Well I'm in 4th season, I made a lot of money and all players that you mentioned(Villa, Dani Alves, Ribery, Gerrard, C.Ronaldo, Sweinsteiger) I bought them last two seasons.
No, all this I made it without editor. In my first season I bought around 20 players free and I sold them immediately for little money, and I sold half of the reserve team.
Ok with players that we have at the moment, the best formation by me is:
------------------Buffon------------------
Zebina---Grygera---Andrade---Chielini
------------------Zanetti-----------------
--------------Tiago---Almiron-----------
Camoranesi--------------Del Piero----...
ZAMBROTTA - because he was a true Juventino
Cannavaro - he become the best defender in the world when he played in Juve
Mutu - we never give a chance to him to show the real quality