Ashley Westwood

[Vive_La_Villa]

Am I right in thinking that those who "don't get it" would rather see Joey Barton play there?

No.

who then Vive?

Do I have to have a replacement in mind if I don't rate him? Well as our squad stands I would like to see Sanchez given a run in the team.

[StefanAVFC]

The issue with Sanchez is that he makes big mistakes, whereas Westwood rarely makes any.

[Vive_La_Villa]

The issue with Sanchez is that he makes big mistakes, whereas Westwood rarely makes any.

I agree with this but I would like to see Westwood get more involved.

Sanchez could be a very good player if he stopped the stupid mistakes and lunges. He doesn't seem to do it for Columbia which makes me think he will

be better for us this season.

[MrSmirch]

I think Sanchez is a must against Man Utd. Schneiderlin would bully Westwood.

serious? If one guy plays deep playmaker. And the other plays defensive midfielder. They dont usually mark/come into contact each other that much. Nowhere enough to class it as bully. It will be depay/rooney who will be closing down westwood (usually)

Indeed. And off topic, I don't see Schneiderlin bullying Gana. That will be a great little match up I think.

I'm sure the ref will see to it that all Gana's good tackles are fouls and he gets a yellow in the first 15.

[StefanAVFC]

Good article.

 

http://football.chrisnee.co.uk/2015/08/aston-villas-ashley-westwood-rewarded.html

 

 

Aston Villa's Ashley Westwood rewarded for taking a mighty step forward

 

It's a tiresome trope to identify the virtues of supposedly unfashionable midfielders in the erroneous belief that other people haven't clocked them, but there's no denying that Ashley Westwood attracted fewer column inches than his colleagues in Aston Villa's three-man midfield last season.

Loan man Tom Cleverley was under scrutiny. His England career on the rocks, he suffered from bad form and poor management before finding his groove for a spell during the spring. Fabian Delph passed him in the opposite direction on Wembley's escalators and seems to have overcome the worst of his injury problems to establish himself in Roy Hodgson's England side.

Of course, neither of those will be playing for Villa this season and the midfielder they've left behind will instead have support and competition from newcomers Idrissa Gueye and Jordan Veretout, Colombian international Carlos Sanchez, and academy graduate Gary Gardner.

It's noteworthy that Westwood's direct competition at the base of Tim Sherwood's midfield will primarily come from the latter pair, both in place at Villa before this summer; Sherwood hasn't budged an inch away from his stated faith in the only Villa player to start both the FA Cup Final and the very next competitive game. Instead, the 25-year-old has signed a new five-year contract this week, a development received with unusually uniform praise from the supporters.

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Westwood joined Villa in August 2012, three games after taking over as the fresh-faced captain of Crewe Alexandra, where he came through the club's feted academy and won a first team place in 2008. Interest from Swansea City in the summer of 2012 came to nothing and Villa parted with the usual "undisclosed fee" (in this case the subject of significant debate but believed to be in the region of just £1m) to add him to Paul Lambert's squad.

It was a huge step up for a player whose development had mostly taken place in the fourth tier and the apparent ease with which he's evolved into a reliable Premier League starter - albeit in a poor side so far - has been extraordinary in a way the man's game itself is not. Despite Villa's results since 2012 it's obvious that Westwood has been part of a top flight midfield most weeks and nobody's ever questioned his right to be there.

He's come a long way in that time but it hasn't all been an upward path. There have been patches of wonky form and more than a few matches in which Westwood has drifted, occasionally into anonymity. He can also be rash in the tackle, sometimes even risking a red card through over-enthusiasm rather than malice, and he certainly doesn't dominate matches.

But all of that is understandable given his trajectory and he's not a player to be underestimated. A little known observer once said that Westwood has marshmallows for feet, and therein lies the beauty of watching him play. He is both naturally gifted and well coached, his Crewe pedigree clear to anyone who takes the time to assess his first touch, his first-time passing and his creative mind, a mind that doesn't always have the bodily skills to match it.

Ashley Westwood is football's Poundland caviar, a white truffle amongst the leafy debris of Villa's litter-riddled urban copse. At face value his job is a functional one but the class with which he carries it out is too often overlooked. Andres Iniesta he ain't, but for Villa's current status Westwood is a positive influence who's outlasted the players around him. He's now been rewarded with a new long-term deal, a pay rise, a more exciting and vibrant team to be a part of, and, most importantly of all, a genuine challenge to take on.

