The Westwood Era

[Emerson Thome]

Maddix suffered a bit in comparison, because he effectively replaced Des Walker.

 

But as for Westwood, possibly not the worst Centre Back to play for us ever, but surely the worst to play near enough 100 games for us (91 + 5 as sub).

[FreshOwl]

I was at the palace home match. I knew after the first mistake that he’d make another, was one of them days and the awful pitch wouldn’t have helped. Christ, Westwood used to get hammers thinking about it. All the fans sat around me in the south wanted to tear his head off, I used to laugh at how venemous they’d get 

[markg]

8 hours ago, TomtheOwl95 said:

This is said game. Awful defending. Not one to boo a player myself, can't have helped him.

I think that was the one where the fan ran on the pitch to have a go at the ref over the re-taken penalty wasn't it?

[Andrew_Owl]

Great keeper though

[Sefton owl]

Thought this was going to be a massive dig at Dross Lukhay then

[Bluesteel]

Westwood’s knees used to shake when the crowd shouted at him to clear the ball. He’d then shank it to the edge of the D and usually into the shins of an on-rushing midfielder. I remember his efforts to shoulder barge Hartson and Crouch off the ball too when clean through...Hartson got a hattrick and Crouch got at least two.

 

Westwood got us some handy goals though, a looping header in the last min against fulham in the rain was my favourite

[Tea Baggins]

13 hours ago, mcmigo said:

Van aken is the worst centre back in our history.

he makes westwood look like baresi.

 

You never watched Guy Branson then!! 

[matthefish2002]

We have had worse teams and worse players during my time watching Wednesday I wont argue with that.
But think what makes the current situation stand out is its never been so expensive to watch and never have the players been on so much money to serve up such dross.

[mcmigo]

Saw plenty of branston , fee , May and the rest of them who often are brought up in these centre back threads.

 

i maintain Van aken is the worst of the lot. Branston was ugly and slow but could stop and block . Van aken is incredibly poor as a player on basic defensive technique that any half decent manager knows exactly how to beat us if he is in the team. I thought he was the peak in terms of lack of ability of all the players I have seen in the shirt over the past 35 years, however then da Cruz turned up on loan and I had to reappraise.

[whatdial]

13 hours ago, Andrew_Owl said:

Great keeper though

What actually happened to Stringer? Was he crocked?

[FARGATEOWL]

Was coaching in India and the far east last time I heard if him. Had a bit of success early on.

[matthefish2002]

15 hours ago, whatdial said:

What actually happened to Stringer? Was he crocked?

 

Think Stringer had to retire in his early 20s. Guess he would be about 37 now so still could be playing as a keeper just about.

But think after first couple of decent games he wasnt really up to it.

[Emerson Thome]

On 22/05/2020 at 06:11, mcmigo said:

Saw plenty of branston , fee , May and the rest of them who often are brought up in these centre back threads.

 

i maintain Van aken is the worst of the lot. Branston was ugly and slow but could stop and block . Van aken is incredibly poor as a player on basic defensive technique that any half decent manager knows exactly how to beat us if he is in the team. I thought he was the peak in terms of lack of ability of all the players I have seen in the shirt over the past 35 years, however then da Cruz turned up on loan and I had to reappraise.

 

This is hyperbole.

 

Defending has changed over the last 20-30 years and in many ways is much harder now. I rewatched the '91 Cup Final and it was noticeable that 4 or 5 times Hughes received the ball in a dangerous position back to goal and Shirtliff and Pearson would just go through the back of him. Free kick, no card, defence can reset. Obviously the same thing happened every time to Hirst and Williams when we were on the attack.

 

Nowadays, 2 fouls like that and you would be off. So centre backs have to be much more mobile, and face strikers attacking with much greater pace and freedom to run at them, without the threat of being chopped in half 10 times a match.

 

I don't know what you saw in those 14 league games in 17/18 that makes him the worst centre back in Sheffield Wednesday history. But joining in a struggling team (16th when he played his first game for us), in those 14 games we conceded 15 goals, this included matches against both the top two and 5 teams in the top 6. He wasn't substituted once for form, the only time he came of was his final game that season where he sustained his injury (after an hour when we were already 2-0 up away at Forest).

 

Obviously one of those games against a top 6 side we conceded 4 goals at home and he had a very poor match. Although based on the stats of those 14 games, WhoScored reckon he performed better that season than Thorniley, Looverns, Fox and Palmer among our defenders. He made more clearances per game that season than anyone in our squad save for Tom Lees and Venancio.