Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 If he is supposed to be the 'new Carrick' then why would he need a DM to help him when he is suppose to be the DM? Isn't his his possession retention under pressure what everybody was lauding him for last season and criticising KEA for not being able to do? Now Westwood can't even manage that we need a proper DM to bail him out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nabby Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Think his problem this season is KEA.The pair of them play are tidy enough on the ball but don't create anything and are lightweight when it comes to defending. KEA in preseason looked like he could have more of an attacking threat but to me he just can no hack it in the prem league on a consistent basis , against an leightweight Arsenal midfield he looked ok but against Sissoko and Cabeye (too good midfielders granted ) he was out of his depth. Westwood can do a job like Britten at Swansea but he needs midfielders around him who are more mobile and you can make runs forward to create space for him to work his best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Well firstly KEA was much better then 'ok' against Arsenal. One of our best players that day. Successfully bossed Arsenal's midfield and gave them no time on the ball. Secondly, wasn't Westwood equally out of his depth against Newcastle? Thirdly, he could do a job like Britton at Swansea if we actually played like Swansea. We don't so it is pointless playing Westwood at this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nabby Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Westwood was poor also but he still made the pass that set up Wiemann and took the corner for the goal so as the 2 are so similar for now KEA would be the one I would drop. Perhaps the best option for KEA would be a 3 man MF of Sylla /Westwood /Delph with KEA behind 2 strikers.Take him out of the congested MF area give him so space and see what he can do ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 if you watched the YT videos before he joined he was everywhere - an all action tackling midfielder always in everyone's faces now it seems he has the turning circle of broken down coach and the speed to match, he takes so long to make a decision to pass forward that it's usually half time before he remembers what he intended. you can see he has skills and talent, but as yet it has only been shown in brief but beautiful glimpses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Westwood was poor also but he still made the pass that set up Wiemann and took the corner for the goal so as the 2 are so similar for now KEA would be the one I would drop. Perhaps the best option for KEA would be a 3 man MF of Sylla /Westwood /Delph with KEA behind 2 strikers.Take him out of the congested MF area give him so space and see what he can do ? Neither could complain if they were dropped but at least KEA showed at Arsenal that he can get stuck-in, make tackles and close down the opposition. Something Westwood has never shown in a Villa shirt which is appalling considering he is suppose to be a defensive (emphasis on this word) midfielder. Although I may come across as a big KEA fan, I'm not completely convinced by him actually. It is a testament to how poor our midfield is that I would put him in our strongest midfield three. I agree with your last sentence and this is basically how he was played in the second half against Manchester United where he looked pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwan Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 (edited) Westwood has shown that he can put in a tackle, but he's more adept at blocking passing lines and making good interceptions. He's a replacement for Petrov in that respect instead of being this gritty tackler, which he is not. We have Delph for that. The fact is that Westwood and KEA don't offer enough forward thrust. This is expected of Westwood as it has never been his thing to make the extra run from midfield, but the problem is that KEA isn't doing it either. In general, none of our current midfielders can play with their back towards the goal, picking up the ball in the pocket and making a turn forward. Westwood and KEA are too samey and I think Westwood can do a better job and doesn't waffle about with the ball like KEA (case in point, Newcastle's first goal). Edited September 17, 2013 by Kwan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Westwood did the corner for the goal, lest people forget. I think some are being a bit harsh on him. He is a good player who is still learning his craft at the top flight. Would you have him in the side or a clogger like Herd? Exactly. Need to bring back Sylla for KEA, and he will look better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Westwood has shown that he can put in a tackle, but he's more adept at blocking passing lines and making good interceptions. He's a replacement for Petrov in that respect instead of being this gritty tackler, which he is not. We have Delph for that. Is the ability to track markers from midfield and help out the defence something we shouldn't expect from our DM either. Also is it not possible to have more then one player in midfield who can tackle as most teams do? So because Delph tackles, we shouldn't expect any other midfielder to? Amazing what Westwood can get away with that other players can't. When Bannan didn't tackle very often he was blasted as 'lightweight' and 'scared to tackle' but when Westwood doesn't, we weren't suppose to expect him to tackle anyway. Westwood did the corner for the goal, lest people forget. I think some are being a bit harsh on him. He is a good player who is still learning his craft at the top flight. Would you have him in the side or a clogger like Herd? Exactly. Need to bring back Sylla for KEA, and he will look better. So if it had been Luna who had taken that corner it would've changed the fact he had a poor game then would it? Also Herd isn't the only alternative to Westwood so that argument doesn't stick. Sylla played as a DM during pre-season so I'd rather him. Just because Lambert hasn't played him there in proper matches so far doesn't mean he shouldn't do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 (edited) I didnt say Herd is the only alternative to Westwood, I said like Herd. Though Westwood can pass and Herd can't. Bannan can pass but never played the percentage ball and so often did the aimless long pass to oppostion/out of play. Thats why he is now playing at Crystal Palace. Westwood did have a poor game on saturday but I stil think he deserves to be in the team. Edited September 17, 2013 by The Fun Factory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Not just Saturday though. Hasn't had a good game so far in the league this season. Even against Rotherham he wasn't as good as Delph or KEA. People are (rightly) calling for Lowton and Weimann to be dropped for not playing to an acceptable standard so far this season, so why not Westwood? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonVillian Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Been poor so far this season would like to see Sylla/Delph/Gardner in the middle against norwich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I thought he did fine v Rotherham, but obviously that was a lot easier than a prem game. I dont think Lambert should do a raft of changes after one bad result. You need a bit of continiuity .If he has another 2,3 poor games than perhaps he should be dropped but I think Lambert will start him on Saturday.A bit early to chuck Gardner in to a first team game as he has been injured for so long, but I do hope he gets a run out later in the year. Maybe a loan spell for him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonVillian Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I thought he was playing preseason (might be mistaken) ? Don't think we can afford to loan him out? Delph and Westwood and Sylla - top 3 for me KEA - not good enough Herd - not good enough Gardner - could be ? Who knows? Worth a go? Agree could be a bit early but he has got that wild card factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I thought he did fine v Rotherham, but obviously that was a lot easier than a prem game. I didn't say he was poor against Rotherham. Played well enough but still not as good as the other two midfielders. Been poor so far this season would like to see Sylla/Delph/Gardner in the middle against norwich I'm a bit apprehensive about throwing Gardner in as I thought he was pretty poor in pre-season. Would like to see him get a go fairly soon but not chucked into a must-win game like Norwich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwan Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I didn't say that he couldn't tackle, but that he's not as tenacious as Delph about it. I've seen him make plenty of tackles but his value lies in cutting out passing lanes and intercepting the ball, something Bannan didn't do. I think you're being unduly harsh on him but I think Westwood will have the Petrov treatment for as long as he's here. Underappreciated and accused of not doing enough 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I didn't think Petrov was particularly good up until the second-half of the Houllier season really. The criticism he received up until then was perfectly justified. Though he was still much better off the ball then Westwood and better at tracking opposition runs and also contributed more offensively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwan Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Petrov did always have 2 or 3 goals but Westwood did have 6 assists last year, more than Petrov ever had in one season for Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Petrov wasn't our set-piece taker though so that comparison is misleading. It should also be pointed out that 95% of Westwood's set-pieces are awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czechlad Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I don't think he has been that good so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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