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Villa have given new contracts to Westwood, Nathan Baker and Ciaran Clark this summer and the former's is the one that reflects something of a personal victory. A five-year contract for Westwood is a clear indication that he's started to earn his keep in the Premier League, that Villa don't want to lose him like they lost Cleverley and especially Delph, and that he's won the respect of his manager, an extremely accomplished central midfielder in his own career.

Whatever their veracity or otherwise, it's certainly true that question marks about Westwood's Villa future began to appear in the media in February, almost as soon as Sherwood had slid his winkle-pickers under his desk at Bodymoor Heath. In the middle of April the Mirror's James Nursey wrote that Westwood, "faces FA Cup semi-final heartache and a shock summer exit from Aston Villa."

Nursey's insight was quickly decimated by Westwood's presence in Villa'a starting line-up at Wembley the following week and, later, by comments from Sherwood himself. "Ashley is definitely my cup of tea," he told AVFC.co.uk in May. "I'm certainly happy with what he's doing. He's one of my favourite players."

Sherwood reiterated that view when Westwood's new deal was confirmed and the admiration between the pair is clearly as strong as ever. But they key prod is buried near the bottom of Villa's report, taking the form of a thinly veiled challenge that Westwood needs to grasp with both hands.

It never seems right to talk about potential when discussing a player in his mid-20s but Westwood isn't the finished article by any stretch. He is an assured player but not really the "orchestrator" Sherwood mentioned in his latest interview. That's the next step up for Westwood and he's more than capable of doing it. The ability is there, the attitude is there and now the experience is there too. It's not beyond him.

Westwood has critics, however, and not just because he's the archetypal unsung deep-lying midfielder. He played his part in Villa's shit-show under Lambert and he still has progress to make.

He'll be aided in his next step by being part of what Villa hope will be a better team, or at the very least a more mobile one. Cleverley and Delph have been replaced and Villa's progress under Sherwood should provide Westwood with a more intelligent, more fluid set of players to find. He's not a League 2 upstart finding his feet after a single-summer triple promotion anymore. Now it's up to him to prove it.

 

 

[Bunnski]

The issue with Sanchez is that he makes big mistakes, whereas Westwood rarely makes any.

I agree with this but I would like to see Westwood get more involved.

Sanchez could be a very good player if he stopped the stupid mistakes and lunges. He doesn't seem to do it for Columbia which makes me think he will

be better for us this season.

Westwood needs to get more involved? Do you actually watch us play or just watch highlights?

[Vive_La_Villa]

The issue with Sanchez is that he makes big mistakes, whereas Westwood rarely makes any.

I agree with this but I would like to see Westwood get more involved.

Sanchez could be a very good player if he stopped the stupid mistakes and lunges. He doesn't seem to do it for Columbia which makes me think he will

be better for us this season.

Westwood needs to get more involved? Do you actually watch us play or just watch highlights?

He hardly touches the ball on MOTD.

Edited August 13, 2015 by Vive_La_Villa

[leighavfc]

Ive watched Westwood since he was about 13, my cousin played with him at Crewe for a few years before he threw it all away the prat. We still see him now and again. 

 

For me i think people dont rate Westwood because he plays the game in the simple form just like Gareth Barry did, the difference being he is not as active as Barry was in his prime. I think he is a good player and i hope he progresses from now as he could be a great player for us,  pleased Tim has signed him up for another 5 years. 

[lexicon]

 

I think Sanchez is a must against Man Utd. Schneiderlin would bully Westwood. 

serious? If one guy plays deep playmaker. And the other plays defensive midfielder. They dont usually mark/come into contact with each other that much. Nowhere enough to class it as bully. It will be depay/rooney who will be closing down westwood (usually)

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see LVG send him further forward to play a more physical game against Westwood. 

[bose]

Barry really didn't become an England regular until he was 26-27.

 

Now I'm not saying that Westwood will become an England regular or reach the heights that Barry did but I think they are similar players. I'm confident he'll just get better and better in a better team like we are becoming now.

[leighavfc]

Barry really didn't become an England regular until he was 26-27.

 

Now I'm not saying that Westwood will become an England regular or reach the heights that Barry did but I think they are similar players. I'm confident he'll just get better and better in a better team like we are becoming now.

I think he just needs to be a little more proactive in other areas of the pitch. Barry would pop up in all kinds of positions to create something. Westwood has defo got it in him and im sure we will see that in the coming years !

[bose]

 

Barry really didn't become an England regular until he was 26-27.

 

Now I'm not saying that Westwood will become an England regular or reach the heights that Barry did but I think they are similar players. I'm confident he'll just get better and better in a better team like we are becoming now.

