Villa Galacticos

[mjmooney]

Hundreds of players have come and gone through the Villa ranks over the years, with lineups constantly shifting. But every now and then, a first XI seems to settle and stick in the memory - so that most fans can reel off the eleven names without hesitation. I think the current side is getting to that stage. I was slightly out of the loop during the Graham Taylor years, but I expect many of you would have one from that era. For me, while there are outstanding individuals from other years (Aitken, Graydon, Little, Milner, etc.) only two full lineups really stand out to that level - the 80-82 side, and the mid-90s one. Here are my Villa Galacticos, with the current team pressing for the Hall of Fame: 

Ron Saunders' team: 

Rimmer, Williams, Evans, McNaught, Swain, Mortimer, Bremner, Cowans, Morley, Withe, Shaw

Brian Little's team: 

Bosnich, Wright, Ehiogu, Southgate, McGrath, Charles, Taylor, Draper, Townsend, Yorke, Milosevic 

Dean Smith's team: 

Martinez, Targett, Mings, Konsa, Cash, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Barkley, Trezeguet, Grealish, Watkins 

It may need a couple of tweaks, but I'd say the core of that side (7 or 8 players) are nailed-on starters for several years to come. And it's been a long while since that has happened. 

[MaVilla]

I think the following players in our team could be the core to build the next 5 years around:

Martinez, Mings, Konsa, Cash, McGinn, Grealish, Watkins.

I would also add Luiz to that if Man City don't buy him back within the next two windows.

So that's 3 slots still up for grabs for me at this time, LB (i like Targett but not sure he would be part of the finished article team), MC (buy Barkley :P), and right wing (hopefully Traore can take it)

[stewiek2]

I'd say that side Big Ron put together in 92-93 was a bit special too. Never seen such incredible liquid football.

Edited October 20, 2020 by stewiek2

[maqroll]

1 hour ago, mjmooney said:

Hundreds of players have come and gone through the Villa ranks over the years, with lineups constantly shifting. But every now and then, a first XI seems to settle and stick in the memory - so that most fans can reel off the eleven names without hesitation. I think the current side is getting to that stage. I was slightly out of the loop during the Graham Taylor years, but I expect many of you would have one from that era. For me, while there are outstanding individuals from other years (Aitken, Graydon, Little, Milner, etc.) only two full lineups really stand out to that level - the 80-82 side, and the mid-90s one. Here are my Villa Galacticos, with the current team pressing for the Hall of Fame: 

Ron Saunders' team: 

Rimmer, Williams, Evans, McNaught, Swain, Mortimer, Bremner, Cowans, Morley, Withe, Shaw

Brian Little's team: 

Bosnich, Wright, Ehiogu, Southgate, McGrath, Charles, Taylor, Draper, Townsend, Yorke, Milosevic 

Dean Smith's team: 

Martinez, Targett, Mings, Konsa, Cash, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Barkley, Trezeguet, Grealish, Watkins 

It may need a couple of tweaks, but I'd say the core of that side (7 or 8 players) are nailed-on starters for several years to come. And it's been a long while since that has happened. 

Not sure I'd class Trez, Cash or Watkins as Villa Galacticos just yet. But your point is taken. There's a formidable core in place as along as we retain or improve on Luiz and Barkley when their loan deals expire.

By the way, those MON teams were pretty good too-

Freidel, Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma, Young, Milner, Downing, Carew, Bent

[Pelle]

1 hour ago, stewiek2 said:

I'd say that side Big Ron put together in 92-93 was a bit special too. Never seen such incredible liquid football.

That was my immediate thought.

Bossnich; Barrett, McGrath, Teale, Staunton; Houghton, Richardson, Parker, Froggatt; Saunders, Atkinson

What a team and what a lovely football they played.

[Woody1000]

17 minutes ago, maqroll said:

Not sure I'd class Trez, Cash or Watkins as Villa Galacticos just yet. But your point is taken. There's a formidable core in place as along as we retain or improve on Luiz and Barkley when their loan deals expire.

By the way, those MON teams were pretty good too-

Freidel, Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma, Young, Milner, Downing, Carew, Bent

I think you’re getting a bit muddled mate, Bent came after MON, although he SHOULD’VE signed him

[Cizzler]

I think we have a really good starting XI, but come on. A couple of months ago this side went into the last game of the season needing a point to stay up.

The Liverpool result was fantastic, but apart from that - we’ve beaten newly promoted (via the play-offs) Fulham, 10 man Sheffield United (after they missed a pen), and a Leicester side (without Vardy, Ricardo, Ndidi, Soyuncu and a half-fit Maddison). That’s like us not having Watkins, Cash, Luiz, Mings and Grealish only being able to play the last ‘20.

We’ve started fantastically. My expectation coming into this season was that we would be mid-table, and safely avoid relegation - but, as long as we keep our first XI fit, it really looks like we can beat that, and challenge the top 7/8 for places.

But let’s just remember we’re 4 games into this season. The schedule has been exceptionally kind to us (even Liverpool missed Thiago, Mane and Allison to COVID - easily 3 of their 5 most key players) and we’ve already been dumped out of the League Cup by Stoke. I think Galaticos is a bit much. 
 

[Keyblade]

2 minutes ago, Cizzler said:

I think we have a really good starting XI, but come on. A couple of months ago this side went into the last game of the season needing a point to stay up.

The Liverpool result was fantastic, but apart from that - we’ve beaten newly promoted (via the play-offs) Fulham, 10 man Sheffield United (after they missed a pen), and a Leicester side (without Vardy, Ricardo, Ndidi, Soyuncu and a half-fit Maddison). That’s like us not having Watkins, Cash, Luiz, Mings and Grealish only being able to play the last ‘20.

