Razor Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 James. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Friedel, I can't remember James to be honest, would of been only around 9ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 5, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted September 5, 2009 If we had Friedel a few years back in his prime I would have opted for him, as it is James (even with his flaws) takes it IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereford-Villan Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 James for me. Friedel hasn't been all that great plus he's only been here a season. The defence in front of him didn't help last season though! Then again though what if he's here another few years and shows to be the best of the best. He won't be eligible for the best of the 10 decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-67 Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Friedel is a good shot stopper, James is the better all round keeper for me. Villa helped to rebuild his confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChinlessWonder Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 David James for me. Yeah, he did one of his classics in the Cup final, but i thought that otherwise he was excellent for us. Freidel's been fairly good, but i would say i hoped he be a little better from him. He's probably my second choice anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMFy Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Cant believe Tommy got so many votes after chucking one into his own net at The Sty. I thought that was Enckleman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMFy Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 I didn't really rate James when he was with us. Yes, he was a good shot stopper, but his confidence was so low after Liverpool that he **** up once every game. His mind must have been wandering and he lost his concentration. It was a case of waiting for him to miss or drop a shot and hoping we had the players to make up for his inadequacies. His lapse of concentration was best demonstrated by Di Matteo in the FA Cup final in 2000. James became a good keeper a few years after he left us, further proving that goalkeepers do not need to shine in their early 20's. His career peak never really arrived until he signed for Portsmouth. I do like James, but I think some people are rating how he has played over the last three years rather than how he played for us almost 10 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liono Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Lets be honest, none of them were class whilst at Villa, most of them have had better spells at other clubs. We've been average in GK since Bosnich left, Friedel has had the best overall affect on the team out of that lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Cant believe Tommy got so many votes after chucking one into his own net at The Sty. I thought that was Enckleman? Enkelman let Mellberg's throw in past him at The Sty when the Blues beat us in 2002. Im sure you have seen it a thousand times. Enkelman also spilled the ball at the feet of Geoff Horsefield when the Blues beat us at Villa Park in 2003. Sorensen dropped one into his own net when the Blues beat us at Villa Park in 2004 Sorensen chucked one into his own net when the Blues beat us at The Sty in 2005 All four of our defeats to the Blues in the Premier League have been because we have virtually scored goals for them. Seriously, what the **** was wrong with those two keepers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMole Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 I voted Enckleman, mistakes against the Blues aside he was a quality shot stopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMFy Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Cant believe Tommy got so many votes after chucking one into his own net at The Sty. I thought that was Enckleman? Enkelman let Mellberg's throw in past him at The Sty when the Blues beat us in 2002. Im sure you have seen it a thousand times. Enkelman also spilled the ball at the feet of Geoff Horsefield when the Blues beat us at Villa Park in 2003. Sorensen dropped one into his own net when the Blues beat us at Villa Park in 2004 Sorensen chucked one into his own net when the Blues beat us at The Sty in 2005 All four of our defeats to the Blues in the Premier League have been because we have virtually scored goals for them. Seriously, what the **** was wrong with those two keepers? Right you are, Sir. I stand corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazzy Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 all average keepers, bozzie was always my fave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronk-villa Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 they're a flawed bunch thats for sure. James was briliiant but prone to odd howler, then turned all sulky Bo**ocks and demanded a move coz we didn't live up to his ambition...........so he went to west ham? Enkleman was a good shot stopper, but, IMO hadn't got the guts for it, just turned to carp under pressure, he cocked up for the goal in the cup final for Cardiff as I remember. And as for the mellberg throw.......I'm astonished he's got any votes at all Sorenson wasn't a bad keeper. probably suffered for never having a decnt defence in front of him!......The poor sod played behind Jlloyd samual and Ridgewell for pity's sake! Carson started off well, then was destroyed by the England / croatia game. I still say if he'd been a kid who'd come through our youth ranks, Villa fans would have been more forgiving / protective of him, he'd probably still be here and be a good goalie!.....the fact the scouse wanted 10 million quid for him just made him look like the worst value for money ever! Schmeicel was way past his best, was fun while he was here though I thought!......Best thing about him was the fact that he was all over the back of all the papers when he signed for us.......and that was even though Man U had broken the british transfer record the same day to sign Veron (IIRC) Friedel is solid, and consistent, and a good pro to have round the place. He gets my vote, although it's a shame he's not 5 years younger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazzy Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 very good points made, if only we got schmeichel or friedel the other side of their careers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyClarke Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 David James was World class when he was at Villa, absolutely brilliant week in week out but his reputation has suffered for the high profile mistake he made in the FA cup final, the fact that we were incredibly lucky to get nil in the game and were never going to win seems lost on people. I think there was a bit more to it than him getting sulky, I'm almost certain he'd said he never wanted to leave and that it was due to other issues. Peter Enckelman virtually kept us up with his saves at West Ham but his mistake against Blues left him a broken man, he was great that season as well although it seems that he never quite managed to grab that 1st team 'keepers spot. For the record, he made a mistake against Blues, however the referee and his 2 officials made a far bigger mistake in awarding a 'goal'. Peter Schmeichel was frankly a joke for Villa, I have little more to say. He may have been useful to Enckleman but also stopped his progression with the clause Gregory had placed in his contract that he must play when fit. Thomas Sorensen was rubbish, absolutely rubbish unfortunately he thought he was great. Stayed on his line for crosses, made numerous mistakes, couldn't catch and was generally a weak link. He had a few good games and was a decent shot stopper at times but for me if that is all you are going to be, you can't afford to get beaten the way he used to so many times. Stefan Postma, I'll add him in. God knows what Taylor saw in this guy, had a good game away at Arsenal but (and I was there) this seemed to me more down to him being a huge unit and Arsenal being incredibly wasteful on the day. He came out well but the continually rattled shots into his legs or body when they could and should have scored. Fair play to him for that day. Scott Carson was probably a little unlucky with Villa in that he just seemed to have a season where things went wrong, people turned on him in the end. The mistake for England was obviously very difficult for him to deal with and effected his club form. Games like Porstmouth away where he pretty much cost us 2 goals (although 1 was a great finish by Defoe and the other NRC has to take some blame) meant that the team and the fans seemed to have little confidence in him and his confidence seemed to visibly drain away. At the end of the day, he is still young, certainly for a 'keeper and his big moves may have come a little bit too soon for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 the clause Gregory had placed in his contract that he must play when fit. i had about this clasue before ..do we know it's true ? and would Gregory really have been involved in drawing up of contracts ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyClarke Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Yes, as far as I am aware it was true. I would expect the manager, who don't forget made a big fanfair about the player HE signed (not a Ginola type Doug deal) and was excited about would have a pretty big say in whether he was offered a guaranteed first team spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one_ian_taylor Posted September 5, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted September 5, 2009 Between Friedel and James for me. Two of the best top flight goalkeepers in recent years, although neither has been at their peak when playing for us (arguably). James just pips it for me because of his athleticism and ability to sweep up behind the defence. Friedel is more solid though and could yet go on to overtake James. If Guzan keeps on developing, I think he'll eclipse them both - fantastic performance against Slavia last year and hopefully just a taste of what is to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted September 5, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted September 5, 2009 Friedel or James for me. I went for Friedel. I think people are swayed by Schmeichel's reputation. he actually wasn't much good for us. And the reason he left was because Taylor wanted to play Enckleman instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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