Ollie Watkins

[cheltenham_villa]

8 hours ago, TRO said:

He does too much running v reward....he will be knackered with the work he puts in......he has to work smarter, less running v more reward.....its doable.

Careful what you wish for, that additional running contributes a lot to how high we press and our continued defensive resilience.

I wouldnt change the way he plays, I'd look to find somewhere who does it just as well so that we can give him a rest.

[hippo]

9 hours ago, VillaChris said:

I assume a long term ambition of his is to break into the England squad, going to have to get used to it e.g. if he starts a friendly and is then back on the bench for actual qualifier as Jack was recently.

Part of parcel being at top 6 club aswell, Tammy Abraham been on bench plenty of times for Chelsea as has Giroud.

Not wanting to buy another good striker as it might hurt the one we have playing feelings is a non starter argument given we're on the road to being serious top level club again.

Oh yeah - I would love another £25m+ striker coming in. But just don't see it - until the summer at the very least.

Right now I think OW is the best we have.

[KenjiOgiwara]

There's a lot of stuff you can excuse him from and be understanding around, considering he's alone up top. But I think he's movement is getting worse. And it's hard to excuse him not getting on to the few good balls we send into the box.

Also his finishing isn't good enough. You won't get too many clear cut chances at this level. He has to make it count. Right now he definitely isn't. 

But he also works incredibly hard, is handful for anyone. Seems to do every role reasonably well. Decent hold up play. I really rate him. 

[MaVilla]

58 minutes ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

There's a lot of stuff you can excuse him from and be understanding around, considering he's alone up top. But I think he's movement is getting worse. And it's hard to excuse him not getting on to the few good balls we send into the box.

Also his finishing isn't good enough. You won't get too many clear cut chances at this level. He has to make it count. Right now he definitely isn't. 

But he also works incredibly hard, is handful for anyone. Seems to do every role reasonably well. Decent hold up play. I really rate him. 

I agree his finishing recently has been poor, but it does look like a confidence thing so hopefully that will come.

The amount of times he is running down balls in the channels though is insane, I would be interested to see his heat maps as I tend to think he spend more time out wide than central.

I think his contribution to the teams deserves an A, but his goalscoring does need to improve.

Will be interesting when wesley is back.

[andyjsg]

I don't think his finishing is poor, one bad one against Palace but otherwise some of the saves have been very very good. 

I think he look tired at the end last night but played reasonably well against two expensive and in form defenders in Wan-Bissaka and Bailly (who probably had one of his best ever games in a Utd shirt)

[villa4europe]

16 minutes ago, andyjsg said:

I don't think his finishing is poor, one bad one against Palace but otherwise some of the saves have been very very good. 

I think he look tired at the end last night but played reasonably well against two expensive and in form defenders in Wan-Bissaka and Bailly (who probably had one of his best ever games in a Utd shirt)

The one that hit the post? 

The one that he sold the keeper on so badly that he didn't dive meaning that when it rebounded off the post it went to him rather than Ollie being able to tap it in? 

That wasn't a bad finish, it was unlucky and I've said this about him before at least he tried to do the right thing, same as the header last night that de gea saved, back across the keeper, it's the right thing to do and was a good save

I agree that his finishing isn't poor, there seems to be a thing where every miss is a bad one or a sitter 

Agree on bailly too, look at how man utd players celebrated with him at the end of the game and he was getting MOTM shouts from their fans, that's because Watkins put him in a game and yet Watkins still had 3 good headed chances 

The notion that we lost because Watkins isn't good enough is way off the mark 

[HalfTimePost]

He's good enough but he was a tad off the pace yesterday. As compared to say the Chelsea or Palace game where I think he was one of our best players despite not getting his goal.

Think he's just tired and frustrated. 

But that's on (only limited criticism considering the great work done) Dean and Purslow on having him as our only striker. We made the same mistake with Wes and with Samatta and now we're making it with Ollie. It's not right to have to leave one guy out there for 90 mins every game getting more tired and more frustrated and less confident because we failed to get another option.

Wes needs to come back and help out sharpish or we need to bring in another to lighten the load a bit for when it's not working. 

[onmeedson]

Doe's the job we ask him to do top player.

[andyjsg]

23 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

The one that hit the post? 

The one that he sold the keeper on so badly that he didn't dive meaning that when it rebounded off the post it went to him rather than Ollie being able to tap it in? 

That wasn't a bad finish, it was unlucky and I've said this about him before at least he tried to do the right thing, same as the header last night that de gea saved, back across the keeper, it's the right thing to do and was a good save

I agree that his finishing isn't poor, there seems to be a thing where every miss is a bad one or a sitter 

Agree on bailly too, look at how man utd players celebrated with him at the end of the game and he was getting MOTM shouts from their fans, that's because Watkins put him in a game and yet Watkins still had 3 good headed chances 

The notion that we lost because Watkins isn't good enough is way off the mark 

Yeah I thought he probably should have finished it but probably the only one over the last few games and that as you say is probably being hyper-critical.

He is already a top player and will get better, we do need options off the bench, the 3 current injuries to Trez, Wes and Ross basically remove all of our options currently

[Risso]

Watkins has been great in his first season, and looks like he has everything to be a top striker in the Premier League.  He's not helped at the moment by the two wide attacking players in El Ghazi and Traore not being very good in terms of general attacking player.  When (if) Barkley is fit again, Watkins will look better, as Jack will be back in the attacking left position and Barkley will be providing chances through the middle.  We do need back up though.

