tomav84 Posted September 13 VT Supporter Share Posted September 13 so chris heck has announced that we will be given a chance to vote for our all time villa XI so giving this thread a bump. i was born in 84 so it's difficult for me to select players before my time: GK - Emi RB - i'll go mellberg as he seemed to play there a lot CB - McGrath CB - Mings LB - Staunton RM/RW - Milner CM - Petrov CM - Barry LM/LW - Jack CF - Ollie CF - Yorke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuwabatake Sanjuro Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 Martinez Konsa--------McGrath---------Laursen------Barry Milner------------McGinn Young--------------------------------------------Grealish Benteke Watkins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 also born in 84, there are some very obvious answers here that im going to miss because as ive said before the reality for me is football wasnt on tv that often, i didnt start going to VP until i was older, i saw mcgrath play for ireland more times than villa, i reckon i saw him maybe 5 or 6 times tops 4-4-**** 2 emi, mellberg, laursen, mings, Bouma maybe, Young, Barry, McGinn, Grealish, Ollie, Benteke RB and LB are hard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted September 13 Moderator Share Posted September 13 The bias for the more recent is going to make this very difficult - it'll be interesting to see whether some of those that really should be in like Billy Walker and Joe Bache, or even the slightly more recent equivalents like Johnny Dixon and Peter McParland make it. I'm looking forward to it, I think it'll spark a lot of interesting conversation and highlight just how rich our history is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 10 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said: The bias for the more recent is going to make this very difficult - it'll be interesting to see whether some of those that really should be in like Billy Walker and Joe Bache, or even the slightly more recent equivalents like Johnny Dixon and Peter McParland make it. I'm looking forward to it, I think it'll spark a lot of interesting conversation and highlight just how rich our history is. even side stepping the recency bias i'll add that im guessing it will be an online vote and the majority of 60-80 year olds who say brian little is the best villa player of all time might not be as likely to take part as 20 year olds who think its grealish, conversely how many 20 year olds will vote for mcgrath because they know its the right answer despite the fact that they werent born when he played for us its going to be a weird mix of recentcy bias and reputation 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted September 13 Moderator Share Posted September 13 Just now, villa4europe said: even side stepping the recency bias i'll add that im guessing it will be an online vote and the majority of 60-80 year olds who say brian little is the best villa player of all time might not be as likely to take part as 20 year olds who think its grealish, conversely how many 20 year olds will vote for mcgrath because they know its the right answer despite the fact that they werent born when he played for us its going to be a weird mix of recentcy bias and reputation It is - I think there will be some shortlisting and hopefully lots of info for players in each position, who they are, what they achieved, video, all that sort of stuff - done right, this will be a great history lesson on some of the truly great players we've had. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 24 minutes ago, villa4europe said: also born in 84, there are some very obvious answers here that im going to miss because as ive said before the reality for me is football wasnt on tv that often, i didnt start going to VP until i was older, i saw mcgrath play for ireland more times than villa, i reckon i saw him maybe 5 or 6 times tops 4-4-**** 2 emi, mellberg, laursen, mings, Bouma maybe, Young, Barry, McGinn, Grealish, Ollie, Benteke RB and LB are hard I'm actually really struggling for a decent RB in my lifetime. LB had Staunton and Wright who I remember being OK (but I was a child, so... who knows) but RB? Charles, Delaney or Hutton basically the recent-history choices? Is there anyone else? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 Difficult to pick a team really as many of the title and European winning team were not the best players we ever had but were better than the sum of its parts. I wouid always have Cowans, Platt and Mcgrath in my best ever team. To me they were world class footballers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson1 Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 I think it’s very difficult to pick players that you haven’t seen play or watched a lot? I only really started supporting and watching Villa from 1986 onwards maybe and even then I was only ten. So from players I’ve watched and enjoyed: Martinez Mellberg McGrath Laursen Staunton Barry Cowans Platt Yorke Watkins Young Subs: Bosnich, Delaney, Wright, Ehiogu, Teale, Milner, Taylor, Benteke, Saunders Probably some glaring omissions here and I’ll kick myself but the team above is what I’m going with for now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cizzler Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 (edited) Best I've actually seen/remember, so heavy year 2k onwards PL bias: -----------------------Martinez------------------------- Walker------Laursen-------Konsa-------Bouma ------------Milner----Barry----Grealish---------- -----------Young------Benteke-----Watkins--------- Edited September 13 by Cizzler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuffolkVillan Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 Not easy! Have to go 4-3-3 to get Shaw, Yorke and Little in. Don't think anyone can omit Sid or God. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adbo9 Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 3 - 5 - 2 - a couple slightly out of position to accomadate ! GK: Mark Bosnich RWB: Ashley Young LWB: Steve Staunton DC: Ugo Ehiogu DC: Paul McGrath DC: Gareth Barry Mid: Ian Taylor Mid: Andy Townsend AMid: Paul Merson Str: Dwight Yorke Str: Christian Benteke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alreadyexists Posted September 13 VT Supporter Share Posted September 13 It’s so hard to do an ‘all time’ eleven… I was born in 1985 so I know some players from before that mainly because of the European victory. But there might have been a great striker from 1912 for all I know… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 Not necessarily the best in every position, but my favourite from my time watching Villa since the very early 2000s (have added McGrath even though he was before my time because you can't leave him out) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMcKenna Posted September 13 VT Supporter Share Posted September 13 GK - Emi Martinez RB - John Gidman CB - Paul McGrath CB - Martin Laursen LB - Wilfred Bouma RM/RW - Brian Little CM - Sid Cowans CM - Gareth Barry LM/LW - Grealish F - Andy Gray F - Christian Benteke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 48 minutes ago, Mantis said: Not necessarily the best in every position, but my favourite from my time watching Villa since the very early 2000s (have added McGrath even though he was before my time because you can't leave him out) Young at FB seems like cheating to get him in, I like it though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thabucks Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 Right wing is tricky but here’s mine based on my time as a Villa fan since 89 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarryOnVilla Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 So hard to pick Martinez Young Mellberg Mcgrath Bouma petrov Barry Platt Milner Watkins Grealish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 Martinez Mellberg, Laursen, McGrath, Staunton Milner, Barry, Platt, Grealish Yorke, Benteke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted September 13 Share Posted September 13 (edited) Bonkers to me that our current goalkeeper is probably, arguably (and even then I'd say it's not particularly arguable) the legitimate and correct pick for this. Let's enjoy these days for as long as they may last. Edited September 13 by GarethRDR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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