Exeter Fan Too

Summary - he'll be aiming for/going on a Championship loan next season. It's been a generally strong season, ever present, international debut, season transforming penalty save, one of the best League One keepers. Will either win or be runner up for Exeter Player of the Year. Exeter fans would love him to return (see the comments below the video on Youtube). The video by the club is of a special year, but an acknowledgement there won't be 'one more year' and Vil's tone/words makes that clear too (NB Villa interest worth seeing in that 32 minute (!) video is at a) 2 minutes in - redeclares his love for Villa and desire to play in the Premiership and b) 16/17 minutes - his key penalty save achieved with Neil Cutler's advice and also Vil distracting the taker - who'd scored all 15 of his previous penalties - with chit chat about how important the penalty was, long way home if he misses etc. But Vil says he doesn't do as much as Emi at penalties) How good is he? Will he make it in the Premiership? Too early to tell - he's played well this season but made a couple of mistakes (in a total of 45 games) that Robin Olsen would get pelters for. His distribution is not yet good enough but has come on in leaps and bounds (under this manager Exeter play out from the back in the Villa style, so its been useful learning). PS the games v Burton resulted in two clean sheets for Vil and two 1-0 wins, one of which was with 10 men for 45 minutes. The ghost of the terrible spell at Burton has been well and truly laid to rest.

What Ollie was up to on Tuesday evening....in the crowd (of 384) at Gloucester for Truro v Torquay, supporting former colleagues from youth football days...says a lot about Ollie's humility and grounded nature https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=435955482129846&id=100071461943183&post_id=100071461943183_435955482129846&rdid=S1N92Ry5NLTZNTSf

8 years ago this month Ollie scored his first league goal. Since then he has started 315 league games, an average of 39 league games started per season. Astonishing stats. yep, that average is higher than the maximum possible in the 4 seasons in the Premier League. He started 49 league games in his last season with Brentford (46 league games plus 2 play off semi-finals and the Wembley final, missing only 8 minutes all season) and 48 in his last season with Exeter (45 league games plus, again, the 3 play off games)

rich praise for Chrisene from BBC commentator and pundit for his energy and for bombing up and. down the wing (though the pundit was Danny Murphy....)

Indeed. Though he has also shown some decent footwork some time ago...

He does have quite a record of scoring right foot, left foot, header. His last season at Brentford was 11 right foot, 8 headers and 7 left foot. And of course the hat trick v Liverpool was the 'perfect hat trick' of right foot , left foot ,header. I'm not sure what the stats are this season. Yesterday, as well as the goal and 3 assists (including for McGinn's) there was also his headed clearance off Villa's goal line......!

Brief update. Continues to be automatic first choice at Exeter in League One; plays every league game; decent performances for someone now just turned 22. Not yet ready to play in a side challenging for Champions league places. Decent at shot stopping and claiming crosses. Distribution was a weakness but has significantly improved in the 20+ games playing an Emery style 'play out from the back' but with room for more improvement . Please don't recall him this January. At this stage of his career he needs to play regularly and keep playing. He's at a club where he's liked, gets to play and where his confidence and performance levels are improving. The long term future...too early to tell

the Blackburn manager and their club write up use the words 'back-up' and 'cover', so that's where Blackburn fans probably got that from https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/january/07/boss-delighted-with-double-deal/ Add in the fact that the current first choice left back has played 27 times for them this season (and I think provided a pinpoint cross for a goal yesterday) But this will probably suit a player returning from a lengthy injury - not having to play every minute and taking time to get back to his best (see eg Jacob Ramsey) And Useless makes an excellent point. If Ben can't get a start at left back, he can do an excellent job elsewhere - and I too share the view that his best position, and long term future, is probably in centre midfield.

have to smile, hearing someone say this week that both Bailey and Zaniolo were better off the bench, so really difficult to say which one should start. So Emery's solved that conundrum!

they did an analysis on MOTD2 (still available on iplayer). Everyone thought it was a clear penalty for the push on Watkins.

Ollie's career hat trick tally - 5. This is the first in front of his own fans. Away hat tricks in Wales, England and Scotland for his 3 clubs - at Newport for Exeter, at Barnsley for Brentford and at Hibs for Villa. At home v Liverpool was in front of an empty Villa Park due to Covid. At last gets one in front of home fans. I think the Liverpool one is the only 'perfect' hat trick (right foot, left foot, header)

Indeed. But the post I quoted (not from you) contained a lecture about getting the facts right but said that Ollie had not scored a single goal in an 11 match run. That post stated that facts were facts and asked whether we had missed something when saying Ollie hadn't scored a solitary goal in an 11 match run.

Didn't Ollie score in the final game of last season against Brighton? A goal that clinched European football for Villa?

I'm glad I'm not the only one wondering this. Injured in mid season (January?) It was serious but I expected to see him either loaned out again or playing for the U21s . Would appreciate an update if anyone finds out.