[FM16] Villa's Fountain of Youth

[Fox990]

Just a bit of background before I start. My plan is to get Villa (back) to the top of English football. To do so, I'm going to rely on home-grown youth products and eventually hope to have a whole team that has come through the ranks. I will try to do it realistically, so I won't waltz in and transfer list all my senior first teamers, but I will get rid of them gradually, either through sales or not renewing their contracts. When I do buy players, they have to be youth players no older than 16. I'm using the 16.3.o database, not the winter update.

* * *

Ah, Aston Villa. A grand old club in inexorable decline. It's hard to pinpoint where exactly it went wrong. Was it Martin O'Neill handing massive contracts to the likes of Habib Beye, was it Ged Houllier *****ing a record transfer fee on Darren Bent just as the role of the goal poacher faded into memory? Was it Alex McLeish just...being Alex McLeish?

I pondered this as I set at my desk at Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground, watching one the maintenance men hastily replacing the name "Remi Garde" on the door with my own. It wasn't too long ago that Garde's name had replaced Tim Sherwood's. To say the place had a revolving door of managers is something of an understatement. Garde himself had lasted about 10 seconds in the job, walking or being sacked (depending on who you believe) after being told there were no more funds to spend. I didn't mind having no cash to splash. Villa's shadowy cabal of a recruitment team had left me with a hodge-podge of the good (Idrissa Gueye) the bad (Rudy Gestede) the promising (Jordan Amavi) and the over-the-hill (Joleon Lescott) in a summer splurge, so I was happy enough not to hand them the cheque book again.

I had absolutely no managerial, coaching, or football playing experience and had applied for the job on a whim but somehow my application found its way to Randy Lerner. One Skype interview later and I was, inexplicably, in charge of a Premier League club. I had laid out my long term vision to Lerner of a self sufficient Villa that would produce its own youngsters instead of splashing the cash on foreign imports (or splashing even more cash on home grown players!) and he readily agreed. Anything to avoid putting his hand in his pocket, I thought.

In my first season I was tasked with simply keeping the club in the Premier League. Still, with one eye on the future I asked my newly-appointed Head of Youth Development, Phil Cannon, to appraise the most promising youngsters:

Jack Grealish

The most promising one in the lot, the young English/Irish winger has the talent to make it to the very top, although his attitude may be lacking. I resolved to make him a regular in my first team to help him reach his potential. Before a ball had even been kicked Chelsea were sniffing around.

Andre Green

Right footed, but capable of playing on either flank, the 17-year-old Birmingham born winger has pace to burn and enjoys a dribble, though low stamina and strength means he may struggle with the pace and physicality of the league. I decided to keep him around the first team squad in the early months of the season as he may be an option from the bench. However I may decide to loan him out later in the season if he needs game time.

Easiah Suliman

A tall, left footed centre back or left back, he's hard working and a good tackler, he will again be around the first team squad as back up in the first half of the season, but may be sent on loan to develop.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy

Perhaps the rawest of the club's promising youngsters, Cannon told me they have dubbed him "the new Michael Owen". He's quick and has an eye for goal, but he's not exactly the most rounded player as right now that's all he's got. Ripe for a loan spell in the lower leagues, but I wanted to keep him around initially to see how he does training with the first team.

* * *

So with none of my home grown youngsters back Grealish ready for first team action just yet, I decided to take a look and what I did have to work with. Frankly, it was not as bad as I expected. There were some good players there, although I was not sold on any of my strikers. Expensive new signing Jordan Ayew looked the best of them, but given he had only scored double figures once before in his career, I expected him to be erratic. Beyond that we had Gabby Agbonlahor, once a promising England international, now a pale shadow of what he could have been; Rudy Gestede, a classic target man who scored goals in the Championship but didn't look quite good enough at the highest level; and Libor Kozak who...er...well, he's tall.

I decided to play a 4-3-2-1 formation with Gueye holding in the defensive midfield position and Westwood and Veretout supplying the creativity in front of him. Jack Grealish will play on the left, cutting inside, while Adama Traore will hopefully use his pace to good effect on the right, and Ayew will lead the line.

