Ashley Westwood - Sold to Burnley

[oswald funkletrumpet]

To be fair, sometimes the lack of movement from the forward players has restricted passing options for a lot of the players

Movement is the key to creating space and openings all over the pitch.  It also makes passing so much easier.

Couldn't agree more.

Movement - the lack of it off the ball - has been our most chronic failing for most of the last twenty years or so. It drives me absolutely nuts.

Absolutely agree. The lack of movement from our forward line is pathetic at best. There have been far too many times in recent games where they stand there like statues next to their markers. Against Blose on Tuesday, we saw Gabby, Gestede and Sinclair literally standing next to each other in the box and neither of them made a run or found space with midfield looking for the next ball. Very frustrating to watch.

you could have thrown a duvet over all 3 they were that close at times

[brian green]

The reason why Jack Grealish is so effective is that he creates spaces for his own players to exploit. The penny drops and they start to move. At the opposite end the scale N'Zogbia runs into dead ends created by the defence and they all play statues. The unfolding waste of a good player that is Libor Kozak underscores the inability of those preferred to him to get in positions to threaten the opposition goal.

[LeeB]

There is a big difference between (i) just moving the ball around for the sake of it and (ii) probing for openings.  I think Westwood is more inclined towards the former.

Except (i) is still a useful skill, which you have to do when (ii) is not on, especially when the other team is pressing and trying to win the ball back in a hurry. Maybe Westwood doesn't do enough of (ii), but that doesn't mean he's worthless because he's more inclined towards (i)

No, you should only use (i) if you are trying to waste time.  You should always be looking to do (ii), which involves moving the ball around to draw players out and creates the openings.  If the opposition is pressing, you use short passes to get behind them and past the first line of defence.  If you are doing (i), you are just using energy for no reward.

Perhaps our lack of chances created last season was due to too much of (i).

I guess we've got different understandings of the two. As far as I'm concerned, moving the ball around for the sake of it does in fact draw players out, providing that they're not being instructed to sit deep. I see (ii) as more being able to spot a through ball or a chipped ball over the top, or running at a defender with the direct intention of playing a quick one-two to get past them, or drawing them out only to slip the ball to someone else at the last moment.

I'm enjoying a man known as "passitsideways" defending Ashley Westwood.

[brian green]

(sings) Are you Wilkins in disguise?

[passitsideways]

There is a big difference between (i) just moving the ball around for the sake of it and (ii) probing for openings.  I think Westwood is more inclined towards the former.

Except (i) is still a useful skill, which you have to do when (ii) is not on, especially when the other team is pressing and trying to win the ball back in a hurry. Maybe Westwood doesn't do enough of (ii), but that doesn't mean he's worthless because he's more inclined towards (i)

No, you should only use (i) if you are trying to waste time.  You should always be looking to do (ii), which involves moving the ball around to draw players out and creates the openings.  If the opposition is pressing, you use short passes to get behind them and past the first line of defence.  If you are doing (i), you are just using energy for no reward.

Perhaps our lack of chances created last season was due to too much of (i).

I guess we've got different understandings of the two. As far as I'm concerned, moving the ball around for the sake of it does in fact draw players out, providing that they're not being instructed to sit deep. I see (ii) as more being able to spot a through ball or a chipped ball over the top, or running at a defender with the direct intention of playing a quick one-two to get past them, or drawing them out only to slip the ball to someone else at the last moment.

I'm enjoying a man known as "passitsideways" defending Ashley Westwood.

I prefer to call it fate.

(The odd thing is that I'm pretty sure I've said on multiple occasions here that I'd rather not have him start for us, yet here I am defending his general ability as a footballer.)

[Lastfootstamper]

He's a tidy player, but something that really rankles me is his apparent reluctance to back himself when it comes to playing a longer cross-field pass through the air. It frustrates me when we have to put in an extra pass to get the ball out wide to a player in an advanced position. Yeah, we've kept the ball, but we've lost a lot of impetus.

[silhillvilla]

Bottom line is he's too slow, weak and ineffective to push us up the league , if you want to be in the 15th - 20th league slots westwood in central midfield is your man

[Rudy65]

To be fair, sometimes the lack of movement from the forward players has restricted passing options for a lot of the players

Movement is the key to creating space and openings all over the pitch.  It also makes passing so much easier.

Couldn't agree more.

Movement - the lack of it off the ball - has been our most chronic failing for most of the last twenty years or so. It drives me absolutely nuts.

Absolutely agree. The lack of movement from our forward line is pathetic at best. There have been far too many times in recent games where they stand there like statues next to their markers. Against Blose on Tuesday, we saw Gabby, Gestede and Sinclair literally standing next to each other in the box and neither of them made a run or found space with midfield looking for the next ball. Very frustrating to watch.

And you would think easy to put right

Compare with the goals scored by Callum Wilson and Watford last week which were all about movement off the ball

[oswald funkletrumpet]

Bottom line is he's too slow, weak and ineffective to push us up the league , if you want to be in the 15th - 20th league slots westwood in central midfield is your man

this

he wouldnt get a start in any top ten side, the epitomy of a nothing player for me

[supertom]

Bottom line is he's too slow, weak and ineffective to push us up the league , if you want to be in the 15th - 20th league slots westwood in central midfield is your man

this

he wouldnt get a start in any top ten side, the epitomy of a nothing player for me

I think he's probably Championship. In the Prem, at best he should be a squaddie for a bottom 6 side.

[Stirchley Villain]

He's in the right place for the moment then,

[oswald funkletrumpet]

Bottom line is he's too slow, weak and ineffective to push us up the league , if you want to be in the 15th - 20th league slots westwood in central midfield is your man

this

he wouldnt get a start in any top ten side, the epitomy of a nothing player for me

I think he's probably Championship. In the Prem, at best he should be a squaddie for a bottom 6 side.

definately

verte

Bottom line is he's too slow, weak and ineffective to push us up the league , if you want to be in the 15th - 20th league slots westwood in central midfield is your man

this

he wouldnt get a start in any top ten side, the epitomy of a nothing player for me

I think he's probably Championship. In the Prem, at best he should be a squaddie for a bottom 6 side.

definately

veretout over him for me, looks more comfortable on the ball and would offer more going forward

[Axl Rose]

He's fucking useless. I've just got home after a good day to see him, once again in the starting lineup. Just fuck off, Westwood. Veretout is far superior, played well midweek and deserves to retain his spot.

Westwood...I despair.

[Steve67]

Sometimes you get what you deserve in football. Playing the likes of Westwood every week won't see us move forward. Decent player but decent won't move us forward.

[Risso]

Sometimes you get what you deserve in football. Playing the likes of Westwood every week won't see us move forward. Decent player but decent won't move us forward.

He isn't decent, he's bobbins.