a m ole Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Another anonymous game. It really is difficult to understand what he does. Apart from what's should have been an assist in the first half and the last ditch tackle to prevent them from a certain goal in the first half. seriously though, not sure why I bother. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 (edited) Genuinely no idea what some people watch at times. It's not even subtle things he was involved with yesterday. Great through balls that should have been converted and a fantastic last ditch block which prevented a goal. Edited August 23, 2015 by StefanAVFC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted August 23, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yeah I have to agree. If his performance yesterday is considered ineffective or below par, then I guess he's never going to win some of us on here. If continues to play like that, he'll be one of the first names on the team sheet. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yeah I have to agree. If his performance yesterday is considered ineffective or below par, then I guess he's never going to win some of us on here. If continues to play like that, he'll be one of the first names on the team sheet. However he plays he'll never win some people over 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 He was superb in the first half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Another anonymous game. It really is difficult to understand what he does. So anonymous that he created our best chance with a terrific through ball? Yeah, really difficult to understand isn't it? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swerbs Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I think some people don't even watch the game, just highlights on MOTD. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunnski Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Another anonymous game. It really is difficult to understand what he does. So anonymous that he created our best chance with a terrific through ball? Yeah, really difficult to understand isn't it? Add to that he made a good interception with good reading of the play to create the chance. I like the thoughts of him playing in that more advanced centre midfield role with Sanchez sitting deep. Sanchez, Westwood and Gueye could be a great midfield 3, has everything needed. Also just one more thing on Westy, joint 8th for key passes in the league so far and 2nd of all the English players behind Shelvey. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post il_serpente Posted August 24, 2015 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted August 24, 2015 Interesting analysis of Westwood's game in 7500 to Holte, with gifs showing examples of what he did really well. 96% pass completion, and not just simple 6-yard sideways passes that his detractors ridicule him for. Follow the link to see the gifs and heat maps referenced. http://tinyurl.com/orgffgw On Saturday, Aston Villa traveled to Crystal Palace and lost 2-1. There was a lot that the team got wrong, and there is plenty to be concerned about overall. But if you look around, you can find positives scattered about the pitch. Certain players did things very well despite the flaws of others. When rewatching this game, before any of the negatives popped up in my mind (I'm looking at you Gabby), Ashley Westwood's performance really popped off of the screen. I couldn't help but noticing him and focusing my attention on him at all times. Westwood was really a bright spot in this game. Playing in a slightly more advanced position than in the last two games due to Carlos Sanchez (who played well himself) getting start, Westwood was able to put in his best performance so far this season, and that's saying something when you consider how well he has been playing. Westwood completed 96% of his passes during Saturday's game and created a number of chances for Villa: In the pass chart above, provided by Squawka, you can see just how accurate he was in this game. While it is somewhat obvious by looking at the pass chart, the heat map above from WhoScored paints a clear picture of Westwood's role in the match. He tended to hang around the left side, linking up with Jordan Amavi and Jack Grealish, allowing those two players to do what they do best, attack players with the dribble. Playing more advanced and slightly more to the left allowed Westwood to showcase a nice relationship that he has developed with Amavi. Those two connected on 18 pass combos together (according to StatZone) with Amavi hitting Westwood 11 times and (the highest pass combo for Villa) and Westwood finding Amavi 7 times. Westwood doesn't dwell on the football and makes quick decisions, usually putting the ball in positions for Amavi to latch onto it and go: The second gif is Westwood in a nutshell. He's a smart player who reads the game well. He knows his strengths and weaknesses and knows the strengths and weaknesses of his teammates. He's not going to try and take on players and carry the ball forward, he seems to know that he has teammates that are better than that and he trusts them to execute. Speaking of reading the game well, the fact that he is able to know what he wants to do with the ball before he gets it really helps his game and his passing accuracy. That quick decision making and passing was on display in the chance that he helped create with Gabby: That vision and quick passing also helps him switch play from side to side quickly before the defense can recover: In my opinion, Westwood also does a good job of reading situations and circumstances. After Adama's equalizer, Westwood played as if he knew the team had an advantage in him. He continuously looked to pump the ball into him, and he did a good job of finding him in advance positions, allowing him to create a couple of chances before Palace retook the lead: What does all this quick and accurate passing do? It makes you the focal point of the defense: On this sequence, Westwood steps up to receive the pass from Richards. A Palace defender steps up with him, hoping to either take the pass away or not allow Westwood to turn and make another accurate pass. With the defender stepping up, it creates a wide open space for Richards to find Gana. With the defender vacating the area, Gana is allowed to turn and attack (this is the starting sequence that resulted in Grealish's shot on target). Add this to the defensive work that he puts in -- he made two key interceptions Saturday, one pretty much saving a goal -- and you have a complete player who is only going to continue to get better in my mind. Does he have his flaws? Of course, he's not great at taking corners (a number of his corners on Saturday were far too close to the keeper), and he's not the best crosser of the ball, but hopefully when we are playing at full strength, he won't be asked to do those things. Westwood worked well on the left side with Amavi and Grealish in that slightly more advanced role and with Sanchez finally showing he can be a big time player in the Premier League, I'm excited to see Ashley get more matches in this role. On another day, a performance like this is the type of performance that can win games for Villa. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Thanks Il Serpente. It's definitely worth looking at the gifs. They really do showcase why Westwood is so important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Totally ineffective. Really can't see what he offers to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a m ole Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) I'd like to add to that - watch the gif where Palace give the ball away for Agbonlahor's chance. The ball isn't passed directly to him, he anticipates it a second before and halts his movement out wide in order to intercept the pass. Proactive not reactive football. Edited August 24, 2015 by a m ole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Gabby is by far and away the biggest problem in the team right now. Let's focus on him and give Westy a break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 With the greatest respect it wouldn't be too difficult to put up a load of gifs where he gives the ball away or offers nowt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 96% pass accuracy would suggest he rarely gives it away wouldn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 What does a gif of him offering nowt look like? You're misplacing your buzzwords 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 96% pass accuracy would suggest he rarely gives it away wouldn't it? In that game yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 My point is that we all know how easy it is for a player to look decent on YouTube for example. Those gifs don't prove anything other than he did some good things against palace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Did you even read the article? It's not just 3 gifs slapped together saying "hey look he's good". It's a detailed analysis of his game against Palace with supplementary gifs highlighting that he had a good game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 What does a gif of him offering nowt look like? You're misplacing your buzzwords A gif of him standing around? Did you even read the article? It's not just 3 gifs slapped together saying "hey look he's good". It's a detailed analysis of his game against Palace with supplementary gifs highlighting that he had a good game. That doesn't suit his post though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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