The defense is a bit worrysome. None of my right backs are great but I feel Dutchman Leandro Bacuno will at least offer a threat going forward, and the pacy Amavi should do likewise on the left. In the middle I picked erstwhile full back Micah Richards alongside initially Ciaran Clarke, although I would expect Jores Okore to provide a challenge for Clark's spot when fit. In goal Brad Guzan was the obvious pick, with Mark Bunn clearly not up to standard. I decided to loan the promising Jed Steer out to Brentford to hopefully get some experience.

My ideal team, then, looked like this:

GK: Brad Guzan

DR: Leandro Bacuna

DC: Micah Richards

DC: Ciaran Clark/Jores Okore

DL: Jordan Amavi

DM: Idrissa Gueye

MC: Jordan Veretout

MC: Ashley Westwood

AMR: Adama Traore

AML: Jack Grealish

SC: Jordan Ayew

Pre-season went well, and in fact we won every single friendly. It's nothing to shout about though, teams we played included our own Under-21 and Under-18 sides (whom we beat 1-0 and 8-0, which makes me worry a bit as I intend to rely on those guys in the near future!), local non-league outfit Chasetown (5-0) and no-mark French sides like Bastia (6-0) and Chamois Niortais (3-1).

I was ready for the season to begin. I had not signed anyone and thankfully, no one made a bid for any of my first teamers. I did loan out a raft of youngsters to the lower leagues, the most promising of which were 'keeper Jed Steer (Brentford), versatile defender Joshua Webb (Cambridge), attacking midfielder Khalid Abdo (York) and winger Moustafa Zeidan (Exeter). My scouts would keep an eye on all of them.

Our first game was a sort-of local derby against Mark Hughes' Stoke City. They were an interesting side with talented but inconsistent players like Bojan, Afellay and Arnautovic. I was able to pick my favoured side, Stoke played an interesting 4-4-1-1 with Afellay and Arnautovic on the flanks, Bojan behind Joselu and Charlie Adam and Marco van Ginkel patrolling the middle. It was at Villa Park, and I felt confident.

Aston Villa 3-1 Stoke City

I was right to be confident. Things got off to a good start. After just 10 minutes, some good work down the right between Bacuna and a drifting Ayew saw the ball flung in towards the far post. Grealish was out-jumped by Wilson but he could only head the ball down to Traore. The young Spaniard kept his composure and fed Veretout, unmarked just inside the box, and he placed the ball into the far corner.

10 minutes later and Ayew won himself a penalty, going down under a heavy challenge from a corner, but Butland saved his soft effort. We eventually did make it two just before half time, a floated free kick from Grealish found the head of Gueye, who thumped it in.

Stoke got one back straight from the kick off, a neat passing move dragged out defence all over the place and Afellay tapped in Arnautovic's low cross. It was the only time they had really troubled us.

In the second half we brought on the pace of Agbonlahor and the battering ram of Gestede and played on the break. It worked for us eventually, Ayew fizzed in a cross from the left that was met by an unmarked Agbonlahor at the far post. 3-1, and that was that.

All in all a very good day at the office. Goals for two debutants, and excellent performance from young Grealish and reminders from Gabby and Gestede that they still have useful attributes if used in the right way. My only worry was Stoke scoring virtually the only time they entered our half, and Ayew's penalty miss - I hoped it would not have too much of an affect on his confidence.

* * *

Up next, another all Midlands affair with a trip to play Claudio Ranieri's Leicester for a televised Monday night game. Leicester had lost their opener 2-1 to Everton, but were tricky customers. The pace of Vardy in particular was a concern. That said, we had played so well against Stoke that I decided to forge ahead with the same tactics and team - I had only one change enforced on me, Traore had picked up a knock on training. After much deliberating I decided to pick Scott Sinclair (remember him?) for the right wing berth.

