Ashley Westwood

[andym]

 

He does more than just keep us ticking over tho, the guy has a great killer pass on him and has added goals to his game as well.  I'm expecting big things from him this year.

 

 

3 goals and 8 assists in two seasons, not exactly what id call creative or having an eye for goal. yeah hes neat and tidy, but he is one of the reasons for our poor midfield that surrenders territory and possession to the opposition with alarming ease.

 

hes meant to shield the back four, yet opposition players just breeze past him - he is slow, weak and positionally poor when trying to defend. quite a few goals conceded last year where he failed to track the run of the goalscorer or he was easily out muscled by him - see soldados goal at VP for a prime example.

 

maybe he can do better if he was moved further forward, but hes still going to be slow and unable to beat a player with skill. we need more than a player who can mainly play the ball sideways and backwards with the occasional good ball forward.

[PieFacE]

It's not as simple as that though ^. If no one is making a run for him to play a "killer" pass too then he can't do it can he?

 

Gabby and Weimann aren't very intelligent off the ball, attacking movement is a real problem we suffer from, and without it assists from creative players will be minimal.

[DCJonah]

So if you create a chance and that person doesn't score it's the creators fault? Westwood is the only decent passer we have at the minute. People love Delph yet he doesn't create much. I think if Westwood took people on instead of passing it he'd get more recognition! He has to up his game this year but if as a passing midfielder you have zero movement up front you'll never look brilliant.

Westwood hasn't got the ability to take people on like delph.

I know and Delph hasn't got his passing ability that's the point

Delph has lots of qualities thats why people rate him. Westwood trying to take people on wouldn't make people rate him more.

Westwood has lots too and they're different to Delphs yet some people rate Delph a lot more. My point is Delph looks a more exciting player because he goes past people where as Westwood keeps things ticking over. If you look at their stats there's nothing in it.

Which is why stats can show a different story. Delph is more exciting, more important to us and a better player. People appreciate delph more because of that.

[poitier]

I think Westwood got too much praise in his first season, but definitely progressed as a player last season. He has grown in terms of being more physical and more vocal than he was, scored a couple of goals, more of a presence all round. He still has some way to go, but he is improving and seems to want to put the effort in to continue improving.

Last season so many of our players regressed, whereas he grew, so for that reason I hope he continues to get a fair share of game time.

[AlwaysAVFC]

I may have finally flipped but I'd like to see what Delph and Westwood can do with someone like Sanchez behind them, maybe they could be our Xavi and Iniesta. Obviously that is an extreme example but I think both could thrive with the security of someone else with them in the middle.

 

Westwood hasn't been able to show much in an attacking sense but noticed him make some good runs towards he end of last season despite us playing so bad.

[DCJonah]

I think Westwood is a good player to have in the squad just not good enough to be a key midfield player

[ROTTERDAM1982]

 I think thats fair comment poitier.

 

 For me the central midfield is a big problem for us, thats Delph and Westwood.But i think Delph is a good player.

[mikeyp102]

I just don't understand some fans mentality. We moan about the hoof ball we've been playing under Lambert, but still slate Westwood when he's one of the only ones that tries to play football the right way.

I'm not moaning at the way he tries to play. He is a capable passer of the ball, I just think we need and can do better.

So who do you suggest? We paid what? 800k for him? Who could you get better than Westwood for a few million in our current situation?

Just because Westwood was relatively cheap doesn't mean he is excused from criticism.

Westwood switches off when we don't have the ball. When in possession he isn't a bad passer when keeping it short and ticking over. But when he tries to put long balls they are very hit and miss. His movement is poor and fails to create space for the rest of the team.

[icouldtelltheworld]

I like Westwood, I think he developed as a player last season and if he's been bulking up this summer this is more evidence (IMO) that the lad is willing to work on his game to become a better player all around. He's an intelligent footballer who can obviously see things happening on the pitch before his team mates. I would, however, agree that he is wasted in front of the defense and should we sign Sanchez (or another DM) I think we'll see a lot better from both Westwood and Delph with them being able to play further up the pitch.

His goal against the Baggies was possibly my favourite of last season, and I loved the way he celebrated - kissing the badge, running up to the fans; stuff like that and the image I've included above make me feel that this lad cares about the club and has absorbed himself in Villa. I hope for him to have a long and happy career with us.

[juanpablo]

I just don't understand some fans mentality. We moan about the hoof ball we've been playing under Lambert, but still slate Westwood when he's one of the only ones that tries to play football the right way.

