Ashley Westwood

[Villa87]

 

 

 

 

If it's not his job, then why did you mention it. If he steps up and becomes the creative midfielder, then we lose his metronomic style which is a need in our game IMO. You said it yourself, not many players can do both. Not sure what your argument is when you've pretty much dismissed yourself. 

 

Westwood, does in fact, pass forwards more than most of our current midfielders. I suggest you watch him more closely tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

That is good but there is the easy pass forwards, and the hard pass. Westwood does the easy pass more than the hard pass, and as a result he has created very few chances.

 

 

 

As opposed to Barry Bannan who attempts to make the hard pass and loses possession repeatedly?

[StefanAVFC]

 

 

 

 

Don't understand why you brought Bannan into it.

 

Also, why are you being so defensive about Westwood? I'm not suggesting we should drop him.

 

If we had Michael Carrick, we'd play him 2nd/3rd name on team sheet. Westwood is almost Carrick so he is almost as important to us as Carrick would be.

 

The point is, Westwood on present evidence won't be enough on his own to unlock a stubborn defence. If we have possession, and are facing a defensive side, getting and giving is not enough.

 

We need a find a creative midfielder to unlock those defences which is a big challenge for Lambert this summer. Hoping to see Delph grow into that role though.

 

 

 

Thats a very interesting point that you see Delph as the possible creative midfielder we need. I actually see him potentially as being the opposite, the DM we need.

 

Robust in the tackle with loads of energy but still with the ability to pass to a team mate. I'm not so sure however that he has enough about him to consistently break teams down as our playmaker but either way i hope he can show that we finally have a player on our hands.

 

 

I hope he can be a real combination of the 2. Tough tackling and creative. I think as he grows into the side, the assists and goals will start flowing.

 

100% that we may have a real player!

 

Yep see where you're coming from a bit like Gerrard or Bryan Robson but obviously nowhere near that standard yet. Interesting point though.

 

 

It's been great to see him being direct recently. He's very Wilshere-esque recently in the way he gets past defenders, but obviously again, not to that standard. Very impressed with him lately though!

 

Anyway, lets move off Delph.  

Edited April 12, 2013 by StefanAVFC

[DamsonwoodVillan]

Westwood has kept it simple this season but he has been a great addition. As well as all the previously mentioned games I also thought Sunderland away he was excellent. I'm pleased for him to have done so well in his first season, he seems to be a really nice lad.

Yep in that group of top performers this season along with Guzan, Benteke and Weimann.

[Big_John_10]

Delph has the ability to tackle and drive forward with the ball. At Leeds we saw an attacking player so hopefully that side of him will become more evident in a villa shirt.

Westwood keeps possession well and does play difficult balls at times. After the QPR game I was absolutely stunned to read that he had a 97% pass completion rate because he wasn't just taking the easy option.

I think those 2 can become very good players for us.

With our current formation we need someone in front of these two who can add the creativity and goals that we really lack from midfield.

Nzogbia does an ok job in this position. Maybe carruthers or Gardner will have a chance there but ideally this is a position I'd love to see a quality player signed to fill.

[StefanAVFC]

Delph has the ability to tackle and drive forward with the ball. At Leeds we saw an attacking player so hopefully that side of him will become more evident in a villa shirt.

Westwood keeps possession well and does play difficult balls at times. After the QPR game I was absolutely stunned to read that he had a 97% pass completion rate because he wasn't just taking the easy option.

I think those 2 can become very good players for us.

With our current formation we need someone in front of these two who can add the creativity and goals that we really lack from midfield.

Nzogbia does an ok job in this position. Maybe carruthers or Gardner will have a chance there but ideally this is a position I'd love to see a quality player signed to fill.

 

100% agreed. Zog for me just doesn't fill the bill for Lambert though.

[Raymond]

This argument makes me laugh. Because he does the basics extremely well, he's plain? What do you want him to do? Do 4 stepovers while jumping over an oncoming defender then scoring with his arse?

Ummm.......yes?

[Skruff]

Since we're so fond of stats(squawka.com) let's compare Bannan and Westwood:

Total Appearances:

Westwood: 24

 

Bannan: 24  

 

Total Chances Created:

Westwood: 26(23 key passes, 3 assist)

 

Bannan : 34(33 key passes, 1 assist)

Avrage Duels Won:

62%Westwood: 33/40 Tackles. 14/28 Fouls(50% suffered, 50% comitted) Take on 1/2. Headed Duel 10/23.

 

49%Bannan: 22/36 tackles. 6/14 Fouls. (43% sufferede 57% comitted)  Take on10/13 Headed Duels 2/18

 

Avrage Pass Length:

 

20m.Westwood: 41 Longballs, 19 Backwards. 21 Forwards. Avg. Pass Accuracy 85%

 

23m: Bannan: 40 Longballs. 21 Backwards. 24 Forwards. Avg. Pass Accuracy 82%

Total Defensive Errors(Led to attempt on goal):

Westwood: 0

Bannan: 2

 

Avrage Defensive Actions

Westwood 5: 11.4% Blocks. 43% Interceptions. 45.6% Clearances 

Bannan  4: 9.8% blocks. 37% Interceptions. 53.3% Clearances


Make of it what you want.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Skruff

[guyavfc]

I can remember Westwood making more than 1 mistake in our own half leading to the opponents having a counter attack

[Skruff]

I can remember Westwood making more than 1 mistake in our own half leading to the opponents having a counter attack

Yup, was thinking that he's been dispossesed a few times witch lead to a counter attack. Maybe it's mistakes leading to a direct shot on gold or something. I have no idea how they make that one out.