[Tommo_b]

To be fair to the guy he has just had tomo go up against Chelsea and United’s defences, not easy in the slightest. 
 

He’s doing well, been very unlucky but his positioning has helped other players step up and get some goals, all round play has been good. 

[hippo]

1 hour ago, villa4europe said:

The one that hit the post? 

The one that he sold the keeper on so badly that he didn't dive meaning that when it rebounded off the post it went to him rather than Ollie being able to tap it in? 

That wasn't a bad finish, it was unlucky and I've said this about him before at least he tried to do the right thing, same as the header last night that de gea saved, back across the keeper, it's the right thing to do and was a good save

I agree that his finishing isn't poor, there seems to be a thing where every miss is a bad one or a sitter 

Agree on bailly too, look at how man utd players celebrated with him at the end of the game and he was getting MOTM shouts from their fans, that's because Watkins put him in a game and yet Watkins still had 3 good headed chances 

The notion that we lost because Watkins isn't good enough is way off the mark 

Well he is getting the half chances - and not scoring - to me that means his finishing needs improving.

[villa4europe]

8 minutes ago, hippo said:

Well he is getting the half chances - and not scoring - to me that means his finishing needs improving.

Or his luck

[hippo]

10 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

Or his luck

Being pendantic - but how are you measuring luck ? - is hitting the post bad luck ? Or is it a shot off target ?

Traroe s goal last night - was no straight forward chance - was he "lucky" or kept a cool had and precisely hit the ball.

Was Olly missing the header late on bad luck or poor timing ?

Is Jamie Vardy consistently lucky ?

 

[MaVilla]

5 minutes ago, hippo said:

Being pendantic - but how are you measuring luck ? - is hitting the post bad luck ? Or is it a shot off target ?

Traroe s goal last night - was no straight forward chance - was he "lucky" or kept a cool had and precisely hit the ball.

Was Olly missing the header late on bad luck or poor timing ?

Is Jamie Vardy consistently lucky ?

 

from what i have seen, which may or may not be true, it looks to me like he's lacking a bit of confidence and almost trying too hard/overthinking when he gets a chance.

I think (hopefully), once he gets a goal or two he will relax and natural instinct will come back again.

He can score goals no doubt, he' just......trying too hard/thinking rather than letting it come naturally.

lets not forget this is his first season in the Prem, i think on balance, he has done extremely well so far, and will hopefully learn and develop as he gets more experience.

Yes......he has missed a few sitters, but his overall game is great and he's a big player for how the team plays, im sure the goals will come, we just need to give him some breathing room.

 

It will be really nice when Wesley comes back also, he will be like a new signing and will give us more options, which is never a bad thing, im sure that Wesley & Watkins could play together no problem.

Edited January 2, 2021 by MaVilla

[MattVillaPortsmouth]

Looks tired to me, and misses Barkley - Jack through the middle and traore right changes our dynamics and in general means more running the channels for Ollie and then needs to be in box, it’s no coincidence are wingers are scoring more than him last few games.   Needs a break - there were 2 or 3 times last night his legs just didn’t do as they were told.

Rest for Cup, get Ross back and he bags a brace next game he plays.

[villa4europe]

You think that Vardy or kane or aguero don't miss a chance like the Palace one? Because they quite definitely do 

Luck because the easiest chance of the night fell to traore and not him and yes traore kept cool and scored from it, same as the Palace chance fell to him and he scored from it, Watkins needs some of them to fall to him, he hasn't missed those kind of chances

And then like I said luck with the one good header, he's got up between 2 CBs who are good in the air and done everything right there, back across the keeper and de gea made a good save, that goes in vs some keepers 

Agree with the confidence comment, a confident striker takes on that header, strange thing being look at the arsenal and to a lesser extent the Liverpool goal, we know he can bravely chuck his head in, bigger indicator of confidence to me was the EL ghazi shot, that was 2 players one low and one full, in the future you'd hope to see Ollie be greedy there and take that on himself 

[dubbs]

Not going to criticise the guy for his work ethic but if you take away his hat trick against Liverpool (I know they all count@)  that's 3 league goals so far if memory serves correctly.  I'm sure once one goes in the gates will open but they need to open soon for this guy. 

Edited January 2, 2021 by dubbs
Additional

[hippo]

1 minute ago, villa4europe said:

You think that Vardy or kane or aguero don't miss a chance like the Palace one? Because they quite definitely do 

Luck because the easiest chance of the night fell to traore and not him and yes traore kept cool and scored from it, same as the Palace chance fell to him and he scored from it, Watkins needs some of them to fall to him, he hasn't missed those kind of chances

And then like I said luck with the one good header, he's got up between 2 CBs who are good in the air and done everything right there, back across the keeper and de gea made a good save, that goes in vs some keepers 

Agree with the confidence comment, a confident striker takes on that header, strange thing being look at the arsenal and to a lesser extent the Liverpool goal, we know he can bravely chuck his head in, bigger indicator of confidence to me was the EL ghazi shot, that was 2 players one low and one full, in the future you'd hope to see Ollie be greedy there and take that on himself 

What happens if he continues to be unlucky for the next 10 games or so ? 

[villa4europe]

4 minutes ago, hippo said:

What happens if he continues to be unlucky for the next 10 games or so ? 

If he plays like he did vs Palace in those 10 games has 0 goals to show for it? 

Then I won't care

But at the same time I really hope he gets some goals

Getting 1 goal when he doesn't play well in a 3-1 defeat to spurs or Liverpool though is bollocks