Ashley Westwood

[heid3ster]

1 hour ago, DCJonah said:

I think Westwood is a big indication of our decline and I think he's been very poor for us on the whole. He's not improved as a player and he's done nothing to make us better.

That bolded bit for me is Westwood's biggest sin. In his early days under Lambert I thought he was a decent player with the potential to be a really good player, but he has never reached that potential -- and at his current age it seems unlikely that he will improve. He doesn't show enough on either the defensive side or the attacking side. Maybe if he has Jedinak alongside him to do the dirty work, it will free him up to get the ball forward a little more effectively and contribute more to our attacking play. He's a good option to have around for the Championship and I'm happy to keep him, but overall it's frustrating that he's never really developed or improved in his time here.

I think it's unfair to tar him with the "symbolic of our failure" brush, only because the one thing I never have questioned about Westwood is his attitude or professionalism. He is I think the only player left in our squad from Lambert's "Young & Hungry" first season, so I can see where that association comes from, but for me our failure has been largely a mentality thing for the last several years.

[blandy]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

He plays in a central Midfield role ......If you have no physical presence in your game when playing that role, all your other attributes will come under pressure and they will be difficult to apply, thats what happens to Ashley.

Ashley Westwood is liable to have a good game when the physical presence from the opposition is absent.....When its present,he usually comes out second best. the game then goes past him and the defence go in to panic mode.

When we see Jedinak settle in.....you will see, what is being said.

Its been a problem for many years, happily it may well be over.

There's something in that, but I don't completely agree - we all see things differently. I think that there have been plenty of really good midfielders without huge physical presence. But I agree you do need (as a team) to have that physical ability in the centre. It can be a mix though. I think that, despite accepting recent managers have not been exactly brilliant, that all of them see/saw Westwood as a starting player, none of them saw him as "get rid". The key for me is the partnering of him with someone decent. Mostly we haven't had a good enough partner for him. And mostly there hasn't been an awful lot up front for him to pass to.

Basically put him amongst better players and he'll shine. As Heidster says, his attitude and commitment are spot on. His weaknesses in some fairly bad tackles from time to time. You can't overrun one man, only a team or a whole midfield. Blaming getting overrun on Westwood, or any single player is a mistake IMO. It's a team thing.

[chrisvilla4]

No offence to you Blandy but your username sums him up for me.

[Bunnski]

What player improved over the past couple of seasons?  I can't think of any, so Westwood would have to be of an exceptionally high standard to of been the only player out of 30 or so to of improved and he would of had to of done it while being surrounded by complete shite and having a strike force with the likes of Gabby and Weimann to aim at.

 

Having Westwood, Jedinak, Tish, Gardner and hopefully a decent new midfield signing battling for the 2 or 3 midfield spots would have us in good shape and provide good competition. 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, blandy said:

There's something in that, but I don't completely agree - we all see things differently. I think that there have been plenty of really good midfielders without huge physical presence. But I agree you do need (as a team) to have that physical ability in the centre. It can be a mix though. I think that, despite accepting recent managers have not been exactly brilliant, that all of them see/saw Westwood as a starting player, none of them saw him as "get rid". The key for me is the partnering of him with someone decent. Mostly we haven't had a good enough partner for him. And mostly there hasn't been an awful lot up front for him to pass to.

Basically put him amongst better players and he'll shine. As Heidster says, his attitude and commitment are spot on. His weaknesses in some fairly bad tackles from time to time. You can't overrun one man, only a team or a whole midfield. Blaming getting overrun on Westwood, or any single player is a mistake IMO. It's a team thing.

The thing is Pete you could have said.....Tro said his attitude and commitment are spot on....in my earlier posts on this subject I said He is a good professional, intimating exactly what Heidster has said, so you was a tad disingenuous there...enough has been written for anyone to understand what i am saying.....disagree ,fine thats a  different thing.

I am saying he is lightweight and struggles to influence a game.....If you are saying that doesn't matter and is to be ignored due to the other fine attributes of the centre midfielder i have to accept your opinion, but its certainly not mine.

To say he will shine with better players around him is a cop out imo ,used since the year dot.....Every player in all the leagues is likely to say that. We will see when Jedinek comes in whether his game improves.....I will be the first to applaud if it does.

If we want to improve, imo it is unlikely Westwood will be apart of our midfield.I sincerely believe that....but happy to apologise if he does improve.

With regards to other managers, maybe they had little choice....i don'k know, so is that a tangible argument?

some folks on here have clearly seen fit to interpret my comments as an attack on the player....not so, not intended.

I have set out to highlight some of our weakness and still believe to be so, to date

Jedinek may change that.

ps I am not saying he is our worst player, maybe that is something that has not been understood.

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisvilla4]

I like Westwood (although he doesn't excite) ,but, the way I see it,we are moving on. If he doesn't he will be left behind. 

Edited August 24, 2016 by chrisvilla4

[TRO]

1 hour ago, Bunnski said:

What player improved over the past couple of seasons?  I can't think of any, so Westwood would have to be of an exceptionally high standard to of been the only player out of 30 or so to of improved and he would of had to of done it while being surrounded by complete shite and having a strike force with the likes of Gabby and Weimann to aim at.

