Ollie Watkins

[Zatman]

6 hours ago, birdman said:

As long as we have others putting the ball in the net Ollie will be a big asset. I still maintain a new striker is essential if we are serious about progressing.

He is a bit like Firmino at Liverpool that he creates space for others to get chances and Salah and Mane thrived.

2 seasons backs he got 14 league goals but Anwar, Grealish and Traore also had healthy numbers. Grealish I think would have got double figures but for his injury

[bobzy]

6 hours ago, birdman said:

As long as we have others putting the ball in the net Ollie will be a big asset. I still maintain a new striker is essential if we are serious about progressing.

A new striker may be essential, but I’d have them replacing Bailey in our current line up rather than Watkins. 

[Pongo's Socks]

Had a good game again. Does all the hard work. I know he doesn't score as many as we'd like, but I actually think they might be able to 'coach' a few more goals out of him. You can't turn someone into one of those instinct-driven, can-smell-a-chance-coming type players, but I think they might be able to work on his decision making. Like the chance in the first half, beats their defence for pace, wrong-foots the full back, turns inside, then instead of calmly slotting the ball into the far corner, tries to smash it in near post, dragging it wide. He does snatch at a lot of chances. I know in the heat of battle the blood might rush to his head, as I'm sure it would with most, but those little decision changes could add a few more goals to his tally I'm sure.

[nick76]

51 minutes ago, bobzy said:

A new striker may be essential, but I’d have them replacing Bailey in our current line up rather than Watkins. 

I agree.  

I’m a big critic of Ollie’s, he can’t hit a barn door as he showed again yesterday.  

Big example yesterday was in the first half, he beat the offside trap on the half way line, ran the ball down the channel, cut inside (all the hard work done) and then a horrible scruff shot wide.  

But then he runs their defence into the ground, three CB’s carded, sets up Buendia after not giving up the ball from Lloris’ fumble.  

It was a great performance and something back to his best under Emery.  

He leads the line so well but he’s an awful finisher and never looks like scoring.  

If he was in Buendia’s scoring position he most likely would’ve fluffed that chance and no way would’ve he trapped the ball like Dougie and then flicked it in past Lloris.  

People on here like to say I’m an Ollie hater but that is so far from the truth, I am truly in awe of his workrate and pressing but accept his finishing is poor and doesn’t look like he has that in his locker at a sufficient level we need to push into the higher levels of the league.  

We need to keep him in the side unless we get somebody who can do what he does and scores which seems unlikely therefore we should buy a goalscoring striker to play with Ollie or even the new striker with Ollie and Bailey flanking him.

[Spoony]

All of the above just leaves me questioning why he’s a striker. 

1 hour ago, bobzy said:

A new striker may be essential, but I’d have them replacing Bailey in our current line up rather than Watkins. 

And perhaps I just agree with this. I don’t rate Bailey at all and Watkins can fulfil that role a lot better. 

[birdman]

3 hours ago, bobzy said:

A new striker may be essential, but I’d have them replacing Bailey in our current line up rather than Watkins. 

Yes that's a possibility. It's great to have Bailey as an option as hes so direct and can change a game in a flash. Early days for him under Emery but it does seem he's Mr Impact Sub!

[Steero113]

11 hours ago, Spoony said:

I do have to wonder where we’d be with a proper finisher in his place. The stats say he has missed 9 big chances and his xg to goals is awful. I don’t care that much for stats but it’s also there for all to see every game. 

No where, because he plays 3 roles in one. 

The wide forwards score all the goals in every other successful team. Watkins is absolutely critical to how we play under Emery, he's the biggest handful upfront in the Premier League when he's on form. 

We need wide forwards to be the finishers, anything Watkins scores should be a bonus. 

[Steero113]

3 hours ago, nick76 said:

I agree.  

I’m a big critic of Ollie’s, he can’t hit a barn door as he showed again yesterday.  

Big example yesterday was in the first half, he beat the offside trap on the half way line, ran the ball down the channel, cut inside (all the hard work done) and then a horrible scruff shot wide.  

But then he runs their defence into the ground, three CB’s carded, sets up Buendia after not giving up the ball from Lloris’ fumble.  

It was a great performance and something back to his best under Emery.  

He leads the line so well but he’s an awful finisher and never looks like scoring.  

If he was in Buendia’s scoring position he most likely would’ve fluffed that chance and no way would’ve he trapped the ball like Dougie and then flicked it in past Lloris.  

People on here like to say I’m an Ollie hater but that is so far from the truth, I am truly in awe of his workrate and pressing but accept his finishing is poor and doesn’t look like he has that in his locker at a sufficient level we need to push into the higher levels of the league.  

We need to keep him in the side unless we get somebody who can do what he does and scores which seems unlikely therefore we should buy a goalscoring striker to play with Ollie or even the new striker with Ollie and Bailey flanking him.

Not sure there is a player in world football that can work a Center Back like Watkins when on form and score goals at the rate that people seem to be looking for. Sorry. 

[nick76]

Just now, Steero113 said:

Not sure there is a player in world football that can work a Center Back like Watkins when on form and score goals at the rate that people seem to be looking for. Sorry. 

