Aston Villa were utterly miserable during the 2015/16 campaign and were unsurprisingly relegated from the Premier League, meaning Championship football for next season.

The summer has gone well so far however with a new takeover and the appointment of Champions League winner Roberto Di Matteo, offering optimism to the long suffering Villa faithful.

The fixture computer wasn’t too kind to Aston Villa when the schedule was announced on Wednesday morning, with the Villains facing a daunting trip to Hillsborough to take on last season’s beaten play-off finalists Sheffield Wednesday during the opening weekend.

Villa will probably get a good indication of the sort of season they are in for during the opening couple of weeks and signing the right players will be crucial for the new boss in the coming weeks.

Football League World writer Lee Clarke takes a look at a potential starting line-up, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, for Aston Villa in their opening game.

 GK – Costel Pantilimon

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The big Romanian stopper is a target for Villa this summer and his experience of playing in the Premier League could make him a wise addition to the squad.

At 29-years-old the ex-Manchester City man is relatively young for a goalkeeper and Villa could tie him down ahead of his peak years.

Pantilimon was at Watford last season but failed to make a first-team appearance for them, with a summer move looking highly likely.

RB – Micah Richards

Watford and Bournemouth are eyeing a move for Richards

 

The Aston Villa captain is unlikely to be sold this summer but he could revert back to his former position on the right-hand side of a back four.

Richards learnt his trade playing as a right-back and his 13 England caps were all won as a solid full-back so playing him at central defence last season was seemingly odd.

The 28-year-old is passionate and will no doubt be determined to ensure Villa end up back where they belong playing Premier League football.

CB – Tommy Elphick

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The recent signing from Bournemouth is a quality addition to the Aston Villa squad and sees boss Di Matteo steal a genuine march on his Championship counterparts.

The man who captained the Cherries to a Championship title is a Premier League quality player and the fact he has dropped back into the second tier is a real coup for the Villains.

The 28-year-old cost Villa in the region of £3 million but if he helps bring Premier League football back to Villa Park, it will seem like a drop in the ocean.

CB – Ciaran Clark

Ciaran Clark

The 26-year-old central defender is often seen as an undervalued member of the first-team squad and having risen through the ranks at Villa, he is another player who will be desperate to ensure a return to the Premier League.

The defender made 18 appearances next season but is likely to play a much more pivotal role in the first-team next season with the club in the Championship.

Clark is currently at Euro 2016 with the Republic of Ireland squad and given their form at the tournament he will probably return with his confidence bolstered.

LB – Jordan Amavi

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It might seem a long shot that the highly-rated Frenchman will still be at Aston Villa come the 7th August, but given his injury issue it might be a possibility.

There is little to doubt that the club missed the pace and energy of Amavi during last season, with the youngster missing the majority of the season through a knee ligament problem.

If the 22-year-old turn out for Villa in the Championship there is little to doubt that the club would be blessed with one of the very best left-backs in the division.

CM – Gary Gardner

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Gardner has been with Aston Villa since he was 13-years-old and next season might be the time for the club to give him a run of games in the first-team.

A lifelong Villa fan and the brother of West Bromwich Albion midfielder Craig, Gardner deserves his chance to shine in the first-team, after a series of successful loan spells away from Villa Park.

At Nottingham Forest last season and the season previous he adhered himself to fans with a string of fine performances in the middle of the park.

CM – Daniel Williams

Danny WilliamsDanny Williams

The Reading midfielder has been linked with a move to Villa Park and the American player is seemingly on Roberto Di Matteo’s radar.

The 27-year-old has made 94 appearances in English football since arriving in 2013 from Hoffenheim and he would make a solid addition to the Villa side.

Players with Championship expertise will be at the very top of Di Matteo’s wish list and Williams would certainly be an improvement on the current crop of talent at Villa Park.

AMR – Scott Sinclair

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The Villa winger wasn’t at his free flowing best last season but then the same could be said for a lot of other Villa stars for the 2015/16 campaign.

One thing that does help Villa if Sinclair sticks around is his proven Championship qualities following his time at Swansea City, where he helped them to promotion into the Premier League.

During the 2010/11 campaign he netted 27 goals for the Swans and Villa would love to see the player replicate such form during next season.

AMC – Ravel Morrison

Morrison could face being at the centre of a transfer battle as interest in him intensifies

The controversial former Manchester United youngster has emerged as a target for Villa during the current transfer window, in what would be an intriguing signing to say the least.

There is little to doubt Morrison’s talent but serious question marks hang over the player regarding his application.

Villa do not need any passengers next season but if boss Di Matteo  thinks he can get the player back on the straight and narrow, then the club could have a real player on their hands.

AML – Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish

The young winger could be about to embark on his breakthrough season in English football, with his career stagnating somewhat during the last campaign.

The 20-year-old is one of the brightest talents in English football and after a series of high profile hiccups off the field, he owes Villa a solid season on it.

He played just 831 minutes for Villa last season and he will be hoping to hit the ground running during the 2016/17 campaign, with the club keen to get the supporters back on side as soon as possible into next season.

ST – Rudy Gestede

Gestede

The gangly striker signed for Villa at the start of last season and made an immediate impact with a winning goal on the opening day at Bournemouth.

That was about as good as it got for the former Cardiff City man however and a big season is needed from the striker during the forthcoming campaign.

The Frenchman’s record at Blackburn Rovers was very good, with 32 goals in just 66 games and Villa will be hoping he can become just as prolific this season.

Aston Villa fans, would you be happy if this side started the first game at Sheffield Wednesday? Who else would you like to see start in the team next season? Let us know in the comments below!!!