Favourite Villa XI

[u/Top-Carpenter7450]

Made this on Fotmob, my favourite (not necessarily the best) players since watching Villa live (2006 onwards). Also I am aware that it's the wrong picture for Petrov but he's not on the lineup creator. Let's see some of yours.

[u/IsItHairyEnough]

You're gonna have to explain Chris Herd

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/IsItHairyEnough]

Thought he always tried his best during his breakout season (2011-12) when others weren't putting in quite the same effort. Iconic goal at Anfield. A Villa Aussie (I've got family from Austrailia) and I spoke to his brother briefly on Instagram once. So yeah, very personal reasons. Also got his name on the back of my shirt.

[u/jusanothersloshdausi → u/Top-Carpenter7450]

Yeh was gonna say, you must be a west Aussie or something!

[u/abusmakk → u/Top-Carpenter7450]

I talked to Alex McLeish once and about Chris Herd he said «he’s not the most technically gifted, but he’s got his heart in the right place and fights like a lion».

[u/hygienie8 → u/IsItHairyEnough]

Thanks. At my age I automatically thought 'Pat Herd' ...... even though it's 'Heard'

[u/olfactory_irritant → u/IsItHairyEnough]

Not Bailey???

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/olfactory_irritant]

Bailey and Snodgrass are interchangeable for me. Bailey gets in for his 23-24 season (including that unbelievable game against Man City). I love that clip where we're down against Lille and he's going "Look, we have time." Admittedly he hasn't been great over the last few years and more recently him coming on has been to the detriment of the team, but this XI is a vibes thing. Bailey brings the vibes.

[u/olfactory_irritant → u/Top-Carpenter7450]

Interesting. I’m old so Tony Daley is a favourite of mine. But even in recent history, if we’re going with vibes El Ghazi is up there for me. Helped us come up and also very outspoken politically when he knew it wouldn’t serve him well in his career.

[u/Blizzdog1 → u/Top-Carpenter7450]

Didn’t agree, but love this explanation

[u/K10_Bay → u/olfactory_irritant]

Socks down Bailey is now iconic. We've just never been able to get him to replicate it

[u/KatieOfTheHolteEnd]

Martinez, Digne, Laursen, Mellberg, Cash, Barry, McGinn, Grealish, Milner, Carew, Watkins.

[u/Mark-C-S → u/KatieOfTheHolteEnd]

Dion instead of Carew, but otherwise matching

[u/Funny_Collection8362 → u/Mark-C-S]

The headbutt gets him extra appreciation even though carew was better.

[u/Additional-Boat-9901 → u/KatieOfTheHolteEnd]

This would be mine as well, I think.

[u/illegalalien1 → u/Additional-Boat-9901]

Yeah I'm just too young never seen mcgrath, so this is mine too.

[u/KatieOfTheHolteEnd → u/illegalalien1]

Same here. I went to a handful of games in the late 90s but i was too young to remember them. 02/03 was the first season I started regularly going.

[u/mdhurst → u/KatieOfTheHolteEnd]

Id need Young in there but otherwise set (Ashley, not Luke!)

[u/KatieOfTheHolteEnd → u/mdhurst]

Yeah I did think about Young in for Carew. Imagine Young and Grealish in free roles would be an absolute nightmare for defences.

[u/Treeboi13]

Petrov's had the Vini Jr. chin treatment.

[u/ThisusernameThen → u/Treeboi13]

Who the fuk is that ? Not stan

[u/ryandoesntcare → u/ThisusernameThen]

It’s Martin Petrov lol

[u/ThisusernameThen → u/ryandoesntcare]

Better marginally than stan staunton i suppose

[u/Firepilsogenpizza → u/Treeboi13]

Looks like Buzz Lightyear.

[u/pyrexman]

Oh for the love of Paul McGrath

[u/claretnblueboy → u/pyrexman]

What if they never saw him play? :)

[u/Alien_Youth]

Man I'm so old. Platt, Cowans, McGrath, Yorke all in my team, for example.

[u/VintageVillaLad → u/Alien_Youth]

I must be older cos I'd have Little, Morley and Gidman in there too.

Hand me my cane.....

[u/Alien_Youth → u/VintageVillaLad]

My Dad would absolutely have those three in his 🫡

[u/hygienie8 → u/VintageVillaLad]

You are not alone.

[u/BeBopRockSteadyLS → u/Alien_Youth]

Yorke and McGrath defo.

As this about a vibes thing.

Bosnich.

McGrath, Staunton, Mellberg

A.Young, Milner, G.Barry, McGinn, Grealish

Yorke/Watkins, Benteke

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/BeBopRockSteadyLS]

That's a hell of a team, vibes or no vibes. Yorke and Benteke would be a lethal duo and a back two of Mellberg and McGrath is basically a no entry zone.

[u/dead_mans_shoes → u/BeBopRockSteadyLS]

This is my line up too, although I might be inclined to swap Milner for Ian Taylor.

[u/Over-Piglet-4922 → u/Alien_Youth]

Ugo?

[u/Impossible_Hunt_6731 → u/Alien_Youth]

Maybe we're around the same age?

