Villaphan04 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 outside of Dougie/Kamara, I think he's the only other nailed on starter we currently have for next season **not to say that other players we have now will not be starting next year. Replacing his skill set will be an extremely difficult task -- there aren't many strikers out there with his pace, willingness to close down defenders, and also have the ability to stick one in the back of the net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oaks Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 10 hours ago, KentVillan said: They are, but there's a difference between criticising a player's form and criticising their ability. Too often on here you see a player have a couple of bad games and then we urgently need to sell them, and then they have a good game and they're the future of the club. Just makes me laugh. I like Watkins, have always felt his speed and physicality makes him useful even when he doesn't have his finishing boots on. The reality with the Arsenal goal is it was a great run, and beautifully taken in the end, but the touch off Cash's pass was poor. Another game he's fluffing that touch, defender is nicking the ball, and everyone has their pitchforks out. Feels like opinions are just so extreme all the time. He's a decent mid-table striker who fits Emery's system well. He's never going to win the Ballon d'Or. But he's solid for where we are now, and seems to have responded well to the new manager. Absoluly this, you can criticise his form but fans were just saying he's shit though without any nuance to realse the major problem with the team was lack of opertunities the team created. Tthe fact that not many strikers are prolific these days. Time and time again i had to repeat that we wont get better for less than £60 million. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWARLEY2 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 The question is do we buy a striker to replace him and if we do can we find one with his durability as well as goals. That ability to start nearly every game and never get pulls or strains is quite rare. I do not think he is a player who will thrive with a strike partner. He plays to the left and Bailey to the right currently . Can we see Archer being a good foil for him ? I just do not see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Exeter Fan Too Posted February 21, 2023 Visiting Supporter Popular Post Share Posted February 21, 2023 Goalscoring form this season;- under Gerrard - 1 in 11 since Gerrard - 7 in 12 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philosopher Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 Ollie is a good striker for most teams in this league. For me he is every bit as good as Toney, and Mitrovic, whom many said we should replace Ollie with. Even for a champions league team, Ollie would make a very reliable back up striker. For me he has a future with us for the next 5 years. Now Duran is the wildcard. The potential he has, is Haaland levels. Pace, strength, skill, workrate, and aggression. Only thing I'd say he needs to improve is his right foot. Strikers need to be good finishers on either foot. I think Duran looks very comfortable coming off the right hand side and working that right channel. Watkins likes to do the same on the left flank, so they can certainly play together. What we would then needs is for either both fullbacks or one fullback and one winger providing the width. I'm really curious as to how Emery will handle this, as for me I'd go two attacking fullbacks and Coutinho in the hole, with Ollie and Duran as wide strikers. But probably not this season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Steero113 Posted February 21, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted February 21, 2023 2 hours ago, Philosopher said: Now Duran is the wildcard. The potential he has, is Haaland levels Christ alive. He's played 50 mins of premier league football and hit a crossbar. Apparently that is enough in your eyes to warrant comparisons to the best striker of this generation. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delphinho123 Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 5 minutes ago, Steero113 said: Christ alive. He's played 50 mins of premier league football and hit a crossbar. Apparently that is enough in your eyes to warrant comparisons to the best striker of this generation. Funny isn't it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 4 hours ago, Exeter Fan Too said: Goalscoring form this season;- under Gerrard - 1 in 11 since Gerrard - 7 in 12 Tbf goals scored and conceded were low under Gerrard. Under Emery we are scoring and conceding a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 The last two goals were finishes I didn't really think he had in his locker. If he can score those sort on a more consistent basis, he'd be a top Premier league striker. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdman Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 36 minutes ago, DCJonah said: The last two goals were finishes I didn't really think he had in his locker. If he can score those sort on a more consistent basis, he'd be a top Premier league striker. This is literally the only thing I was giving him stick for. I'm glad he's turned things around and shown he can score the goals we all want. I was literally at the point where I thought he simply hasn't got the ability in front of goal but I'm happy to eat my words. I hope it continues! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 50 minutes ago, birdman said: This is literally the only thing I was giving him stick for. I'm glad he's turned things around and shown he can score the goals we all want. I was literally at the point where I thought he simply hasn't got the ability in front of goal but I'm happy to eat my words. I hope it continues! Me too. If he continues this then I’ll be delighted to eat my words. I still want more time because we know he can go on a long run without scoring but I’m hopeful that won’t be the case, so I’m delighted with the current run of form. I still think he’ll be even better off a main striker which I know many won’t agree. I still have reservations about how clinical he is but current form is shooting that down, let’s hope that continues. I’ll be more convinced if he can have a good run until the end of season and then I’ll think about eating my words, in the mean time let’s enjoy a scoring striker. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 He's slowly regressing back to the mean. 7 goals in 21 starts. npXG per 90 is 0.35 which is in line with his last two seasons. Should end with about 12-15 goals and 5-7 assists + his defensive work which is about where he's at. Toney has a better npXG and the same amount of shots per game, but non-quantifiable is Brentford's elite set piece and dead ball plays that he gets on the end of. Mitrovic has a npXG of 0.41/90 but he has almost double the shots per 90 that Ollie has. They feed the Serb way more. Given the lack of prolific center forwards in the market - I think it makes more sense to try and replace the back line and creativity than at striker - especially since we have a potential youth backup in Archer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 29 minutes ago, lexicon said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 28 minutes ago, nick76 said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 (edited) A lot laughed when I said Ollie would get double figures when the clearing in the woods got sacked. All he needed was some guidance Edited February 21, 2023 by Zatman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philosopher Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 3 hours ago, Steero113 said: Christ alive. He's played 50 mins of premier league football and hit a crossbar. Apparently that is enough in your eyes to warrant comparisons to the best striker of this generation. I said POTENTIAL. Duran has all the raw qualities. He certainly isn't at Haaland's level currently, and probably won't reach that, but the potential is there. It's why I called him a wildcard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 3 hours ago, DCJonah said: The last two goals were finishes I didn't really think he had in his locker. If he can score those sort on a more consistent basis, he'd be a top Premier league striker. I imagine Unai sat him down and gave him some coaching tips and Ollie took them on board. He has coached some good strikers so his tips have credibility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 11 minutes ago, lexicon said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewieGriffin Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 1 hour ago, DJBOB said: He's slowly regressing back to the mean. 7 goals in 21 starts. npXG per 90 is 0.35 which is in line with his last two seasons. Should end with about 12-15 goals and 5-7 assists + his defensive work which is about where he's at. Toney has a better npXG and the same amount of shots per game, but non-quantifiable is Brentford's elite set piece and dead ball plays that he gets on the end of. Mitrovic has a npXG of 0.41/90 but he has almost double the shots per 90 that Ollie has. They feed the Serb way more Toney and Mitrovic take penalties too - I imagine Watkins would take ours if we ever get awarded one again in this lifetime 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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