I think he just needs to be a little more proactive in other areas of the pitch. Barry would pop up in all kinds of positions to create something. Westwood has defo got it in him and im sure we will see that in the coming years !

 

 

Absolutely agree with that. If he manages to be more adventurous in his passing and movement (we've seen glimpses of it) then he'll be even more of an asset.

[lexicon]

He also needs to toughen up a bit too - Petrov and Barry were more solid than him and were much harder to dispossess. Maybe Gana can give him a few pointers to help that part of his game.

[leighavfc]

He also needs to toughen up a bit too - Petrov and Barry were more solid than him and were much harder to dispossess. Maybe Gana can give him a few pointers to help that part of his game.

Yep totally agree with this too, a little lightweight at the minute

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Chris is a great writer. Really enjoyed that read. 

[gharperr]

 

 

I think Sanchez is a must against Man Utd. Schneiderlin would bully Westwood. 

serious? If one guy plays deep playmaker. And the other plays defensive midfielder. They dont usually mark/come into contact with each other that much. Nowhere enough to class it as bully. It will be depay/rooney who will be closing down westwood (usually)

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see LVG send him further forward to play a more physical game against Westwood. 

 

Im not saying he wont because LVG likes to just do WTF stuff for the sake of it....but...

So you think, rooney/depay and Schniederlin are all going to be closing down westwood? It makes absolute no sense to drop depay back to deep midfield and push Schniederlin up to just "rough him up" when defending. It makes transitioning from defence to attack (and attack to defence) just horrible.

What schniederlin can do, depay can do just as good for the role of westwood. You dont need to rough up DLP to nullify them, you just need to man mark/get close so they cant receive the ball (or mark lines where all they can do is play it back to defenders). He isnt going to be trying to take it round 1 or 2 players so Schniederlin more elite tackling (or "roughing up") is entirely pointless. When westwood just recieves the ball and Schniederlin comes to "rough him up", hes just going to pass the ball back to defenders. You cant play high-risk strategy with the ball in that position, only a very few players have the skillset to do so (wilshire/delph). Schniederlin just becomes so so sub-optimal when trying to play in the role you think LVG is going to make him do

if Gabby/wiemann can nulify Gerrard for so much of the game, then so can depay with westwood.

ill be very very very very very very very surprised if Schniederlin is played CAM. like to the point where i know its just not going to happen. Hes not going to push him forward when in defence as you have far too many players trying to nulify one player whilst leaving space/couple of players free. Not sure if you noticed with LVG but he has an incredibly disciplined approach to football.

Never know though....It could happen

fwiw: i dont think ive ever seen a defensive midfielder being used to mark the opposition DLP, like ever. Its always one of the attackers for reasons explained above

Edited August 13, 2015 by gharperr

[lexicon]

Westwood doesn't just sit in front of the back 4 and rarely venture out of our half though - nor does Schneiderlin simply sit back the whole time either. They'll cross paths a lot more than that and in a 50-50 situation, you're going to favour Schneiderlin every time. Even if Westwood just turns around and plays it back, Schneiderlin has done his job because he's forced Ash's hand. 

[gharperr]

Westwood really does just sit in front in the back 4. Hes DLP and is used to recycle possession. Very rarely will you see westwood in the final 3rd or opposition box. Sometimes you see him having shot outside area but that is still "sitting in front of the back 4" because the opposition is so deep sometimes.

"Even if Westwood just turns around and plays it back, Schneiderlin has done his job because he's forced Ash's hand. " So what exactly depay can/will do without sacrificing two optimal positions to make them sub-optimal? You do not rough up a DLP or do you need an elite tackler to do so because they just pass it back to defenders. (so depay can do exactly what Schneiderlin can do with the role of westwood).    But i said all this in previous post


yes there may be a couple of times where he may get a bit forward, still not enough to start playing players sub-optimally. Also swapping him for sanchez will just mean sanchez will 100% going to sit infront of the back 4 where Schneiderlin wont be that much (unless its in attack). so it still makes no sense for that swap for the reasons youre saying

Edited August 13, 2015 by gharperr

[TheMelvillan]

"Marshmallows for feet" is a great description of him. Controls and cushions the ball so well with his first touch and his weight of pass is normally spot on

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

He's a continuity player like Michael Carrick, who strangely went under the radar while being a first team player in one of the best teams in recent memory. I don't think Westwood is irreplaceable though, as unlike Carrick (or Barry) he doesn't do enough with the ball when he has it, but we aren't Manure, nor are we challenging for Europe, so he'll do.