We’ve started fantastically. My expectation coming into this season was that we would be mid-table, and safely avoid relegation - but, as long as we keep our first XI fit, it really looks like we can beat that, and challenge the top 7/8 for places.

But let’s just remember we’re 4 games into this season. The schedule has been exceptionally kind to us (even Liverpool missed Thiago, Mane and Allison to COVID - easily 3 of their 5 most key players) and we’ve already been dumped out of the League Cup by Stoke. I think Galaticos is a bit much. 
 

I don't know, our defence and midfield are up there with the best in the league imo. Especially considering the struggles of some of the top teams in defence and in the goalkeeping department.

[El-Reacho]

O'Neill's starting 11 is memorable because he didn't change it from Day 1 of the season to the end.

[mjmooney]

30 minutes ago, El-Reacho said:

O'Neill's starting 11 is memorable because he didn't change it from Day 1 of the season to the end.

Yes, but I can't just name them off the top of my head, like I can with the ones I quoted. I'd have to think hard about the Fat Ron side, too. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

MON could have had a centre half pairing of Laursen and Mellberg if they idiot could sign a bloody half decent right back. 

Or he could have gone with Laursen and Cahill instead of spunking 10 million on Curtis Davis (who was decent to be fair) and Zat bloody Knight.

Yes MON got 3 top 6 finishes but thinking back to some of the players he inherited and the amount of financial backing he got you do wonder what a better manager could have built.

[His Name Is Death]

I choose to believe this is a belated player transfer thread.

Villa Galacticos. Name just rolls off the tongue.

[Sulberto21]

50 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

MON could have had a centre half pairing of Laursen and Mellberg if they idiot could sign a bloody half decent right back. 

Or he could have gone with Laursen and Cahill instead of spunking 10 million on Curtis Davis (who was decent to be fair) and Zat bloody Knight.

Yes MON got 3 top 6 finishes but thinking back to some of the players he inherited and the amount of financial backing he got you do wonder what a better manager could have built.

League Title or CL at the very least.

[Davkaus]

He signed Heskey in our push for 4th. O'Neill's competence as a football manager is vastly overstated.

[VillaJ100]

Yeah he just wasted our last best chance to get in the champions league with a scattergun transfer approach and limited tactics. Although I think we would have made it the one season if Lauren never got permanently injured 

Edited October 20, 2020 by VillaJ100

[KentVillan]

I think MON's team around 07/08 had 9 pretty memorable first XI regulars:

Friedel; (Right back), Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma; (Midfielder), Petrov, Barry; Agbonlahor, Carew, Young

All 9 of those players really racked up appearances over that period, and I'd consider all of them club legends.

Edited October 21, 2020 by KentVillan

[TheAuthority]

33 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

I think MON's team around 07/08 had 9 pretty memorable first XI regulars:

Friedel; (Right back), Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma; (Midfielder), Petrov, Barry; Agbonlahor, Carew, Young

All 9 of those players really racked up appearances over that period, and I'd consider all of them club legends.

He added Milner to the team and moved him into centre mid when he signed Downing.

I remember it was a league cup clash away at a lower league club when Downing finally made his debut after his injury. We all thought - What?  Why are there 3 wingers?!?!? Not realizing he'd moved Milner to the middle.

[TheAuthority]

8 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

MON could have had a centre half pairing of Laursen and Mellberg if they idiot could sign a bloody half decent right back. 

He signed Habib Beye and never played him. (Best song ever for a player btw.)

Signed Luke Young and played him left back.

Insisted on playing either Mellberg or Cuellar at right back and if we were losing he'd sub them and play Milner there 

Finally Nigel Oke Kokee would play there against United mainly to man mark Ronaldo.

I think MON did some things as a gamble just to be "quirky" and try to appear the eccentric genius. But the truth is he wasn't that good and whenever he didn't have John Robertson at his side he was a complete flop (Sunderland, and wherever else he rocked up.) JR was supposedly also very upset how he left Villa which is why they didn't work together after. Anyway back OT.

                  Bosnich

Barrett    God  Teale  Staunton

               Richardson

Houghton   Parker    Daley

     Atkinson (RIP)     Sanders*

Subs: (at the time) Yorke, Ehiogu (RIP)

*As pronounced by BFR

 

[KentVillan]

13 minutes ago, TheAuthority said:

He added Milner to the team and moved him into centre mid when he signed Downing.

I remember it was a league cup clash away at a lower league club when Downing finally made his debut after his injury. We all thought - What?  Why are there 3 wingers?!?!? Not realizing he'd moved Milner to the middle.

I don't think he did actually add Milner and Downing to that team - by the time Milner joined as a permanent signing, Mellberg had gone to Juve and Laursen retired a few months later.

That was one of the tragedies of the MON era, never quite getting all his best players' spells at the club to overlap. The great thing about the Smith era is the current first team regulars are all so young, so we could see all these players grow over several seasons. It's really exciting.

[TheAuthority]

6 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

I don't think he did actually add Milner and Downing to that team - by the time Milner joined as a permanent signing, Mellberg had gone to Juve and Laursen retired a few months later.

That was one of the tragedies of the MON era, never quite getting all his best players' spells at the club to overlap. The great thing about the Smith era is the current first team regulars are all so young, so we could see all these players grow over several seasons. It's really exciting.

I'm sure you're right - it all starts to blur a bit after a while! I do believe if we hadn't lost Laursen in that December/January of whichever season it was we would have got top 4.

Yeah I think Smith really knows his onions. The transfer ethos we have now at the club is the only way to do it long term. Sure, signing journey-men will give you some stability if you can get them to play for you (see MON, Bruce) but it isn't sustainable.