Leicester City 2-1 Aston Villa

An irritating defeat, this one. The first half was a bit of a non-event, we struggled to get in behind Wes Morgan and their summer signing Harlee Dean, while Vardy kept latching onto long balls but running into blind alleys.

We did eventually take lead in first half stoppage time. A Grealish free kick delivery caused panic in the box and after a round of pinball, Scott Sinclair kept his composure to ram the loose ball home.

Our lead didn't last long. Right from kick off in the second half Leicester had the ball in our net. A raking ball from ex-Villain Marc Albrighton found Mahrez in acres of space down our right - Bacuna had gone wondering, for reasons known only to him - and the Algerian's near post cross was flicked into the far corner by Okazaki. 1-1.

From then on it was like two drunks slugging it out in a pub car park. End to end attacking football with very little quality. In the 64th minute Jordan Amavi got himself sent off for a second yellow after a rash tackle on Vardy. Kieran Richardson came on and we went to a 4-4-1 diamond. We were hanging on grimly until the 84th minute, when a Vardy cross was headed clear by Richards to the onrushing substitute Nathan Dyer. He lashed home a volley, on the run, into the top corner. We couldn't come back from that.

* * *

I didn't want to dwell too long on that defeat. We didn't play well but nor did they, and on another day we would have got at least a point or maybe snuck a win. Our next game was at home against newly promoted Watford, and I felt we had the beating of them. Watford play a 4-2-3-1 but leave a LOT of space between their two defensive midfielders and the three attacking ones. I felt our triumvirate of Gueye, Veretout and Westwood could boss the middle of the park and drag us to victory.

Aston Villa 3-0 Watford

As expected this game was easily won. Our best performance of the 3 games so far, the game also saw Jordan Ayew break his duck for the season with a brace. The first was from the penalty spot after Ayew himelf had been brought down and the second - our third - was on the stroke of half time, latching on to a Veretout through ball before rolling it into the far corner of the net. In between those two was a beautiful solo effort from the returning Adama Traore, slaloming past two Watford defenders before slipping the ball through the 'keeper's legs.

The second half was a non-event. Watford could not muster anything, we were content to go through the motions and conserve our energy with the game already won.

* * *

The League Cup was up next, a tough-looking home game against Leeds. I was not too bothered about the League Cup. Of course, silverware is always nice, but staying up in the league was my primary concern. As such I decided to use the game to test out fringe senior players and youngsters.

Mark Bunn came in for Guzan and youngster Easiah Suliman was given a debut at left back. Lescott would provide the experience at the back alongside young Liverpool loanee Tiago Illori, and Spanish summer signing Jose Angel Crespo would play at right back. Carlos Sanchez filled in for Gueye while Gary Gardner and veteren Joe Cole got starts in the middle. Carlos Gill played in Grealish's role while home grown duo Andre Green and Hepburn-Murphy filled the right wing and striker roles, respectively.

Aston Villa 0-3 Leeds United

Well. My much changed team took a hell of a beating. If I ever needed proof for my suspicions that A) my youngsters weren't quite ready, and B) my fringe players weren't up to much then this confirmed it.

Leeds dominated from start to finish and had all three goals by half time, a half in which we did not muster a single shot. Mark Bunn was culpable for two of the goals, first letting Soulemayne Doukara's header squirm inside his near post, and then somehow failing to hold onto a long range shot from Tommaso Bianchi that was straight at him, allow it to hit his body and bounce in. By the time Doukara lobbed him for the third goal after half an hour the game was done.

Some players had their chances to impress me here and failed. I didn't blame my youngsters, though I did decide loaning Hepburn-Murphy out would be better than him enduring performances like this, so he went to Yeovil to (hopefully) find the net in League 2. As for the senior pros like Bunn, Crespo, Lescott and Cole, they might have to get used to playing reserve team football.

