Ollie Watkins

[WakefieldVillan]

2 hours ago, AntrimBlack said:

Are we going to say this about every player we discuss, whether we were in for them or not?

No

[alreadyexists]

1 hour ago, AntrimBlack said:

And where are the threads for all the others who have been `widely reported'?

Why so miserable dude? If you want to start threads go and start one, and if you don’t want to read a thread then don’t read it. It’s ok for people to enjoy the speculation.

edit: Miserable was probably the wrong word. Cynical might have been a better one.

Edited August 6, 2020 by alreadyexists

[jacketspuds]

7 hours ago, roonst83 said:

Was listening to the 1984 podcast with Bardell and Gregg Evans earlier and Gregg stated how he was led to believe we're definitely in for Watkins and are more keen to get him than Benrahma. He also said we could've got Watkins for £10m last summer but passed it up.

I find it very hard to believe that Dean Smith, who supposedly knows Watkins so well, would turn down the chance of signing him for £10m only to then decide that he is good enough for this league a year later. So much so that he is happy for us to pay more than double that off the back of a 25 goal season in the Championship.

It's either horseshit from Evans or Smith didn't know Watkins capability at all well until this summer, which I highly doubt.

[Dave-R]

30 minutes ago, jacketspuds said:

I find it very hard to believe that Dean Smith, who supposedly knows Watkins so well, would turn down the chance of signing him for £10m only to then decide that he is good enough for this league a year later. So much so that he is happy for us to pay more than double that off the back of a 25 goal season in the Championship.

It's either horseshit from Evans or Smith didn't know Watkins capability at all well until this summer, which I highly doubt.

Maybe Smith wanted to see if the lad could carry on and be consistent for more seasons.

Edited August 7, 2020 by Dave-R

[MotoMkali]

8 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

Maybe Smith wanted to see if the lad could carry on and be consistent for more seasons.

He also had never seen him play upfront and maybe decided he didn't think he was good enough as a winger to justify the 10 million. 

[Tomaszk]

6 hours ago, MotoMkali said:

He also had never seen him play upfront and maybe decided he didn't think he was good enough as a winger to justify the 10 million. 

Smith on Watkins

Quote

"I played him a few times at striker. I always said to him he'd be a striker, he likes playing off the left and we felt that was the best area for him to go and get goals - but we played him at centre-forward at Bristol City away and he ran them ragged. Maupay came on and scored the winner and Ollie was disappointed that he didn't score. That's the sign for me of a top striker, he'll do well."

I cannot believe Smith would say I don't want him for £10m.

Yes, I'll have one Trezeguet for £9m and chuck in an El Ghazi for £8m please.

[TreeVillan]

1 hour ago, Tomaszk said:

Smith on Watkins

I cannot believe Smith would say I don't want him for £10m.

Yes, I'll have one Trezeguet for £9m and chuck in an El Ghazi for £8m please.

In fairness it's probably not his choice. 

[hippo]

perhaps brentford weren't prepared to sell Maupay and Watkins in one window.

[Nigel]

14 minutes ago, hippo said:

perhaps brentford weren't prepared to sell Maupay and Watkins in one window.

Watkins hadn't really starred for long enough 12 months back! He would have been a gamble at 10 million back then.

[jim]

16 minutes ago, Nigel said:

Watkins hadn't really starred for long enough 12 months back! He would have been a gamble at 10 million back then.

I think he's an even bigger gamble now at £20m+ after one good season in the Championship.

[tomav84]

1 hour ago, Tomaszk said:

Smith on Watkins

I cannot believe Smith would say I don't want him for £10m.

Yes, I'll have one Trezeguet for £9m and chuck in an El Ghazi for £8m please.

who knows what discussions were had. smith said he'd tried to sign him before at brentford but he wanted one more season for exeter to develop more and play more football. perhaps the same was the case last summer, as we signed wesley early on in the window he might not have been guaranteed football and thus wanted 1 more year at brentford.

[villaglint]

11 minutes ago, jim said:

I think he's an even bigger gamble now at £20m+ after one good season in the Championship.

A lot of money for sure but just for the sake of accuracy this is his record. Hardly a one season wonder. 