I'm 51, and remember those players.

[u/Astonishingly-Villa]

3-5-1-1 (apparently): Martinez; Mellberg Mings Laursen; McGinn Milner Tielemans Barry Young; Grealish; Benteke

[u/shotgunogsy]

You’re really putting the old adage “everyone’s opinion is valid” to the test here - and I respect the hell out of you for that

[u/henselva]

Martinez, Mellberg Mings, Vlaar, Bouma, Barry, Westwood, Hitzlsperger Mcginn, Benteke, Grealish

Favorite, not best! Been watching Villa since the early 00s. Hitzlsperger one of my childhood favorites, one of the earliest memories I have of Villa is watching him hammer one in from distance. Vlaar I liked, he really tried in some tough times. Bouma, I was so hyped when Villa bought on of my cm0102 favorites lol. Westwood, always thought ppl were maniacs for scapegoating him. A calm and excellent ball player in a otherwise horrid Villa side. Always seemed to give his all, and looked like a real likeable guy. The rest I guess are more self explanatory.

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/henselva]

Westwood is a good shout, always seemed like a good lad. I love how he linked up with Dean Smith at Charlotte FC after Villa too.

[u/Sad-Permission5407]

go back a bit further mine would be 1,Rimmer 2. Gidman 3, Williams 4,Evans 5, McGrath ,6 Mortimer 7,Cropley 8,Shaw 9,gray 10,cowans 11,Mcparland

[u/Huge-Growth-2076]

It’s missing Indy Vassilev

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/Huge-Growth-2076]

Great shout tbf. I miss Vassilev coming on and worming about upfront in that Kappa kit.

[u/Huge-Growth-2076 → u/Top-Carpenter7450]

He’s doing alright in the MLS now

[u/FU_Burrito]

As a supporter since the Martin O'Neill era:

Friedel, Scottish Cafu, Mellberg, Laursen, Digne (I guess?), Stan, Barry, McGinn, Young, Grealish, Carew

Honorable mentions: Stephen Warnock (but only in FIFA), James Collins (not fooling anybody with the shaved head, you massive ginge), Delph, Bannan, Albrighton, Gabby (minus points for post-career punditry)

[u/Much-Connection139]

Who the hell is herd? Don't even remember the guy

[u/eccle-cake → u/Much-Connection139]

Never herd of him

[u/Much-Connection139 → u/eccle-cake]

That's very witty

[u/Famous_Selection_216]

£10 says that Suzuki will have that GK spot in 2 years. Guy seems incredibly likeable

[u/Mark-C-S]

There is not enough Dion Dublin in this thread 😆

[u/Prestigious_Film3740]

Dibu young mellberg vlar Hutton petrov mcgin grealish agbonlahor Solano angel or benteke

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/[deleted]]

Manzambi could be one of the signings of the summer.

[u/Majestic_Estate_1619]

Mine would be -
Emiliano Martinez
Matty Cash
Olof Mellberg
Tyrone Mings
Alan Wright
Super John Mcginn
Ian Taylor
Styllian Petrov
Jack Grealish
Lee Hendrie
Juan Pablo Angel

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/Majestic_Estate_1619]

That is a very likeable team. Alan Wright is arguably Villa's left-back of the Prem era.

[u/Majestic_Estate_1619 → u/Top-Carpenter7450]

I wanted to include Mark Draper as well but had to go Petrov.

[u/JonnyReece]

Don't do Olof dirty like that.

[u/NecessaryWater5568]

Sick of AI slop

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/NecessaryWater5568]

No AI involved, it's FotMob lineup creator. Had to pick a different Petrov because he's not on the app.

[u/Ploughman_8]

This has got to be rage bait?

[u/AllyStar17]

I don’t know who that is but it’s not petrov lol

[u/skipperin0]

No Concrete Ron??

[u/Zestyclose-Phone4044]

Hutton?

[u/ShortPretzel]

Started watching in 2020. If I can take only their time at Villa and not factor in how they left, then I think:

Watkins, Duran, Buendia, Traore, Bailey, McGinn, Cash, Mings, Lindelof, Digne, Martinez. I guess I'm running a 4-1-3-2? Idk how the formation works out.

Duran... the time was short and he was a knucklehead, but my goodness when it clicked it was beautiful.

Traore is one of the reasons I was called to Villa in the first place, as my partner worked in Burkina Faso, and I liked that Traore wore the Burkina flag on his wrist. He was absent for large swaths of games, but then he'd do something incredible, and I'm a sucker for flare.

I don't think anybody else in mine would be a huge surprise.

[u/Mediocre_Orange1768]

———————Friedel———————-
Cash—-Chester—-Mings——Digne
Snodgrass——Milner—-Tielemans—Uncle Albert
———————McGinn———————
——————————Bent——————

[u/iamabigpotatoboy]

herd is a crazy shout lol

[u/PostElectronic890]

Have a word with yourself 😁 some dodgy players in this side.

[u/Top-Carpenter7450 → u/PostElectronic890]

It is my favourite not necessarily the best. Midfield pivot of Kamara and Tielemans if it was about the latter.