Talksport have recently been running poll’s about the best of the premier League era. Best British player, best foreign player, funniest moment, best kit etc. I have given it some thought and come up with my choice of the best XI to represent Aston Villa in the PL era. The only criteria I have set particularly is that they have represented Villa since the advent of the PL in 1992. I have also tried to pick a team that is balanced and would play the sort of football I would like to see if i were managing them. I have tried to keep emotion and sentiment (see Gareth Barry) out of the selection process. I settled on a 4-3-1-2 formation.
GK –Picking a goal keeper was a tough choice, with Nigel Spink, Mark Bosnich, Peter Schmeichel and Brad Friedel all appearing in Claret & Blue since 1992. In the end I picked Bosnich. In his Villa career he played 179 league games, 37 Cup games and 11 European games. Alex Ferguson considered him talented enough to replace Peter Schmeichel at Man Utd.
FB – In looking at those who have played at fullback over the years it is apparent Villa have not been particularly blessed with talent. My choice came down to Mark Delaney or Earl Barrett on the right. Both are hard working, unassuming players and the strongest of the list. Mark Delaney has just edged it, representing Villa for 8 years and making 175 appearances in all competitions, scoring 2 goals.
As with the right back position Villa, there haven’t been a large number of outstanding left backs. It came down to a straight choice between Steve Staunton and Alan “Mighty Atom” Wright. Staunton is my pick. Villa thought so much of him they signed him twice! In all he spent 10 years at Villa, played 335 matches and scored 20 goals.
CB – Where Villa had a paucity in talent in the full-back areas there was a wealth of quality in players who played at centre back. After much deliberation I have chosen Paul McGrath and Martin Laursen. The word legend is all too often banded about when it comes to footballers, but in the case of McGrath if you ask any Villa fan who they would chose as their top players of the modern age, the Irishman is more than likely to top of the list. McGrath played over 300 games for Villa in all competitions, scoring 9 goals.
Laursen was unfortunate not to play more games for Villa and was sadly forced to retire following a persistent knee injury which restricted him to 89 games in all competitions. He chipped in 11 goals and is widely recognised as a cult hero on the Villa Park terraces. Other players who were considered for the centre back position included Gareth Southgate, Olof Mellberg, Ugo Ehiogu and Shaun Teale.
MID – For my midfield three I have gone for Ian Taylor, Ray Houghton and Gareth Barry. Taylor was Villa through and through, another with cult hero status on the Holte. In 253 starts he scored 37 goals. In my midfield, he is the box-to-box engine. Ray Houghton is my creativity. He played for three years at Villa, scoring 11 goals in 105 appearances. Gareth Barry is my defensive, deep lying, midfielder. He played for Villa for 12 years, making 422 starts and scoring 52 goals. Barry has been one of Villa’s most outstanding players, which makes the circumstances around his departure form the club more difficult to swallow. Whilst I include him in my team, I won’t be putting his picture up!
Other players considered for the midfield spots include Gordon Cowans (yes he did play for Villa in the PL era), Andy Townsend, Gary Parker and Steve Stone.
AM – There were also a number of players considered to fill the attacking midfielder role in my formation; David Ginola, Benito Carbone, Ashley Young and Patrick Berger to name a few. I ultimately decided on Paul Merson. Whilst arguably he had his better years at other clubs (along with Ginola) he provides my PL team with attacking flair and a touch of unpredictability in the “hole” behind the strikers. He made 125 starts scoring 19 goals.
ST – I found picking my strikers relatively easy compared to other positions. My strike partnership is Dwight Yorke and Dion Dublin. Sadly neither came close enough to beat Peter Withe’s league scoring record of 20 goals in one season, however Yorke scored 97 goals in 247 appearances and Dublin 59 goals in 148 appearances. I also chose them for they way they would compliment each others style of play in the time-honoured “Little and Large” strike partnerships. Dublin’s size, strength and power in the air together with Yorke’s speed, agility and guile.
Bench - Peter Schmeichel, Gareth Southgate, Olof Mellberg, Steve Stone, David Ginola, Dean Saunders, |Ashley Young.
Great choice in Paul Merson. You're right, he probably had his better days at Arsenal, but a class act that any premier league manager would find difficult to omit. Informative piece, thank you.
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