Aston Villa fans will be hoping to see their team churn out some respectable performances over the next nine months, with the club set to embark on their maiden season playing football in the Sky Bet Championship.

Champions League winning manager Roberto Di Matteo is the man tasked with the job of breathing some life into a flailing football club, with the Villains relegated in miserable fashion last season.

The Birmingham-based outfit were consigned to the Championship after collecting just 17 points from their 38 games throughout the Premier League season.

Villa kick-off their season in the second tier with a tricky looking trip to last season’s beaten play-off finalists, Sheffield Wednesday and Hillsborough is sure to be rocking on the opening weekend of the season.

Football League World writer Lee Clarke takes a look at a 4-4-2 formation that would see Aston Villa start their season in style.

 GK – Pierluigi Gollini

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When the Italian goalkeeper was released by Manchester United in 2014 he would have been forgiven for thinking that his days in English football were firmly behind him.

Some impressive form over the last two years for Verona however have prompted new Villa boss Roberto Di Matteo into bringing him back to the UK with the Villains.

It is unlikely that the 21-year-old will have been signed as back up, so I would fully expect him to be a big player for the Sky Bet Championship club next season.

RB – Alan Hutton

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It is highly likely that Aston Villa will recruit a new right-back ahead of their visit to Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day, but if they don’t then Hutton could earn a reprieve.

The defender has Championship experience on his CV following loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Bolton Wanderers and that could be important next season.

Hutton arrived at Villa Park in 2011 and has made 86 appearances during his time with the West Midlands-based club.

CB – Tommy Elphick

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It is extremely like that the former Bournemouth man will be handed that captain’s armband ahead of next season, following his leadership exploits when skippering the Cherries to the Sky Bet Championship title.

It was a surprise that Eddie Howe opted to let him leave Dean Court but Bournemouth’s loss is Aston Villa’s gain and the central defender will be a real asset to Villa next season.

Elphick is a solid defender at Championship level and his presence at the back for Villa should make them more difficult to beat next season.

CB – Nathan Baker

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With Joleon Lescott, Micah Richards and Ciaran Clark all expected to be sold in the coming weeks, it could hand academy graduate Nathan Baker a chance to shine in the first team at Villa Park.

The 25-year-old performed well during a loan spell with Bristol City last season and became a big part of their team, playing 36 times and scoring a single goal during their maiden season back in the Championship.

The arrival of a new manager will hand everyone at Villa a clean slate and Baker could get the chance to add to his 79 Villa appearances.

LB – Jordan Amavi

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The French left-back picked up a serious injury just 10 games into his Aston Villa career which cruelly ended his 2015/16 season.

The France under-21 international was in fine form before his injury and his presence in a Sky Bet Championship side will be a major plus for the club next season.

Amavi looks set for a bright future in football and if Villa can keep hold of him for the entirety of the next campaign, they will have the best left-back in the division by some distance.

RM – Adama Traore

Adama Traore

The 20-year-old didn’t enjoy the best of campaigns during the 2015/16 season and made just nine appearances for the Villains after a series of injury problems.

The former Barcelona man could have a part to play for Villa in the Championship during the forthcoming campaign and his blistering pace could terrify full-backs in the second tier.

Traore owes the Villa faithful a string of performances and his presence in the side could be an asset for the club next season – if he stays fit!

CM – Aaron Tshibola

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The 21-year-old central midfielder completed a transfer to Aston Villa from Reading earlier this month and is very much one for the future.

He completed his move to Villa Park for an undisclosed fee after just 13 appearances for the Reading first-team and Aston Villa clearly have big plan for the youngster.

Tshibola is quality when it comes to breaking up play and his defensive midfield qualities will be important next season in the unforgiving league that is the Championship.

CM – Gary Gardner

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Academy graduate Gardner hasn’t featured for the Villa first-team since 2011 and has been on new fewer than five loan spells away from Villa Park.

His last two spells at Nottingham Forest have been extremely successful and he adhered himself to the Reds faithful with six goals in 38 appearances.

His passionate displays for Forest saw him build up quite a rapport at the City Ground but Villa’s relegation into the Championship offers him a chance to finally hold down a place in the first-team next season.

LM – Jack Grealish

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The highly-rated winger will be hoping to kick-start his career during next season after stagnating somewhat last season, after falling out of favour with former boss Remi Garde.

The 20-year-old possesses skill, trickery and pace to burn making him one of the most important players in the Aston Villa squad for next season.

The England under-21 international has played in the Football League previously after a loan spell at Notts County during the 2013/14 campaign, where he made 37 appearances and scored five goals.

ST – Rudy Gestede

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The target man has an impressive goal ratio when it comes to playing Championship football, following successful spells with Cardiff City and more recently Blackburn Rovers.

The Villa squad doesn’t currently possess a lot of Championship experience and one thing that every team needs in the second tier is someone who knows how to score goals at the level – Gestede will offer that.

During his time at Blackburn he netted 33 goals in 66 games and became one of the most feared marksmen in the second tier. Villa will be hoping for a similar return next season.

ST – Patrick Bamford

Patrick BamfordPatrick Bamford

One area in which boss Di Matteo will be desperate to bolster will be in attack and Chelsea youngster Bamford would form a perfect partnership with Gestede.

The former Nottingham Forest youngster has a quality eye for goal and became a reputable talisman during his spell with Middlesbrough the season before last, netting 19 goals to fire them to the Play-Off Final.

Bamford is hard working and his work-rate would be a quality majorly appreciated by the Villa faithful, who are hoping to see improved performances from their team next season.

Aston Villa fans, would you welcome this 4-4-2 to start the season at Sheffield Wednesday? What changes would you make?