Squad

(Squad page with info, brought to you with thanks to reader and contributor Andy Villa)

1 – Brad Friedel – Goalie
39 year old American goalkeeper. Highly regarded, highly professional, reliable and dependable. Friedel joined the Villa from Blackburn Rovers, where he’d spent 8 years and became regarded as one of the Premier League’s best keepers.

2 – Luke Young – Full back
29 year old consistently reliable English right back. Good in the tackle and solid defensively. Question marks over his attacking play, but always dependable in defence.

3 – Wilfred Bouma – Full back
30 year old Dutch left back. A beast of a man who is excellent defensively. Not the best going forward but very solid defensively.

4 – Steve Sidwell – Central midfield
26 year old English central midfielder. Has yet to show us the form that made his name at Reading.

5 – Martin Laursen – Centre back and retired club captain
31 year old Danish central defender. A rock at the back with his all-action defensive displays. Sometimes comes when he doesn’t need to, but always puts himself on the line. Has had a number of serious knee injuries over the years, and there are question marks over his long term future. [edit- Laursen sadly retired from football in May 2009]

6 – Gareth Barry - Central midfield
28 year old English central midfielder. Versatile and composed on the ball. Lacks pace and creativity to break down the top defences.

7 – Ashley Young – Left or right wing / Centre forward
23 year old English left winger. Versatile and exciting young player. Superb running at pace with the ball, and excellent distribution.

8 – James Milner – Right wing / Right midfield
23 year old English right winger. Versatile, tenacious and a really hard worker both on and off the ball. Sometimes his distribution lets him down.

9 – Marlon Harewood – Centre forward
29 year old English striker. Big, strong and pacy. Poor finishing, poor technique and lacks composure.

10 – John Carew – Centre forward
29 year old Norwegian striker. Big, strong, pacy, good touch. Should score more for such a handful, but always a threat.

11 – Gabriel Agbonlahor – Centre forward
22 year old English striker. Amazing pace and decent finishing ability. Sometimes lacks a decent first touch, and his off the ball movement leaves a lot to be desired.

13 – Stuart Taylor – Goalie
29 year old English goalkeeper. 3rd choice. Decent shot stopper, but not the best on crosses.

14 – Nathan Delfouneso - Centre forward
18 year old English striker. Academy player who is quick, and has superb techincal ability and close control. Very intelligent striker both on and off the ball. Needs to bulk out a little for his height, but he is one of the most exciting prospects we have had for years.

15 – Curtis Davies – Centre back
24 year old English central defender. Good reader of the game, and superb when mopping up next to a big partner like Laursen. Good pace, good in the tackle, and a good professional.

16 – Zat Knight – Centre back
28 year old English central defender. 4th choice centre back, and serious question marks over his concentration over 90 mins.

17 – Moustapha Salifou – Central midfield
25 year old Togolese central midfielder. A very average player at best.

18 – Emile Heskey – Centre forward
31 year old English striker. Big and strong. Poor touch, and shocking finishing.

19 – Stiliyan Petrov – Central midfield
29 year old Bulgarian central midfielder. Very composed on the ball and a neat and tidy passer. Lacks pace.

20 – Nigel Reo-Coker - Central  midfield / Utility player
24 year old English central midfielder. Pacy, tenacious and a born leader. His decision making when on the ball sometimes lets him down.

21 – Nicky Shorey – Full back
27 year old English left back. Came with a good reputation, but yet to show that. Is steadily improving with more games.

22 – Brad Guzan – Goalie
24 year old American understudy. Good shot stopper, commands his area and has superb kicking.

24 – Carlos Cuellar – Centre back / Utility full back
27 year old Spanish central defender. Looks a little lost in the premier league.

26 – Craig Gardner – Central midfield / Utility player
22 year old English central midfielder. Academy player who is versatile and a great worker. Likes a tackle and has a rasping shot. Lacks technical ability and pace.

27 – Isaiah Osbourne – Central midfield
21 year old English central midfielder. Academy player who is big, strong and pacy. Very rough around all the edges. Very poor distribution at times.

29 – Stephen O’Halloran – Left back
21 year old Irish left back. Academy player who works hard, but lacks pace and technical ability. Injury prone too.

43 – Eric Lichaj – Centre back
20 year old American centre back who can also play right back. Academy player who is strong and solid for the reserves.

45 – Marc Albrighton – Midfield
19 year old English right winger. Academy player who has superb distribution, pacy and a decent worker. Seems to have added a trick or two to beat his man this season, and that improvement is showing in his development. A very exciting prospect.

46 – Barry Bannan – Midfield
19 year old Scottish central midfielder who can also play left wing. Academy player who is tenacious, creative, lovely mover of the ball, and a decent shot. Lovely left foot, but his size is an issue. Exciting prospect, if his size does not hold him back.

47 – Ciaran Clark – Defence
19 year old English centre back. U-19 England captain. Academy player who is solid and dependable for the reserves. A decent prospect.

48 – Nathan Baker – Defence
17 year old academy defender

49 – Chris Herd – Midfield
20 year old Australian utility player. Academy player who works hard, but lacks technical ability.

51 – Shane Lowry – Midfield
20 year old Irish central midfielder. Academy player who is reliable and consistent.

And here’s a couple of other youngsters of note to keep an eye out for, in no particular order,

Arsenio Halhfuid – Big strong Dutch central defender.
Harry Forrester – Attitude permitting, an exciting technical, gifted, attacking midfielder.
Gary Gardner – Craig’s brother, and a fantastic central midfield prospect.
Jason Lampkin – Exciting winger who we poached from Man Utd.
Ethan Moore – No relation to Luke and Stefan, but an exciting striker.
Andreas Stieber – Zoltan’s brother, who is a technically excellent attacking midfielder.