19/20 - 50 games - 26 goals, 3 assists - 47 games at CF

18/19 - 45 games - 12 goals, 9 assists - 21 games LW, 20 RW, 3 CF

17/18 - 48 games, 11 goals, 5 assists - 36 games LW, 5 CF. 6 RW

16/17 - League 2 - 52 games, 16 goals, 13 assists - 30 games CF, rest all over the place

 

 

[avfc1982am]

8 hours ago, jacketspuds said:

I find it very hard to believe that Dean Smith, who supposedly knows Watkins so well, would turn down the chance of signing him for £10m only to then decide that he is good enough for this league a year later. So much so that he is happy for us to pay more than double that off the back of a 25 goal season in the Championship.

It's either horseshit from Evans or Smith didn't know Watkins capability at all well until this summer, which I highly doubt.

Gregg Evans is a weasel. Only last week was trying to sell Grealish. Saying he want's to go. The strip of piss hasn't a clue

[Philosopher]

9 hours ago, jacketspuds said:

I find it very hard to believe that Dean Smith, who supposedly knows Watkins so well, would turn down the chance of signing him for £10m only to then decide that he is good enough for this league a year later. So much so that he is happy for us to pay more than double that off the back of a 25 goal season in the Championship.

It's either horseshit from Evans or Smith didn't know Watkins capability at all well until this summer, which I highly doubt.

Well I wouldn't be surprised. Watkins goalscoring this season gone has been exceptional, and he probably needed a season to master the position and build the confidence needed to play centre forward at premier league level to have a decent chance to succeed. Plus Deano doesn't make all the transfer decisions.

[CosmicVillan]

I just watched 20 of his goals on Youtube and they are all in and around the box....trouble is we don't put the ball there....feels like a repeat of the Scott Hogan mistake. Putting a player into a side that doesn't play the way that allowed them to be successful in the first place.

[hippo]

55 minutes ago, jim said:

I think he's an even bigger gamble now at £20m+ after one good season in the Championship.

Yep thats what Im seeing to be honest. Id hope the deal would be structured around his performance / goals 

[KenjiOgiwara]

41 minutes ago, villaglint said:

A lot of money for sure but just for the sake of accuracy this is his record. Hardly a one season wonder. 

19/20 - 50 games - 26 goals, 3 assists - 47 games at CF

18/19 - 45 games - 12 goals, 9 assists - 21 games LW, 20 RW, 3 CF

17/18 - 48 games, 11 goals, 5 assists - 36 games LW, 5 CF. 6 RW

16/17 - League 2 - 52 games, 16 goals, 13 assists - 30 games CF, rest all over the place

 

 

I'd say that's a one season wonder. That's before last season one goal every 4 and 5 matches. In the championship, in one of the arguably most creative sides. 

[bobzy]

1 minute ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

I'd say that's a one season wonder. That's before last season one goal every 4 and 5 matches. In the championship, in one of the arguably most creative sides. 

Playing in a different position.  He's a young player who is improving, which is backed up by the statistics.

 

One season wonder ffs.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

9 minutes ago, CosmicVillan said:

I just watched 20 of his goals on Youtube and they are all in and around the box....trouble is we don't put the ball there....feels like a repeat of the Scott Hogan mistake. Putting a player into a side that doesn't play the way that allowed them to be successful in the first place.

But he can play ALL across the forward line and out wide. He isn't a limited player, I think that is an unfair comparison.

He is just as much a provider as a goalscorer IMO.

[mikeyp102]

2 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

Smith on Watkins

I cannot believe Smith would say I don't want him for £10m.

Yes, I'll have one Trezeguet for £9m and chuck in an El Ghazi for £8m please.

El Ghazi for me was signed to keep some consistency in the squad from the previous season. 
Let’s not forget Trez was a seasoned international, so it may also be felt he could adapt quicker.
I’d also guess that their was a gentleman’s agreement in place between Villa and Brentford that in Smiths first year of leaving he wouldn’t take too many players. We’d got Konsa, apparently were in heavy communications for Benrahma so it was decided we wouldn’t pursue Watkins.