Keiren Westwood G Crewe Alexandra b.1984

**paul_oshea** · 02/06/2016, 3:12 PM

Delores, you need your own forum( a huge blank canvas) with all this self-quoting.

You'll be worse than me soon with the told you so's. But obviously its more than legitimate and an entitlement.

**paul_oshea** · 02/06/2016, 3:14 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

or anyone who claims to know what a look, smile or wink to camera really means

Funny, if you read that piece, the author says the exact same thing! That he was saving face, a wry smile. That article only backs up what I was saying.

Except of course, everyone had read O'Neill wrong and/or McDonagh and the other coaches have a lot of sway. I got a hint of the latter from the same piece and another article(keane and whittling down the squad) on the same paper.

**DeLorean** · 02/06/2016, 3:28 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Delores, you need a huge blank canvas with all this self-quoting.

You'll be worse than me soon with the told you so's. But obviously its more than legitimate and an entitlement.

In my defence, I had only asked a question at the time, I didn't have the answers... so not much in the way of 'I told you so'.

Plus, I think O'Neill probably was questioning his commitment at the time really.

**paul_oshea** · 02/06/2016, 4:27 PM

But sure that's what we do most on this forum, speculate.

That's why Stutts lives in fancy NW London, in a beautiful house after making his millions speculating correctly.

YOu should follow suit El Del.

**Charlie Darwin** · 02/06/2016, 4:43 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

There was an interview he did before the Swiss game where he said it was Westwood's record of actually being fit after call-ups. The suggestion may be his club is pressurising him to pull out.

Some people should have listened to me sooner.

**OwlsFan** · 02/06/2016, 4:53 PM

I doubt if there was club pressure to pull out. I would say O'Neill was miffed about the pull outs but wiser counsel prevailed, possibly from others, that you should bring your best squad and forget about the past. Hmmmm, that said he still brought Given.

p.s. I notice that Westwood got a fingernail to the Hull shot in the semi-final. Meanwhile Given was only getting off the ground by the time a similar "unstoppable" Belarus shot hit the back of the net. I am only sayin'....

**Stuttgart88** · 02/06/2016, 7:28 PM

In fairness, the Belarus shot was further wide. I actually think Westwood missed a trick with the Hull goal. We debated it here while you were drowning your sorrows.

**geysir** · 03/06/2016, 8:37 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I doubt if there was club pressure to pull out. I would say O'Neill was miffed about the pull outs but wiser counsel prevailed, possibly from others, that you should bring your best squad and forget about the past. Hmmmm, that said he still brought Given.
.

We had already proven beyond medical doubt on this thread after the friendlies v Swiss and Slo that Westwood had only pulled out when injured and it was noted that he had also pulled out of the next club game/s. O'Neill also referred to Westwood missing out on club games, supporting his Westwood is unreliable claim but this also did not cut the mustard. There was no basis for MO'Ns unreliable claims re Westwood's availability and dependability, that's why many thought the issue lay elsewhere, ambivalence or ironically began at Sunderland with a dissenting Westwood wanting to start games/go out on loan so he could get back in the Ireland squad.
But if Westwood's past exclusion just came mainly down to O'Neill thinking that Westwood was unreliable then he didn't do his job properly to establish the facts of Westwood's injury/club record and left an important team position vulnerable.
We don't build a team's tactics around the goalkeeper, we play the best goalkeeper available for the competitive games, it's okay if the nr 1 goalie misses 2 games due to injury, the team's formation is not disturbed. When it comes to goalies and O'Neill, somehow the image of a hapless Rab Douglas in the UEFA final is etched in my memory.

**paul_oshea** · 03/06/2016, 9:00 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Some people should have listened to me sooner.

How did no one like this post? So serious and stuffy on here sometimes.

**paul_oshea** · 03/06/2016, 9:02 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I doubt if there was club pressure to pull out. I would say O'Neill was miffed about the pull outs but wiser counsel prevailed, possibly from others, that you should bring your best squad and forget about the past. Hmmmm, that said he still brought Given.

p.s. I notice that Westwood got a fingernail to the Hull shot in the semi-final. Meanwhile Given was only getting off the ground by the time a similar "unstoppable" Belarus shot hit the back of the net. I am only sayin'....

I alluded to your first point on another thread, not sure which one, but I think thats another good sign of O'Neills management that he is willing to listen to his trusted advisers. Pity none of them knew/know nothing about Doyle

Geysir, unreliable in the sense that his fitness is being called into question, missing club games after ireland internationals proves this too. You don't build your tactics or team around your goalkeeper, but a solid defensive is built around a goalkeeper and his back four, getting to know eachtoher, being able to communicate and control and command the box/defense when needed, the ability to spot weaknesses of your back 4 and use your strengths to compensate and likewise for the back 4 and the keeper. If you are continually disrupting your goalkeeper every couple of games then you lose this consistency and experience. IT still would be no excuse not to bring Westwood, and in my opinion after 2/3 weeks together he could and should be back in as number 1.

**OwlsFan** · 07/06/2016, 2:53 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

IT still would be no excuse not to bring Westwood, and in my opinion after 2/3 weeks together he could and should be back in as number 1.

Well, he has been given the No. 1 jersey. Does that count as coming back as No. 1 ?

**SkStu** · 07/06/2016, 5:18 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Well, he has been given the No. 1 jersey. Does that count as coming back as No. 1 ?

this is what went down...

Martin: so Keiren, are you comin to France or whats the story?
Westwood: I will only go if I am number one Marty, a buachaill!
Martin: good enough hi. Westwood gets the number 1 jersey, Roy. Darren starts though.
Westwood: ah youre some cute hoor Marty!
Martin: ah would ye ever feck off ye wee boll!xy boll!x ye.
Westwood: theres a great big shopping centre in Ballymena hi.
Martin: #bants #bestmates

(sorry)

**tetsujin1979** · 20/07/2016, 9:06 AM

Linked with Hull City in this morning's papers

**OwlsFan** · 20/07/2016, 1:42 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Linked with Hull City in this morning's papers

Could be seen as one of the bargains of the summer for Hull as the report goes on to say that Westwood has a release clause of �2m, much less than what Wednesday would be hoping to get for one of their star assets. Was wondering why Wednesday signed Jake Kean from Norwich.

**paul_oshea** · 20/07/2016, 1:59 PM

Is he going to as backup to mcgregor? Or is jakupovic pushing? Good move if true, only if he is first team.

**OwlsFan** · 05/08/2016, 5:10 PM

Signed contract extension until 2019.

**OwlsFan** · 08/08/2016, 9:32 AM

Another clean sheet although he didn't really have much to do except deal with some tight back passes. Not convinced about his dominance of the box - inclined to stay on his line perhaps a bit too much. A couple of instances where a call to a defender to let him take the ball might have served the team better.

Spent Sunday afternoon channel surfing between the Test Match, Wednesday/Villa and the hurling (mother was from Waterford). Isn't sport a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, especially when the in-laws come calling and they are shooed off to the kitchen "because Wednesday are on the tv!!" ?