. On top of those players, I'm also planning a bit for the future and will try to get a hold of Preston Edwards, Joe Mattock, Giles Barnes and Victor Moses.

What I want my team to be

So by the end of the transfer window (I may have to wait until January to have my perfect squad) I'm hoping to have a team that looks something like this:

GK: Foster

DR: Young

DL: Shorey

DC: Davies

DC: Taylor

DM: Reo-Coker

MC: Nolan or Carrick

MC: Barry

AMR: Milner/Agbonlahor

AML: Young

ST: Vaughan or Ashton

Thanks for taking the time to read and any suggestions are welcome