Here is a brief team guide of the Aston Villa squad in FM20, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM manager can use.
Here is a brief club analysis of the Aston Villa squad in FM20, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM manager can use.About the club
Villa are one of the founding members of the football league in 1888 & also one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992. Villa are a club rich in history and were a premiership team for 24 years until their relegation in 2016.
After a few turbulent years and ownership changes, Villa have made it to the PL again through a playoff win over Derby County.
The board's expectations
Survival will be the only thing on the board’s mind and the ask from managers should be,
- Survival from relegation in the PL
- A 5th round < finish in the FA Cup
- A 4th round < finish in the EFL Carabao Cup.
There will not be any specific football philosophies required from the manager and you can employ whichever style of football you see fit, but slightly preferred style from the board is for team to play entertaining attacking football.
Villa however, were one of the heaviest spenders this season. They have already spent over £140m already and secured a whole host of new signings. Obviously, there is going to be a very negligible budget provided as the money is already spent. You can expect £47.53m transfer budget money, and £541k p/w reserved for wages of future signings.
The board will also ask for you to sign players under the age of 23 for the first team, make no signings of players who are over the age of 28. You should maintain self-sustainability and sign players to sell for a profit. It is required from you to work within wage budget.
Villa have decent training facilities and an adequate youth set up. However, as with other lower half teams you will need to work on improving this once you gain stability at the club.
Squad, Formation and Tactical Style
The squad, especially after all the new transfers is quite strong and the requirement of not getting relegated should really be achievable.
The best suited tactical set up with Villa is the fluid counter attack. Villa have some really good midfielders and wingers who will help in fast transitions, so opting for a counter attacking style of football should really suit the club.
A 4-1-4-1 is the ideal set up for this Villa squad. This formation if for tough games, which you'll have plenty of.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-1-4-1 formation is as follows,
- Tom Heaton as a regular keeper
- Bjorn Engels & Tyrone Mings as the 2 centre backs.
- Frederic Guilbert & Matt Targett as the 2 full backs with increased crossing instructions.
- Douglas Luiz as the holding midfielder, Jack Grealish as the box-to-box mid & John McGinn as a CM/Mezzala are your 3 central midfielders.
- El Ghazi & David Trezeguet as your left and right wingers respectively
- Wesley as your lone striker in a complete forward role or advanced forward.
Alternatively, when you change to a more cautious 4-1-4-1 by just dropping your wingers a bit deeper and play them as wide midfielders ensuring support for the fullbacks.
Please note that 6 players that I have starting are new to the squad so they could take some time to gel and find the right chemistry.
Key Players
1. Tyrone Mings
Mings recently got his first International cap and is a very tenacious young defender. You could have a real star in your hands if you keep other clubs from poaching the defender.
2. Jack Grealish
Grealish is the club captain and is a quality winger. His direct running and crossing will cause a host of problems for your opponents and will be critical in making chances for your team.
3. John McGinn
McGinnis an accomplished central midfielder with a keen eye for goal. His long shots are accurate and could pose a real threat when the opponent least expects it.
4. Wesley
Wesley is Villa’s record signing. Great things are expected from the Brazilian attacker and his form is vital for the team’s fortunes.
Weaknesses
- The quality of defenders outside the first XI is mediocre and your team can ship in a lot of goals if you don’t get the combination right.
- With so many new signings there is a lack of chemistry on the pitch and in the dressing room. It could already be too late in the season when you eventually work things out.
- With the club already spending so much of money, there is nothing left for the new manager even if he wishes to strengthen any positions.
Youngsters to keep an eye on
There are a few exciting young prospects in the ranks or on loan who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are;
- Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (ST)
- Jack Doyle Hayes (CM)
- Colin Odutayo (AMR)
FM20 Aston Villa summery
To Summarise, Villa have a very strong squad for just survival, but as we saw last season with Fulham, spending money doesn’t guarantee success. Can you take over Villa and solidify their position in the PL again?
