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Author Topic: Ashley Westwood - Sold to Burnley  (Read 231963 times)

Online rob_bridge

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #645 on: September 24, 2015, 10:44:46 AM »
I personally after 3 years remain unconvinced he is good enough to be Top Level starter at all.

Would he get into the Everton, Swansea, Southampton, West Ham starting line up? I don't think so.

Offline Rudy65

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #646 on: September 24, 2015, 10:49:20 AM »
I confess to be somewhat old fashioned and therefore a little unimpressed when people praise Westwood by saying things like he keeps the ball moving, and he keeps play ticking over.  I've no real idea what keeping play ticking over means, or why it is supposedly a good thing.  Or why keeping the ball moving is something to be admired.  I'd prefer a player held on to it rather than keep it moving in the general direction of the opposition, as Westwood all too frequently does.  I'd rather have a player who can put a foot in to win the ball, keep hold of it when he needs to, play the right pass at the right time, play an occasional killer pass, get some goals and assists, take a decent set piece, get forward and back quickly and effectively, and impose himself on the game and the opposition especially when we're under pressure.  The kind of things that unfortunately Westwood regularly demonstrates he's not very good at.  I just don't think he's particularly good I guess, but then I didn't rate Petrov much either.

You don't understand why keeping the ball moving is something to be admired?

Not every pass can be a killer pass but keeping possession until that opportunity arises is a fundamental part of the game - the water carrier as Cantona described them - and essential to any team. The wrong player in that role results in things like over ambitious passes or dribbles in your own half. There are obviously better players at it than Westwood (then again you could say that for all of our squad) but not to have anyone playing the role because you don't understand it is a dangerous game to play. I think Sherwood likes him because it is the role he used to do himself.

It's an important skill, but it isn't enough for a Premier League player to only have that ability in his locker.  Westwood offers very, very little of anything else.

Agree to a point but 'so far' I haven't seen anyone who does what he does. That's not to say they can't but to date they haven't shown that they are suited to the job.

so he doesn't score, he doesn't assist, his delivery on dead balls is awful, he doesn't protect the back four or defend very well or seem to be a voice on the pitch to inspire. Exactly whet is he good at? keeping the ball moving doesnt really count as it often goes sideways, backwards or is a very safe forward pass. I think after three seasons he just isn't up to Premier league level.

Offline passport1

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #647 on: September 24, 2015, 10:51:46 AM »
Sherwood was touting  him for England a few weeks ago.

Online Dave

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #648 on: September 24, 2015, 10:53:49 AM »
I personally after 3 years remain unconvinced he is good enough to be Top Level starter at all.

Would he get into the Everton, Swansea, Southampton, West Ham starting line up? I don't think so.

With everybody fit I wouldn't have him in our starting line-up either - but I think he'd be welcome in the squads of all the above, just like he would be in ours.

Offline in exile

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #649 on: September 24, 2015, 11:01:05 AM »
Sherwood was touting  him for England a few weeks ago.
That's because Sherwood has his favourites, hence Bacuna getting a game

Offline Chris Smith

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #650 on: September 24, 2015, 11:05:02 AM »
He does shield the back 4 when played there in the same way that Petrov used to by being in the right place (I am not suggesting he is as good at it but that he performs a similar job).

Of course keeping the ball moving 'counts', how else are those who are going to hurt the opposition going to get the ball in the first place?

For as long as I can remember those type of players have been dismissed at Villa because they rarely catch the eye or appear in highlights or even get picked out by pundits but I think it is an important role. However, I am not going to keep banging on about it, I don't think I am going to change views on here and that's fine we all see things differently.

Online Dave

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #651 on: September 24, 2015, 11:14:49 AM »
Sherwood was touting  him for England a few weeks ago.
That's because Sherwood has his favourites
Are there any managers who don't?

Offline in exile

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #652 on: September 24, 2015, 11:16:44 AM »
You tell me

Online Dave

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #653 on: September 24, 2015, 11:24:24 AM »
You tell me
I would guess not. A manager might pick a player because he feels that he is better at following his instructions over a better player who doesn't.

Is that any different to having 'favourites'?

Offline in exile

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #654 on: September 24, 2015, 11:28:08 AM »
You tell me
I would guess not. A manager might pick a player because he feels that he is better at following his instructions over a better player who doesn't.

Is that any different to having 'favourites'?
In my eyes yes.
Are you telling me that when Bacuna plays at right back it's because Sherwood feels he can follow instructions better than Hutton or Richards?

Offline Big Mac

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #655 on: September 24, 2015, 11:34:22 AM »
Westwood looks neat and tidy in the deep midfield position when there is no opposition player near him.  When he moves forward and has opposition players around him, his only way to play is either square or back.  He does not seem to react quick enough to play the short through passes between the midfield and defence.  He has a knack of playing more balls to players in no better position than himself.
I couldn't agree more. He always drops deep and takes the ball off a defender then without even looking forward just passes it back to another center half. I think this "ticking over" should be expected of any center midfielder added with the ability to attack and defend. I know he has good stats of chances created last season but I would like to know how many were clear cut chances and how many were those pointless floated corners/crosses that constantly rise then lower to head height a couple off meters past the goal.
The way I look at it is the midfield is the most important thing in the game and is where most games are won and lost, I know we have not had good enough players in their such as KEA, Sylla, Cleverly, and arguably Delph which have been sold/released so why is Westwood still in their as he's been a constant while we have been rubbish and probably the answer to why we lose so many midfield battles such as to Birmingham City in the first half.

Online LeeB

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #656 on: September 24, 2015, 11:46:39 AM »
You tell me
I would guess not. A manager might pick a player because he feels that he is better at following his instructions over a better player who doesn't.

Is that any different to having 'favourites'?
In my eyes yes.
Are you telling me that when Bacuna plays at right back it's because Sherwood feels he can follow instructions better than Hutton or Richards?

I think he probably is. What other reason do you think the manager has?

Offline in exile

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #657 on: September 24, 2015, 11:52:56 AM »
You tell me
I would guess not. A manager might pick a player because he feels that he is better at following his instructions over a better player who doesn't.

Is that any different to having 'favourites'?
In my eyes yes.
Are you telling me that when Bacuna plays at right back it's because Sherwood feels he can follow instructions better than Hutton or Richards?

I think he probably is. What other reason do you think the manager has?
Oh, right.
I think he has firm favourites, with Westwood and Bacuna being his favoured two. So far he has got away with it to a certain extent

Online Dave

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #658 on: September 24, 2015, 11:54:24 AM »
You tell me
I would guess not. A manager might pick a player because he feels that he is better at following his instructions over a better player who doesn't.

Is that any different to having 'favourites'?
In my eyes yes.
Are you telling me that when Bacuna plays at right back it's because Sherwood feels he can follow instructions better than Hutton or Richards?

Presumably either that or that he just thinks that Bacuna gives the team more in that position than Hutton.

If it were neither of those two things, what else would there be that makes him a 'favourite'?

Online LeeB

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Re: Ashley Westwood
« Reply #659 on: September 24, 2015, 12:00:07 PM »
You tell me
I would guess not. A manager might pick a player because he feels that he is better at following his instructions over a better player who doesn't.

Is that any different to having 'favourites'?
In my eyes yes.
Are you telling me that when Bacuna plays at right back it's because Sherwood feels he can follow instructions better than Hutton or Richards?

Presumably either that or that he just thinks that Bacuna gives the team more in that position than Hutton.

If it were neither of those two things, what else would there be that makes him a 'favourite'?

Bacuna is more fun to 'Netflix 'n chill' with than Hutton.

 


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