* * *

So after an interesting first four games we were 7th in the league (two wins, one loss) and out of the League Cup. I was cautiously optimistic that we could grab a high mid table finish to build on. But there were storm clouds gathering on the horizon. A tricky run of fixtures lay ahead including trips to Old Trafford and the Emirates, as well as home games against Newcastle, Everton and West Ham. That run would take us into October, and then we might really know how good (or bad) we really are. That wasn't all, as there were media reports of a possible takeover for Villa. On the one hand, a Chairman who gives a damn would be welcome, but on the other, how likely would a new owner be to keep me, a no-experience nobody? I knew I needed to get some results to secure my future....

[CFuller]

Welcome to FMS, Fox990. This looks promising, and I hope to read more in the future.

I quite like Villa, even after their utter mess of a season in real life. I'm really looking forward to seeing if you can get the best out of Easah Suliman and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy - I've heard good things about those two lads in particular, and I certainly considered signing them for Arsenal in my current FM16 save...

Anyway, I'll leave you to it. Keep up the good start.

[mark wilson27]

As CFuller said Welcome to FMS, I did consider doing a story myself with Villa but decided against it. Will be looking to see if you can fair better than the real life managers they've had this season.

[tenthreeleader]

This is good stuff. Welcome and we'll look forward to seeing more!

[Fox990]

Thanks guys, I'll have another update done before the weekend!

[Fox990]

After the embarrassing Leeds defeat, I needed to sort things out. But also, I wanted to sort out my rather neglected backroom staff. In addition to bringing in Phil Cannon to head up youth development, I brought in the experience of Sean O’Driscoll to be my assistant and legendary ex-manager Steve Coppell came in as my Director of Football. Who better to provide advice than two men who have been there and done it in the dugout?

To supplement that I brought in a raft of ex-players as coaches including Paul Scholes, Angelo Peruzzi and Enrico Chiesa and a number of highly-rated youth coaches from the lower leagues to hopefully help me produce the first team stars of the future.

So, with things sorted off the pitch, what about on it? A trip to Old Trafford wasn’t exactly the best tonic after our last result, but there was nothing to be done about it. I switched back to my first choice eleven, with no one from the League Cup debacle making a case for their inclusion. I toyed with the idea of going ultra defensive to try and sneak a point, but then decided against it. We’ve been good in the league so far this season, so why not give it our best and see how we do? After all, United are no longer the invincible force of old.

Manchester United 2-0 Aston Villa

Can’t complain there, really. The 2-0 scoreline might look like we put up a fight, but in truth it could – and should – have been more for Van Gaal’s boys. Mata got them off the mark with 3 minutes gone with a rocket from the edge of the box, and from then on it was all United. It took them until the 67th minute to add to their tally, a jinking run and finish from Ashley Young sealed the deal.

The only thing of note from our performance was an injury to Adama Traore that would leave him out for a few months. A big blow as his pace down the right had been a potent weapon thus far in the season.

* * *

The United game was the last one in August, and the transfer window clanged shut with no incomings at all and only a few loan outgoings for some fringe youngsters. All in all in the Premier League it was a quiet window. Chelsea were the biggest movers, strengthening their defence with the signings of Sime Vrsalkjko from Sassuolo, Nikola Maksimovic from Torino and Emanuel Mammana from River. Other than that, most of the teams stuck with what they had.

After the disappointing - but not entirely surprising - non performance at Old Trafford, we were looking to get back on the horse by welcoming Newcastle United to Villa Park. I had some changes to make. Carles Gil came in for the injured Traore, while a tired looking Clark was dropped to the bench and replaced by the veteran Lescott for his debut (Okore was still out with a long term injury).

Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle United

A vintage performance this wasn't. Two teams that had trouble hitting the target, but thankfully we managed to find the net. Florian Thauvin caused us all sorts of trouble down our left, but frequently failed to find the final ball. On the rare occasions he did, the front two of Cisse and Ayoze Perez fluffed their lines.

We grabbed what proved to be the winning goal two minutes after the break. It was a lovely move. Our right back Bacuna floated a ball to Gil in space on the right. He floated a ball to Westwood, approaching the edge of the area. He chipped a through ball into Grealish who brought it down with his left foot and flicked the ball beyond Tim Krul with his right. Other than that, we didn't produce much, but we didn't need to.

