villanmac Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Barry at his peak for us in Midfield was incredible Absolute shoe-in. But id love him LB in this system just to see him and Torres playing from that side together. It would be surgical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarryOnVilla Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 who was Villa’s best ever RB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powehi Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 1 minute ago, CarryOnVilla said: who was Villa’s best ever RB? ulises de la cruz. mate. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted April 24 VT Supporter Share Posted April 24 2 minutes ago, CarryOnVilla said: who was Villa’s best ever RB? Kyle walker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesterDad Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 5 minutes ago, CarryOnVilla said: who was Villa’s best ever RB? John Gidman - great footballer and athlete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted April 24 VT Supporter Share Posted April 24 Rb has always been a problem area in respect to other positions. If your Premier league all time list contains the likes of Gary Charles then there is a problem. My choice would be delaney, although even he looks weak in an all time list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackbauer24 Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 See... I have a confession... I'm just, just, JUST holding on to my hero Mark Bosnich!! Can't judge a player by their success internationally when it comes to Villa (unfair on McGrath, JPA and even Bailey etc!) so it's all to do with their performance at Villa. I love Martinez, he is incredible and undoubtedly a massive player for us but my nephews asked me a long time back if he had pushed Bosnich from his pedestal and I said it was close, so close, but he needs to help us win something. Stats wise;* Mark Bosnich played 174 times for us in the league, keeping 61 clean sheets (W72 D46 L55), we won 2 cups and we were consistently (ish!) in top parts of the league including a great spell in 95-99. He almost single handedly (pun?!) won us the 1994 League Cup in the run that season. Emi Martinez has played 142 times for us in the league, keeping 45 clean sheets (W65 D26 L51) and this is our first season really pushing back at the top of the league. There's clearly a very strong argument to suggest Martinez could be considered the better player but the stats aren't that conclusive and, I put so much weight on bringing home a trophy that, for now, just, I still hold a flame for my idol Bosnich. That's loyalty!! Speak to me again after May 29th hopefully. *stats bloomin hard to find so take with pinch of salt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted April 24 VT Supporter Share Posted April 24 11 hours ago, DevonIsAPlaceOnEarth said: I think I’d swap Gidman and Ashley Young (just) over the current selections above. But I genuinely think this is the best squad of players we have ever had at the moment. I'd have Barry over Dougie all day. Dougie is great but Barry was on another level. He was good enough to be a regular in a Premier League winning team and I think if he'd have left us earlier probably would have added a couple more titles to that haul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted April 24 VT Supporter Share Posted April 24 11 hours ago, Lochheads twin said: We are currently have some of the best players we have had for many a year. I occasionally think, "He is the best since ............" Here are a selection of pairings of a current player with a star from yesteryear. Who would you pick? Dougie or Gareth Barry (2000's) - making the game look effortless John McGinn or Dennis Mortimer (80's) - captains leading by example Moreno (2023) or John Gidman (70's) - rampaging fullbacks Ollie or Dwight Yorke - (2000's) - silky but deadly Leon Bailey or Ashley Young Mk1 - what are you going to get today? Emi Martinez - peerless. If you are lucky enough to be younger than me, make up your own pairing. Who matches with Mings or Konsa, lots of great centre backs over the years. There are no wrong answers. Onwards & Upwards! Dougie or Gareth Barry (2000's) - making the game look effortless. BARRY John McGinn or Dennis Mortimer (80's) - captains leading by example MORTIMER Moreno (2023) or John Gidman (70's) - rampaging fullbacks GIDMAN Ollie or Dwight Yorke - (2000's) - silky but deadly OLLIE Leon Bailey or Ashley Young Mk1 - what are you going to get today? YOUNG Emi Martinez - peerless. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted April 24 VT Supporter Share Posted April 24 11 hours ago, Zhan_Zhuang said: Gidman and Mortimer just a tad before my time... But No I wouldn't swap at all....players are fitter, stronger, quicker than ever before. Skill and technique will get you so far but the game is so different now. I'm assuming those older players would have gone through modern training regimes in my selections. Pele and George Best as was would be unfit and out of their depth in a straight swap into the modern game, but they were generational talents, the best of the best and if they went through modern training regimes they would obviously be far better players than they were then. