Ashley Westwood - Sold to Burnley

[PeterWithesShin]

Swansea were also after him when we signed him. So there was obviously something promising about him as a youngster.

[Risso]

That article is spot on.  Westwood is the ultimate non-entity footballer, and we've still got about 117 years left on his current contract.  I absolutely detest seeing him in a Villa shirt, and we can forget about any thoughts of promotion while he's still a regular fixture.

[Risso]

Swansea were also after him when we signed him. So there was obviously something promising about him as a youngster.

Maybe they were, may be they weren't, who knows?  Very little interest in him from anybody since.

[PeterWithesShin]

Swansea were also after him when we signed him. So there was obviously something promising about him as a youngster.

Maybe they were, may be they weren't, who knows?  Very little interest in him from anybody since.

They were.

[Jimbo]

Ashley Westwood, professional footballer. Honours and achievements: Some cursory interest from Swansea City once, a few years ago now.

[CJ]

I'm sure he's a very nice lad and he does try hard (well, runs around a lot) but he just hasn't got what it takes at this level. He can't tackle, can't challenge to head a ball, creates nothing, plays no incisive passes, doesn't score - all he does is look busy and recycles the ball, usually sideways or backwards,so what's the point (see what I did there) in him being in the squad? He played 131 games in League 2, and 134 games for us in the PL. I know which division he's more suited to. And who was the massive knob-end who gave him a new 5 year contract last September? And why

[JUAN PABLO]

Swansea were also after him when we signed him. So there was obviously something promising about him as a youngster.

Maybe they were, may be they weren't, who knows?  Very little interest in him from anybody since.

we thought we were going to win  the lotto , when we thought Burnley was sniffing in the summer for him . Bullshit we was all sniffing.

[Nelly]

I suppose in many ways, this is the first season in quite a few where we have the ability to bring players in. It's strange to me that Di Matteo didn't see fit to bring in better midfielders, but then, most of what he did was questionable.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

There's worse players played for Villa but non worse with his number of appearances.

He's consistently the most ineffective player I've ever had the misfortune to see play for us (140 fucking times).

[Risso]

Swansea were also after him when we signed him. So there was obviously something promising about him as a youngster.

Maybe they were, may be they weren't, who knows?  Very little interest in him from anybody since.

They were.

Yes, you're right, but then it seems they wouldn't match the fee, so their interest only ran so far. Peterborough were also interested!

[bodkins14]

Don't know if this has already been posted but it does seem to sum up Westwoods usefulness
https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/loris-karius-and-five-other-keepers-have-better-passing-stats-than-the-most-pointless-midfielder/102723

[Clark W Griswold]

That's a pretty funny article and Bruce should really take notice if he hadn't already.

[stuart445]

For a few months after Westwood signed he looked like he would more than hold his own at the top level. Successive managers have coached that out of him and destroyed his confidence. A real shame as he was one of the few who appeared to care about our plight last season.

There are many things that can be said about Westwood but saying he doesn't care and that he doesn't give 100% are things that he can't be accused of.  He gives his all but ultimately that isn't enough when you are as rubbish as he is.

[LeeB]

That article is spot on.  Westwood is the ultimate non-entity footballer, and we've still got about 117 years left on his current contract.  I absolutely detest seeing him in a Villa shirt, and we can forget about any thoughts of promotion while he's still a regular fixture.

I heartily concur.

It's embarrassing seeing him start for us, he's second best to any given opposition.

[supertom]

I've now come to the conclusion that he doesn't even try. He does run around a bit but much like those kids who mime during the hymns in assembly at school, it's all for show. For me he's a cowardly player. As cowardly as I've ever known in a Villa shirt. In the vast majority of times I've seen him playing he just hides. He never seems to want to impose himself onto a game. He doesn't show for the ball. He's scared of it. He's scared of doing something productive with it, and in those moments the ball finds him he shakes like a shitting dog and will 9 times out of 10 take the easy option, which is to pass it sideways or back, to the closest team-mate possible.

If you put a fitbit round his wrist he'd show enough mileage after a game that someone might think he's covered enough distance, but he plays hide and seek. He cowers away from the game. He hides behind markers when we're in possession. He leaves them alone when the opposition are in possession. There's no urgency. This no desire. He just wants to exist on the pitch, not do anything too disastrous, but by the same token shows no will to be a potential matchwinner.

A chancer and a scaredy cat who knows he's out of his depth but will always attempt the bare minimum in order to maintain his place at a club of this level and the paycheck that comes with it. Any potential he was showing in his first season, and growing confidence has dissipated. Rather than continue to work on his game at that point and develop, he has retreated into a shell and somehow managed to coast his way through a further 3 years of absolute nothingness. A black hole of football.

He might not be a shit like Gabby, or some of the other irksome, repugnant bastards we've employed who have been almost actively contemptuous, but he's shown absolutely no balls at all. He needs sacking and he needs to go back to League 2 where he can exist and blend into being an above average non-entity at the right level. He seems constantly in fear of being "found out" here. But no manager has yet seemed to notice.