 

Having Westwood, Jedinak, Tish, Gardner and hopefully a decent new midfield signing battling for the 2 or 3 midfield spots would have us in good shape and provide good competition. 

perhaps I am dreaming, but it is not so long ago, fans were burning these pages up defending Gabby, now you are using him to describe a derogatory situation, did Westwood not play with Benteke? he was ok wasn't he.....to find i mean on the pitch.

I am not saying get rid of him.....I am just saying that his weakness, does not appeal to me....sorry.

[terrytini]

I think he's ok, certainly for this season.  Reminds a bit of Wilkins, one of those guys that never really does anything to shout about, but never really does anything awful, recycles the ball well - particularly so far this season until he has tired, and closes down/tackles well.

I do think there is a reason every Manager has picked him, including RDM.  And I think it reflects well on him that more than almost anyone we have left he has been through the entire bad period and come out the other side.

I'm quite sure there are stronger guys, more prolific guys, better set piece guys out there, and I think there are certain styles we would struggle to play with him in the side, but the way we are currently set up he has a function that he performs pretty well IMO.

One thing I am certain of, he is nowhere near the top 20 reasons we have been shite !

Edited August 24, 2016 by terrytini

[avfc1982]

Having Westwood in the team over the last few years is definitely one of the reasons we've been so shite for so long. Open your eyes, mate, there's a reason why we've had the worst midfield ever. Westwood is integral to it. 

[useless]

Benteke and Delph were integral to the team whilst they were here. Doesn't make them poor players, despite the team doing very poorly at that time.

[TRO]

3 hours ago, StefanAVFC said:

I'm sorry but this is absurd. It's almost satirical at this point. 

"Westwood does nothing"

posts meaningful and relevant stats how show how he clearly doesn't do 'nothing'

"well stats mean nothing"

All your words .....not mine.

I am  sceptical of stats in football....thats not the same as dismissive and yes i do believe watching the game gives you a much wider view.......than stats.

quite comical, what you have written above, they are all your own words.

Edited August 24, 2016 by TRO

[avfc1982]

9 minutes ago, useless said:

Benteke and Delph were integral to the team whilst they were here. Doesn't make them poor players, despite the team doing very poorly at that time.

The difference is they were decent players who were integral to keeping us up. Are you suggesting Westwood is in their class?

[PompeyVillan]

He's a tidy player, I like him. I understand and accept the criticism, he needs someone with bite next to him. Of course he is no world beater, but he's still one of our best midfielders. 

He certainly fits into the true stereotype of tidy but unspectacular players, football managers like him, fans underappreciate him.

I'll have my 'I told you so' moment when he plays in our Championship winning team. Until then, improve fitness and keep up the good work.

[useless]

I'm not saying he's in their class, but that doesn't make him a bad player. He's been one our best while he's been here, and played his own part in keeping us up.

[It's Your Round]

Ah, the Westwood thread. 

Why did I come in here again?!

oh well, good to see you're all keeping this one ticking over. 

[Phumfeinz]

2 minutes ago, PompeyVillan said:

I'll have my 'I told you so' moment when he plays in our Championship winning team. Until then, improve fitness and keep up the good work.

 

Ooh, can I have my 'I told you so' moment when he is utterly ineffective in the Premier League once we're promoted then? Or can I have my 'I told you so' moment now because he was a constant ever-present in the worst Aston Villa team in living memory?

[Zatman]

18 minutes ago, useless said:

Benteke and Delph were integral to the team whilst they were here. Doesn't make them poor players, despite the team doing very poorly at that time.

and reason why they both moved onto bigger teams while Westwood started in the worst Villa team in history

[TRO]

28 minutes ago, terrytini said:

I think he's ok, certainly for this season.  Reminds a bit of Wilkins, one of those guys that never really does anything to shout about, but never really does anything awful, recycles the ball well - particularly so far this season until he has tired, and closes down/tackles well.

I do think there is a reason every Manager has picked him, including RDM.  And I think it reflects well on him that more than almost anyone we have left he has been through the entire bad period and come out the other side.

I'm quite sure there are stronger guys, more prolific guys, better set piece guys out there, and I think there are certain styles we would struggle to play with him in the side, but the way we are currently set up he has a function that he performs pretty well IMO.

One thing I am certain of, he is nowhere near the top 20 reasons we have been shite !

Terry, in his wildest dreams he would never be in Wilkins class.....but i understand your comparison.

I think you are benevolent in your assessment, but I do value your opinion.

My interpretation is a fan who still has one foot in the old camp and you have not yet bought in to the improvement the new regime is looking for......I do not mean to be rude in any way shape or form, sincerely.

I have to say my original assessment of being lightweight, seems to have gone through every conceivable interpretation imaginable on here.

I think he is lightweight.....and the team gets whatever it gets from that.

 

Edited August 24, 2016 by TRO

[philgetaway]

All the current Villa boys that RDM has chosen need our backing.  Westwood was pretty much ever present last season, through good form and bad form.  He showed when others were off sick, or going on strike.  In a marathon EFL season he will add value, and has started the season well.  

Some people need to get off his back, and support him and the team.

[TRO]

4 minutes ago, philgetaway said:

All the current Villa boys that RDM has chosen need our backing.  Westwood was pretty much ever present last season, through good form and bad form.  He showed when others were off sick, or going on strike.  In a marathon EFL season he will add value, and has started the season well.  

Some people need to get off his back, and support him and the team.

My understanding is no one is on his back.....on honest appraisal/ comment on his game had been made and some fans don't agree or don't like it.

its a forum

........isn't that what its for ?