As I said in the comment, I agree with you hence why said buy a goal scorer that will play with Ollie.  I don’t care if Ollie plays in the middle or slightly to the left or change over but we need the scorer on the pitch along with Ollie.

[Steero113]

1 hour ago, nick76 said:

As I said in the comment, I agree with you hence why said buy a goal scorer that will play with Ollie.  I don’t care if Ollie plays in the middle or slightly to the left or change over but we need the scorer on the pitch along with Ollie.

Sorry if my post made it seem like I wasn't backing your point up which I was trying to do. 

Bailey is the person who is the weak link at the moment in the side for me. That position in Emery's system needs to be contributing 10-15 goals a season in order for us to progress. 

Totally on board with your assessment of Ollie's finishing however. 

[WHY]

Ollie is arguably our most important player in the system Emery wants to play. He’s been superb since the change of manager. Keep it up kid the goals will come. 

[Dodgyknees]

7 minutes ago, WHY said:

Ollie is arguably our most important player in the system Emery wants to play. He’s been superb since the change of manager. Keep it up kid the goals will come. 

Amen 

[Pinebro]

2 hours ago, WHY said:

Ollie is arguably our most important player in the system Emery wants to play. He’s been superb since the change of manager. Keep it up kid the goals will come. 

One of the first on the team sheet for me.

Haters is gonna hate.

[KentVillan]

4 hours ago, Steero113 said:

Not sure there is a player in world football that can work a Center Back like Watkins when on form and score goals at the rate that people seem to be looking for. Sorry. 

There are some, but you’re in Haaland, Lewandowski, Kane territory I think.

Once you go a level below those players, every striker is flawed in some way. Jesus has an incredible all round game but isn’t a strong finisher.

Andy Cole was a fantastic striker who missed a lot of chances. It’s not essential for your centre forward to be a natural finisher, but it would be great if we could find one.

The thing I like about Emery is he looks at his players’ strengths and weaknesses and gives them roles that suit their strengths. Watkins will enjoy it, and probably be here for another couple of seasons, even if he’s being challenged for his place by someone else.

[Guest av1]

14 minutes ago, Pinebro said:

One of the first on the team sheet for me.

Haters is gonna hate.

His finishing means there we always be critics because that’s what strikers are judged on. 
 

I agree that he is massively important for how Emery wants to play, and when he plays like he did yesterday (he was immense) and we win no one cares if he scored or not. 
 

But like the Liverpool game, there will always be matches we he misses 2/3 chances and we get nothing from the game when fans will naturally think “what if”

 

[gwi1890]

20 minutes ago, Pinebro said:

One of the first on the team sheet for me.

Haters is gonna hate.

Yes he’s thriving under Emery . A coach playing to his strengths rather than exposing his weaknesses.

[nick76]

14 minutes ago, av1 said:

But like the Liverpool game, there will always be matches we he misses 2/3 chances and we get nothing from the game when fans will naturally think “what if”

 

Exactly, if we got regular scorers throughout the side then it wouldn’t be as much of a problem but our defenders don’t score many, our midfield don’t have many regular goal scorers and our “wide” attacking players like Bailey don’t score many goals, so when we do get chances we look at the striker and like yesterday and more so 1st half against Liverpool when we really needed to score he completely fluffed shots.  

If we can get him a partner that probably doesn’t have his attributes but is a better finisher and other players carry on contributing more like recently then Ollie is a key player because of his workrate and pressing.  

If those goals dry up from other areas then focus comes more onto Ollie not doing what a striker is supposed to do which is predominantly score.  So we either need Bailey to score more like Salah (extreme example I know but you get my inference) or we need to buy somebody who can work with Ollie but more clinical.

Edited January 2, 2023 by nick76

[Guest av1]

1 minute ago, nick76 said:

Exactly, if we got regular scorers throughout the side then it wouldn’t be as much of a problem but our defenders don’t score many, our midfield don’t have many regular goal scorers and our “wide” attacking players like Bailey don’t score many goals, so when we do get chances we look at the striker and like yesterday and more so 1st half against Liverpool when we really needed to score he completely fluffed shots.  

If we can get him a partner that probably doesn’t have his attributes but is a better finisher and other players carry on contributing more like recently then Ollie is a key player because of his workrate and pressing.  

If those goals dry up from other areas then focus comes more onto Ollie not doing what a striker is supposed to do which is predominantly score.

I think that’s a very good point. If goals were flying in from elsewhere it relieves pressure which would no doubt help him. 
 

Firminio at Liverpool is the perfect example, the only reason his goal scoring record has never been questioned is because he work rate meant Salah amd Mane scored a million goals. Without them People might have been saying ‘hang on, we need a CF that score goals. 
 

Ollie is in a similar situation. 

[Keyblade]

If his finishing and awareness in the box were top notch, he'd be one of the best strikers in the world because he's so good at everything else. 

[Big Salad]

8 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

If his finishing and awareness in the box were top notch, he'd be one of the best strikers in the world because he's so good at everything else. 

I agree. The unfortunate thing though,if you want to look at it that way, is I don't think his finishing and awareness will get too much better than what it currently is. He does help us get points though in other ways and that is what matters in the long run.