Ashley Westwood

[AlwaysAVFC]

He's a good player, no doubt.   Wish he'd used his left foot though for that chance and he would have scored - and more importantly put the game away at 3-1.

That was Lowton.

Maybe usav was listening to Trevor Francis' erroneous commentary. Half the media don't know who a lot of our players are.

Francis is useless, first he said it was Weimann then corrected himself to Westwood and still got it wrong.

Why does he commentate on so many of our games? The QPR game i could sort of understand, although its not exactly free of bias. Also how many times did they want to mention his hatrick against us in 89.

[rob_bridge]

He's a good player, no doubt.   Wish he'd used his left foot though for that chance and he would have scored - and more importantly put the game away at 3-1.

That was Lowton.

Maybe usav was listening to Trevor Francis' erroneous commentary. Half the media don't know who a lot of our players are.

Francis is useless, first he said it was Weimann then corrected himself to Westwood and still got it wrong.

Why does he commentate on so many of our games? The QPR game i could sort of understand, although its not exactly free of bias. Also how many times did they want to mention his hatrick against us in 89.

I think there is basically him and Graham Taylor who are both high profile, live in the area and who are genuine national (international to those of a certain vintage) names and GT is on 5live.

[pauliewalnuts]

Francis always strikes me as very fair with us in his commentary. In fact, almost to the point of being biased towards us at times, mad though that sounds.

[N'ZMAV]

TF - FFS, I hated him when he managed them.

[paul_e]

The biggest problem I have with Francis is that, like most of the ex-players in the media, is too lazy to do any meaningful research before the games, so he relies on clichés and media driven opinions.  On Saturday he said 3-4 things that were just lazy, loads of them being around Weimann and Gabby not being able to play wide of Benteke, oddly he stopped with that nonsense in the 2nd half.   I'm fairly sure I heard one about us missing Bent as well, whilst our front 3, who have about a goal and a half a game between them in 2013, were all scoring.

These 'experts' are the biggest problem with televised sport, you get the odd one who's really on the ball and provides good information (Neville has turned out to be one of these, Jeff Stelling is another good example) but most of them are useless.

[Toronto Villa]

Francis always strikes me as very fair with us in his commentary. In fact, almost to the point of being biased towards us at times, mad though that sounds.

I agree. He's actually really quite complimentary about us given his background and history. I bet he privately wishes he played for us and not that lot. I can imagine far lesser players from their "colourful" past; Claridge, Savage, Tait as examples put in the same position being far less balanced in their observations. Francis doesn't get everything right when commentating on games but it certainly isn't because of any noticeable anti-Villa agenda.

[dave.woodhall]

Francis always strikes me as very fair with us in his commentary. In fact, almost to the point of being biased towards us at times, mad though that sounds.

I agree. He's actually really quite complimentary about us given his background and history. I bet he privately wishes he played for us and not that lot. I can imagine far lesser players from their "colourful" past; Claridge, Savage, Tait as examples put in the same position being far less balanced in their observations. Francis doesn't get everything right when commentating on games but it certainly isn't because of any noticeable anti-Villa agenda.

The world was different when he played for them. There was rivalry, and violence between sections of our support, but not the all-pervasive 24 hour hatred we get now.

[Ads]

A long absence made the heart grow fonder.

[dave.woodhall]

A long absence made the heart grow fonder.

Indeed.

[Chris Smith]

I'd still walk a mile and a bit to rub his face in the shit.

[ACVilla]

Ronseal.

Integral.

Love him.

[PaulWinch again]

He's been excellent.

[richardhubbard]

Lad class and stepped 4 divisions!

[SoccerHQ]

Like Lowton excellent player in the making who understandbly had a dip for a few weeks after the 8-0.

Needs physical presence alongside him in midifeld which is why him, Sylla and Delph looks the best combination for us in midfield this season.

[supertom]

Again, I hope Lambert twigs that we look better with a 3 man mid. Put someone in to help out Delph and Westy and we look better.

Westwood is a class act though. So rarely wastes a pass and is always available.