Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: VoiceOfTheHolte 
Date:Thursday April 26 2012
Time: 12:06PM
UK time is: 18:28:18
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Villa's Best Since Randy's Arrival?
Villas best team since Randys arrival???
Since Randy Lerner arrived in the summer of 2007 we have been fortunate enough to be witness to some great talent at Villa Park. Some already here when he arrived, some purchased with the funding he supplied. I have looked through all the available squads for each of the last 5 seasons and come up with the team that I think would have been the best combination.
It is based on a 4-3-3 formation (some say 4-5-1 but I would rather think of it offensively rather than defensively). It is based on a solid back line that has the potential to both defend and attack set pieces. The midfield has only one defensive player in a holding role supported by attacking midfielders either side. The front three has goals, creativity, pace.
It is based on a single team and not a squad. Of the manager over the last 5 years I think that I would prefer Houllier to managing this particular team. MON would be the preference if the team was built in a more direct style. This team is built for style, substance, strength and pace.
Have a look and see what you think. I know we will all have different styles, formations and preferences. But I wouldn't half mind this lot turning up at the Albion on Saturday.
Keeper - Friedel
RB - Luke Young
LB - Freddy Bouma
CB - King Olof
CB - King Laursen
Midfield snotter - Okey Cokey
Right mid - Stan (the 19th minute)
Left mid - Gareth Barry
Right wing - Jamie Milner
Left wing - Ashley Young
Sniffer - Darren Bent
Are there better alternatives from the last 5 years?
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Your Comments
a front 6 of petrov barry milner young downing bent wouldve been unbelievable. Depressing to think what could have been and of the players lost and their inadequate replacements
pauled177
VOTH: 4 of those were with us before he came. If the article is linked to Randy, shouldn't it focus on the players that have come since he arrived? The use of those four may indicate that the team has got weaker and the better players we had have never been replaced despite the money spent. Interesting thought.
Gordonsleftboot
glb- you will see that I say that some of the players were already here pre Randy, some purchased with his funding. It is just a light read based on players available for the last 5 years regardless of when they arrived. There is no link to Randy, I just wanted a bit of light relief away from the problems ha!!
voiceoftheholte
In a 4-4-2, I'd have John Carew Carew instead of Nigel but that's probably it.
delirium
Great question VOTH. Also quite depressing to think of the squad we could have so thanks for that! I'll go for a different approach for my selection and rather than and all time "Randys best" I'll choose a squad based on past potential and if we had held on to our best players the squad we might still have now. Players like Bouma, Laursen, Petrov and Olof have been omitted because even though they were all clearly the best choices, due to events out of the clubs hands they sadly wouldn't be able to play for us now anyway. Bouma wasn't the same after the injury and I think if Olof was still at the club he would be past his best now. So I'll go for a 4-3-3 with ............ (GK) Given, (RB) Young, (CB) Cahill, (CB) Cuellar, (LB) Warnock, (CM) Herd, (CM) Barry, (AM) Milner, (LW) Young, (RW) Downing, (CF) Bent
Thom85
What about this XI: Carson - Agathe, Knight, Ridgewell, Shorey - Routledge, Sidwell, Osbourne, Maloney - Sutton, Harewood?
delirium
Voice what a team!! Just found this sums it up perfectly - http://m.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/25/aston-villa-fans-alex-mcleish?cat=football&type=article
AdzVilla11
None of them would get into mcrelegator's side before hutton!
griffgriff
My personal choice would be this.
4-4-2, attacking.
GK - Given (I have always admired him)
RB - L. Young
LB - Bouma
CB - Mellberg
CB - Laursen
LW - Downing
RW - A. Young
CM - Barry
CM - Milner
ST - Bent
ST - Carew
S1 - Friedel
S2 - Cueller
S3 - Cahill
S4 - Petrov
S5 - Reo Coker
S6 - Gary Gardner
S7 - Agbonlahor
Avfc94 we do
GK-Given, RB-Walker (if thats allowed?), CB-Laursen, CB-Mellberg, LB-Bouma, CM-Petrov, CM-Barry, CM-Milner, RW-Downing, LW-Young, ST-Bent.
Lion Heart
Gabby in for nige. Stan and Barry in front of back 4 leaving Carew or Juan Pablo Angel instead of Bent due to them both being able to do more than 1 thing.
Villan444
loving that defence!
The Fear
I don't have to go any further than Lion Heart - are you a mind reader? - thats spot on IMHO.
Pride of Lions
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