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted April 24 VT Supporter Share Posted April 24 Can't believe Yorke and Ollie is even a conversation. Ollie has FAR more to his game and is likely to beat Yorkes scoring record to boot. He's a significantly better all round player and just as good a goalscorer. In the olden days he'd be moving this season for a massive fee and in the Ellis years he'd probably have gone last season for a medium fee and United or Liverpool fans would be watching this footballing machine whilst strolling their way to the title. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhan_Zhuang Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 1 hour ago, sidcow said: I'm assuming those older players would have gone through modern training regimes in my selections. Pele and George Best as was would be unfit and out of their depth in a straight swap into the modern game, but they were generational talents, the best of the best and if they went through modern training regimes they would obviously be far better players than they were then. Perhaps adding that as a caveat to the question posed may have resulted in a different response on my part.... It is only theory and conjecture, nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 All of Barry, Milner and Young would be fantastic players under Emery. I still think all three get into this team tbh. Barry as said amazing all rounder who was 9/10 in about 3-4 positions. Imagine him and Pau down that left hand side. Barry over Tielemans I'd say who's probably the most similar in terms of style. SJM great but think Milner at his best had a little extra in the midfield area, it is very close though which is a credit to how much McGinn has improved in last 18 months. Young v Diaby....very easy. However Bailey has probably posted a better season than Young on production terms given he hasn't taken any penalties compared to Young who used to score 4-5 a season so that's another debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewieGriffin Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Imagine peak Cowans in this team... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lochheads twin Posted April 24 Author Share Posted April 24 so if we could time-warp Barry, Gidman, Benteke & Cowans to the present day, we may be in with a serious shout next season. If we used historic values for their transfer fees, we may just bend the FFP rules like true champions! That still leaves the likes of Platt, McGrath, Bozzie, Little & Gray as backup if needed! We have had some very good, dare I say great players over the years. This may be the first time, in a long time, we have so many aligned at the same time. UTV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted April 25 Share Posted April 25 (edited) I'm surprised so many put Barry ahead of Dougie. Barry was a very good player but seriously lacked pace - that's not a modern day fitness thing, he was naturally slow. Technically, I think Dougie's Brazilian flair also outperforms Barry. I loved Milner and thought he was the heir to Gerard as England's ACM only for him to move to Citeh where he was only ever used at full back or out wide, neither of which really suited his game imho. What a waste of talent. I would bring prime Milner in to play off Ollie in front of Dougie and Kamara. I also loved Laursen - dominant in the air but prone to wanting to go for every ball and needing a partner who understood that and not really a footballing centre back. Konsa and Torres are complete modern CBs and compliment each other so well - they are not only really good for us I think they are up there with the best pairing in the PL at the minute. I wouldn't change them. For me, our only current weaknesses are at full back and the lack of replacements (squad depth) for JJ and Kamara, the former which Rogers looks like he will be capable of filling as we move forward, and possibly Ollie if injured, although I think Dhuran looks like he could be a player. I think if JJ had been fit this season and had played even at last year's level, i.e. no improvement, we could have been up there challenging for the title. We haven't just lost his qualities as a player but it has also unbalanced us at times as we have had to play through Bailey or Diaby on the right and not had a ball carrier on the left making us easy to defend against. Edited April 25 by barry'sboots 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callum Posted April 25 Share Posted April 25 (edited) 7 hours ago, StewieGriffin said: Imagine peak Cowans in this team... Officer killjoy reporting for duty: Players of that generation wouldn't stand a fookin' chance in modern day