[Con]

Since we're so fond of stats(squawka.com) let's compare Bannan and Westwood:

Total Appearances:

Westwood: 24

 

Bannan: 24  

 

Total Chances Created:

Westwood: 26(23 key passes, 3 assist)

 

Bannan : 34(33 key passes, 1 assist)

Avrage Duels Won:

62%Westwood: 33/40 Tackles. 14/28 Fouls(50% suffered, 50% comitted) Take on 1/2. Headed Duel 10/23.

 

49%Bannan: 22/36 tackles. 6/14 Fouls. (43% sufferede 57% comitted)  Take on10/13 Headed Duels 2/18

 

Avrage Pass Length:

 

20m.Westwood: 41 Longballs, 19 Backwards. 21 Forwards. Avg. Pass Accuracy 85%

 

23m: Bannan: 40 Longballs. 21 Backwards. 24 Forwards. Avg. Pass Accuracy 82%

Total Defensive Errors(Led to attempt on goal):

Westwood: 0

Bannan: 2

 

Avrage Defensive Actions

Westwood 5: 11.4% Blocks. 43% Interceptions. 45.6% Clearances 

Bannan  4: 9.8% blocks. 37% Interceptions. 53.3% Clearances

Make of it what you want.

 

 

They are different styles of player.

 

Bannan is the more creative of the pair and more technically adept, willing to take on opponents, which Westwood never does.

 

Westwood is more reliable defensively what you'd expect of a Carrick type of holding midfield player. Excellent if that is what you want, but if you need to break down a tough defence, perhaps not good enough.

[Skruff]

Bannan Makes 1.3 key passes per Westwoods 1 Key pass. They pretty much equals in the passing department(in terms of accurancy, forward, back and long passes) while Westwood is superior in when it comes to defensive play. Our problem isn't scoring goals _at the moment_. Which leaves Bannan surplus(correct word to use?) in my opinion. Westwood is a far more complete player and comes close to Bannan when it comes to creativity, and I think he'll outmatch him come next season. He's playing more and more expansive for each game.

Who's supposed to do the take ons you say? Fabian Delph I say.

[Big_John_10]

willing to take on opponents

I'm sure there's some stat to show I'm wrong but this is something i don't believe Bannan does much.

[Skruff]

 

willing to take on opponents

I'm sure there's some stat to show I'm wrong but this is something i don't believe Bannan does much.

 

Bannan got 10 successfull take-ons in 24 matches as compared to Delph who has 22 successful take-ons in 18 matches or Westwood who got 1 successful in 24 matches.

[VillaGoMarching]

 

I can remember Westwood making more than 1 mistake in our own half leading to the opponents having a counter attack

Yup, was thinking that he's been dispossesed a few times witch lead to a counter attack. Maybe it's mistakes leading to a direct shot on gold or something. I have no idea how they make that one out.

 

 

 

Nothing quite like that Bannan one the other week against Liverpool.  It was astonishing.

[StefanAVFC]

Poor today. Oh well, due a bad game.

[Con]

Westwood wasn't dispossessed today and didn't concede any turnovers, but he couldn't create anything to break down the Fulham defence.

 

I think he must have tried because his passing accuracy was down to 80%, which is unusual for him - usually he is up over 85%.

[PieFacE]

All these stats are doing my head in. There's too many variables in football for stats to really mean anything......   the only stat that matters is how many you concede, and how many you score.

 

But yeah, thought he played okay today, not his best game, but he still did a good job. 

[StefanAVFC]

Westwood wasn't dispossessed today and didn't concede any turnovers, but he couldn't create anything to break down the Fulham defence.

I think he must have tried because his passing accuracy was down to 80%, which is unusual for him - usually he is up over 85%.

Well that's a lie cause I remember him passing either straight out of play or straight to them. Not sure what constitutes a turnover in your books.

And I'm one of his biggest fans.

[Con]

 

Westwood wasn't dispossessed today and didn't concede any turnovers, but he couldn't create anything to break down the Fulham defence.

I think he must have tried because his passing accuracy was down to 80%, which is unusual for him - usually he is up over 85%.

Well that's a lie cause I remember him passing either straight out of play or straight to them. Not sure what constitutes a turnover in your books.

And I'm one of his biggest fans.

 

 

At one point he passed straight for a throw-in. That would probably go down as a misplaced pass.

 

http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/615259/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2012-2013-Aston-Villa-Fulham

[StefanAVFC]

Con, i went to the game. I saw that he misplaced several passes. I trust my eyes ahead of an independent stats website.