I'm not moaning at the way he tries to play. He is a capable passer of the ball, I just think we need and can do better.

So who do you suggest? We paid what? 800k for him? Who could you get better than Westwood for a few million in our current situation?

Just because Westwood was relatively cheap doesn't mean he is excused from criticism.

Westwood switches off when we don't have the ball. When in possession he isn't a bad passer when keeping it short and ticking over. But when he tries to put long balls they are very hit and miss. His movement is poor and fails to create space for the rest of the team.

Didn't say it made him exempt from criticism, I just asked for better alternatives.

Won't go on about passing again but as for poor movement and not creating space, I'd say he's one of our only players that gives the player on the ball an option. It's players like Gabby and Weimann you should be aiming that at.

[mikeyp102]

. It's players like Gabby and Weimann you should be aiming that at.

I'd agree 100% about those players

[LordSepulchrave]

If you want to talk about stats, his KP was 1.9 last season, which is way higher than anyone except Benteke or Albrighton. Put him beside a good DM, and hopefully you'd see him be able to form a decent double pivot.

[Isa]

He hasn't got the mobility to play as any sort of pivot. I'd say the only sort of role he can do effectively is the Leon Britton role for an ultra-possession side. I don't believe he can offer anything substantial outside of that role or system.

[DamsonwoodVillan]

If we do sign Sánchez then I worry for Westwood to be honest.

 

Think Richardson and Delph's speeds and attacking threats will squeeze Westwood out of a starting place in central midfield if Sánchez steps into the enforcer role.

[troon_villan]

If we do sign Sánchez then I worry for Westwood to be honest.

Think Richardson and Delph's speeds and attacking threats will squeeze Westwood out of a starting place in central midfield if Sánchez steps into the enforcer role.

Seriously, while Lambert manages Aston Villa, footballers called Ashley Westwood who play for Aston Villa need never worry.

[GENTLEMAN]

Why all the hate for Westwood? After all, he is one of us. I personally believe Westy is capable of performing even better with additionally quality around him.

[DCJonah]

If we do sign Sánchez then I worry for Westwood to be honest.

Think Richardson and Delph's speeds and attacking threats will squeeze Westwood out of a starting place in central midfield if Sánchez steps into the enforcer role.

Seriously, while Lambert manages Aston Villa, footballers called Ashley Westwood who play for Aston Villa need never worry.

I think you'll be surprised this season.

[Robbie09]

 

I just don't understand some fans mentality. We moan about the hoof ball we've been playing under Lambert, but still slate Westwood when he's one of the only ones that tries to play football the right way.

My criticism of him has always been centred around his pathetic off-the-ball contribution. On the ball he is a competant technical player, nothing more. I'm still yet to see why he is so grossly overrated or what exactly "ticking over" constitutes. He usually has very little impact on games and is a complete passenger more often than not.

When he actually plays well, like he did in that little run of games including Cardiff, Newcastle, Man United etc. we all noticed and praised him for it. The reason many people don't most the time is because he is totally anonymous. The problem though is people have been so taken in by the "unseen work" mantra that any anonymous performance is automatically deemed acceptable under the guise of this.

It was the same with Petrov during the O'Neill days, I always thought he was the obvious weak-link in that midfield but his inclusion was excused on for the same reasons that Westwood's is.

 

 

Pass and move. Always offers an out ball. It's all about ball retention.

[troon_villan]

If we do sign Sánchez then I worry for Westwood to be honest.

Think Richardson and Delph's speeds and attacking threats will squeeze Westwood out of a starting place in central midfield if Sánchez steps into the enforcer role.

Seriously, while Lambert manages Aston Villa, footballers called Ashley Westwood who play for Aston Villa need never worry.

I think you'll be surprised this season.

Hopefully not. The fact he's bulked up should stand him in good stead. Him, Sanchez and Delph in a midfield three.

[Isa]

Why all the hate for Westwood? After all, he is one of us. I personally believe Westy is capable of performing even better with additionally quality around him.

Are pseudo-PR comments like this really necessary? They add nothing to the discussion which was about his footballing contribution. Also, Stan Collymore was "one of us" wasn't he? We should judge players on what they contribute on the pitch rather than whether they have kissed the badge or not.

Pass and move. Always offers an out ball. It's all about ball retention.

And given that we remain a low possession behind-the-ball side, that has little effect on us as a team.