football. Edited April 25 by Callum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ_Villain Posted April 25 Share Posted April 25 10 hours ago, sidcow said: I'd have Barry over Dougie all day. Dougie is great but Barry was on another level. He was good enough to be a regular in a Premier League winning team and I think if he'd have left us earlier probably would have added a couple more titles to that haul. *cough* cheats *cough,cough* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas10 Posted April 25 Share Posted April 25 (edited) Seems like former players like Barry (lack of mobility/pace, less skill and flair and not the passing inc through ball ability of the likes of Luiz and Tielemans who also have better shots on them. Gareth was more of a steady, controlling player who bought leadership and composure but didn’t have outstanding abilities imo) are being overrated a bit and our existing players and their skills either being underrated/underplayed or overlooked. I wouldn’t really swap anyone, happy with this bunch and who Unai is going to add to it. And more convinced than ever that it is most crucial to have a top coach and manager than top or big name, big money players… we have been embarrassingly bad (and heavily sold the club short) at appointing managers for way too long… but we finally got it right and struck gold this time. Unai is a keeper… we must ensure he is here and happy for as long as possible… he simply elevates players and there is no one better at it. Certainly wouldn’t swap him for ANY former manager either. My view is let’s embrace to future and not be stuck in the past… appreciate and admire the achievements of former, successful managers and players. But that was then… this is now… let this lot write their names into our proud history and be remembered just as fondly… Think we can be overly sentimental and “live in the past” too much at times. Bozzie isn’t a patch on Emi… Emi is truly world class and the best around, he isn’t lacking anything. Bozzie was an excellent shot stopper but not the all round package (struggled to kick the ball for one and was, at times, a controversial and troubled personality)… he even failed when he got his “dream move” back to Manure…( flipping hate that lot and sickened whenever I even see that manager’s name mentioned… cheating bar stewards!) had his issues… Even though he was a bit before my time… probably the most reasonable shout would be McGrath (especially the way he is talked about and remembered) but… would his body and knees hold up to the demands of the modern game? Or would he benefit from the modern training methods, rehab, treatments, medical facilities and expertise etc? It’s a tricky one… It’s’ very difficult to imagine how players from way back would manage in this day and age…so much has changed including lifestyle away from the pitch, not to mention how the game has changed, the rules, protection, luxuries, better pitches, diets, no more drinking culture etc. and so much more Which ones would have been able to adapt and thrive in modern systems and styles? E.g. so much more responsibility and demands on GKs and CBs to be comfortable on the ball and proficient in their passing… not many were back in the day… Someone mentioned Pele and Best… imagine Maradona! With a safer and more protected life, modern training, coaching and playing on better pitches without much risk of having his legs removed or broken by overly aggressive and mental defenders… Messi might not have stood a chance! Although more recent, shout out to R9 too who was well on the way to establishing himself in that “bracket” of world class or best ever players… if not for the sickening injuries… Anyway… I’m happy with what we have and how we are. Delighted with and have full faith in King Unai. Let’s enjoy the here and now and look forward to what is to come… Edited April 25 by Jas10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinebro Posted April 25 Share Posted April 25 23 hours ago, Lochheads twin said: We are currently have some of the best players we have had for many a year. I occasionally think, "He is the best since ............" Here are a selection of pairings of a current player with a star from yesteryear. Who would you pick? Dougie or Gareth Barry (2000's) - making the game look effortless John McGinn or Dennis Mortimer (80's) - captains leading by example Moreno (2023) or John Gidman (70's) - rampaging fullbacks Ollie or Dwight Yorke - (2000's) - silky but deadly Leon Bailey or Ashley Young Mk1 - what are you going to get today? Emi Martinez - peerless. If you are lucky enough to be younger than me, make up your own pairing. Who matches with Mings or Konsa, lots of great centre backs over the years. There are no wrong answers. Onwards & Upwards! 1. I will take a prime Barry over Luiz 2. McGinn easy 3. Gidman 4. Ollie, easy 5. Prime Young slightly edges it 6. Martinez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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