* * *

A tough game up next - Arsenal away. Against Man Utd I decided to play our normal game to see how we matched up against one of the big dogs. We were beaten, and beaten easily. Frankly, we could not go toe-to-toe against the big sides and expect to win. And so, I made changes against Arsenal. Our basic 4-3-2-1 shape remained in place, but I instructed the team to sit a lot deeper, back the midfield and defence, and (hopefully) hit them on the break with direct balls up to Grealish, Gil and Ayew.

In terms of personnel I brought in new boy Jose Angel Crespo for Bacuna, who was rested, and a now fully fit Ciaran Clark replaced Lescott.

Arsenal 1-0 Aston Villa

This was a tough one. As expected, we were clinging on against Wenger's men, throwing bodies in front of the ball to block chance after chance, our clearances almost always landing at the feet of an Arsenal player to launch another attack.

That said, we kept it at 0-0 for a while. It was almost the 70th minute before Arsenal broke the deadlock. Walcott was breaking into the penalty area, near the byline, when Micah Richards produced a thundering challenge. The ball fell loose and Clark whacked it away. As seemed to happen all day, a man in red was first to the loose ball. Coquelin fed Ramsey, who spotted Alexis Sanchez in space on the right. His through ball was slipped in between Amavi and Clark, and Sanchez found the top corner.

That goal set a pattern that continued for the rest of the game. They attacked, we panicked. But they didn't score again. In truth 1-0 isn't a terrible result, but I was not impressed with the defensive style. It was 1-0 but it could have been six or seven. Back to the drawing board for games against the bigger sides.

* * *

September came to an end with a home game against Everton. I went back to our standard formation, as felt we could be a match for the Toffees even though they had some frightening individuals. Gueye had picked up an injury so was replaced by Carlos Sanchez, while the next man to try and fill the hole on the right left by the injured Traore was Scott Sinclair. I was hopeful of a good result to bounce back after the Arsenal defeat.

Aston Villa 1-3 Everton

A strange result, this. It looks comfortable for Everton, but in reality it could have gone either way. We actually took the lead 10 minutes before half time in bizarre fashion - Sinclair's looped cross from the right was caught by the wind and flew over Tim Howard's head into the far corner.

Our 1-0 lead lasted until the 65 minute, when Everton took advantage of the high winds in the Midlands. Seamus Coleman this time launched a cross that, like Sinclair's in the first half, looked to be heading in. However our American keeper kept it out, but his desperate lunge only resulted in him pawing the ball down, straight into the path of Lukaku, some six yards out. He wasn't going to miss.

From there, Everton kept attacking. We had chances on the break but couldn't find the net. Funes Mori made it 2-1 with a bullet of a header from a corner, and then we were caught on the break, pouring forward for an equaliser in the 75th minute. Everton broke up our attacking and a lovely flowing move of their own involving Lukaku, Naismith and Lennon saw the dimunitive winger bursting through on goal, and he slotted past Guzan to secure a 3-1 win.

To say that result was disappointing was an understatement, but worse was to follow. An email from the Chairman Tom Fox informed me that the owner, Randy Lerner, had entered into negotiations to sell the club to a Brazilian consortium fronted by the excellently-named ex-Brazil forward Roberto Dinamite. According to media reports, should he take control he planned to install his friend Fernando Hierro (of Real Madrid fame) in my seat. The Chairman informed me that a self-imposed transfer embargo was in place until talks had ended. I wasn't bothered about - I wasn't buying anyone and the window was closed anyway - but I was very aware that my position was under threat. The best I could do was win enough games so that Dinamite - should be get control - couldn't ditch me.

Winnable games against West Ham, Swansea and Saints awaited. I needed to win them and hope for the best...

[edtheguy]

But also, I wanted to sort out my rather neglected backroom staff....

There could be a slight understatement there. Sorting that would probably make the supporters as happy as points won on the pitch...