Summer 2015 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

He's been just sort of "meh" for his entire Villa career. If he was every going to improve, even to the level of quite good, he'd have done it by now.

Like Agbonlahor, it'll be a sign that Villa have progressed when he finally becomes obsolete.

Completely agree. In a few years when he's at Sheffield United or somewhere like that, I'll look back and wonder how on earth he played for us in the Premier League.

[mr underhill]

Jordan Ferri the latest (French) Jordan player to be linked.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Jordan Ferri the latest (French) Jordan player to be linked.

Haha, I actually trawled through a list of Ligue 1 players the other day for more players named "Jordan", and he was the pick of the ones we hadn't yet signed!

[passitsideways]

I think we will see Westwood in a fresh light this season. He remains very underrated in my opinion

Haven't we said that every year since he's been signed? He's in the last chance saloon...

Why?  He's a good player, best first touch and passing on the team.

He gets caught badly tracking his man when we're defending, he's got no physical presence and for all his tidy passing he rarely assists or scores.

I'll give you the defensive side of things needs to improve but the assists/goals thing annoys me, that's not the role he plays in the team, he's the tempo setter who directs play and he does the role well enough to deserve a chance to do it in a better midfield.  If Sherwood has done his job properly the squad should've been split into 3, players who were good enough, players who'd shown enough to deserve a chance and players who needed to move on, it looks like that's been the approach and Westwood fell into the 2nd group, which is exactly where he belongs.

And our tempo has been absolutely shit for the time he's been in the team. He has very little effect on games. Take a look at the bottom 6 or 7 teams and he'd struggle to get in any of them. To get better we need an upgrade on players like Westwood.

That's an unfair thing to place on him. The tempo at which any team plays is almost entirely down to the gameplan set by the manager. Our tempo was dire under Lambert but quickened under Sherwood, and Westwood was a fairly common presence under both managers.

[cdbearsfan]

He's been just sort of "meh" for his entire Villa career. If he was every going to improve, even to the level of quite good, he'd have done it by now.

Like Agbonlahor, it'll be a sign that Villa have progressed when he finally becomes obsolete.

Completely agree. In a few years when he's at Sheffield United or somewhere like that, I'll look back and wonder how on earth he played for us in the Premier League.

He's far too clean for Sheffield United. He'll end up at a nice-but-dull team like Reading.

[Risso]

If we aspire to be more than just relegation fodder then we will need an upgrade on Westwood . Whilst he's not terrible, he has some significant limitations to his game .

Although I like Ashley Westwood, I would have to agree with that.

Me too.  Although maybe playing with a better class of player under a better manager will raise his game.  He's a bit like Guzan for me, not top of the list of players to replace perhaps, but not good enough if we seriously want to improve.

[aj2k77]

Players have to take responsibility too for how bad we've been the last few years, it's not just the managers fault, you can't blame Lambert for Westwood being caught out by runners numerous times and being light weight. Even under Sherwood I'd struggle to pick a game where he's contributed. He needs to influence games more, you can't have a centre mid in the team that doesn't tackle, doesn't track back, doesn't break up play, doesn't assist, doesn't score but plays a nice 5 yard pass. It's a wasted position and there are so many better players out there.

[Dante Lavelli]

You can't have a centre mid in the team that doesn't tackle, doesn't track back, doesn't break up play, doesn't assist, doesn't score but plays a nice 5 yard pass. It's a wasted position and there are so many better players out there.

Disagree.  In fact, since the death of 442, I think most top teams have a player that does the unglamorous work which allows other players to flourish.

[old man villa fan]

I think Westwood is one of those players that wants to play in a certain position but to the team he would be better playing a different position.  Westwood likes to play the deep midfield position picking up the ball from the keeper or central defenders.  The problem is that this is a key position in the team and he is not PL level to play it.  We need an all round player in this position that can, not only break up play but build play as well.  Sometimes you do not have to be a really good player but you have to be effective.

I think Westwood should be played further forward but then he would be competing with our new signings so would have to accept he may not be a starter and it may be a position he does not favour himself.

[ozzjim]

I think he is a good player. He does need to track runners better but then I don't think he is best suited to holding midfield. He had a decent shot and picks a pad and would be better as a box to box type in my opinion. We always play better when Westwood gets on the ball a lot and if he became available I reckon another premier league side would sign him.

[aj2k77]

I personally would say Westwood isn't fit, strong or fast enough to play box to box, he just doesn't have the physical attributes.

[aj2k77]

You can't have a centre mid in the team that doesn't tackle, doesn't track back, doesn't break up play, doesn't assist, doesn't score but plays a nice 5 yard pass. It's a wasted position and there are so many better players out there.

Disagree.  In fact, since the death of 442, I think most top teams have a player that does the unglamorous work which allows other players to flourish.

Lol I think he'll remain one of those divisive players, like Kozak that splits opinion.

[old man villa fan]

You can't have a centre mid in the team that doesn't tackle, doesn't track back, doesn't break up play, doesn't assist, doesn't score but plays a nice 5 yard pass. It's a wasted position and there are so many better players out there.

Disagree.  In fact, since the death of 442, I think most top teams have a player that does the unglamorous work which allows other players to flourish.

He doesn't do the unglamorous work that he needs to do in his position, though.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

Westwood is now part of a squad and will only stay in the team on merit. If he's good enough he will play. It's up to the rest to show that they can do a better job.

[tomd2103]

I personally would say Westwood isn't fit, strong or fast enough to play box to box, he just doesn't have the physical attributes.

He can only really play as a defensive midfielder in a three man midfield.