MaVilla Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 6 hours ago, rodders0223 said: A man who has in his first season ripped up some defences. Held the ball up well, got double figures , lead the line like a boss and probably should be on 15 PL goals if he had a tiny bit more luck. He is getting better every game. I can see his touch is getting sharper, his hold up play and speed of thought to retain the ball is getting better. He is reacting a lot quicker and his one touch play is getting crisper. He will get 20 goals next season no bother and unlike Bent and the like he will actually contribute to all phases of the attack. Put him on the wing. Pffft. dont think we should get hung up about modern players "playing on the wing" tbh. Salah plays "right wing" and mane plays "left wing" for Liverpool, both score more than their "central" player Firminho, , Sterling plays "left wing" for Man City, its more about how the front 3 play rather than left wing/right wing. if we played the "wingers" as inside forwards, then i dont see an issue, his work rate, general ability, goal threat and semi two footedness could be really nasty as an inside forward, cutting in from the wing etc. Not saying he "should" play wing/inside forward, but i have no doubt he could do really well in that position. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-R Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 11 hours ago, MaVilla said: dont think we should get hung up about modern players "playing on the wing" tbh. Salah plays "right wing" and mane plays "left wing" for Liverpool, both score more than their "central" player Firminho, , Sterling plays "left wing" for Man City, its more about how the front 3 play rather than left wing/right wing. if we played the "wingers" as inside forwards, then i dont see an issue, his work rate, general ability, goal threat and semi two footedness could be really nasty as an inside forward, cutting in from the wing etc. Not saying he "should" play wing/inside forward, but i have no doubt he could do really well in that position. Doesn't he already have a kind of free movement role around the pitch. I've seen him all over the place and it's best just letting him go where he knows best I think. At least then he can be helpful wherever he's needed and you need your striker at this level if required to pull on all the way back to defence. Watkins could most likely fit anywhere in the team from Midfield up, I have no doubt about that. The problem we have is servicing the lad, we still are not servicing a lone striker to the level they should be being serviced. Sure he's scored a fantastic amount for his first season but some games were kicking an incredible amount to the first defender or clearing Watkins completely and no one come in at back post. You could see it happening as plain as day against Wolves and a few times our players in the left over hit the ball and cleared Watkins and if Traore or someone had attacked the back post, who knows we may of scored one. A sea of opposition players but one Villa player is never good odds at picking Watkins out, we just have to be more accurate and far less wasteful. I went on about this slot last season but we have to really be faster and getting crosses in to Watkins. Many times each game you can see we get to the flank of the opposing box and what do you always see??? The opposing team not set up defence and our player holding the ball waiting for more players to arrive, it's not good enough. A good five second maybe ten tops have elapsed of our player on the wing holding onto the ball longer than what he really should of and look at what happens, a full defence reformation and a swarm of opposing players who quickly cut the ball out. Players on the Wings will cause more problems for a couple of opposition if they played Watkins in soon as they can rather than when a defence that is back sorted and more than capable and comfortable at sorting a cross or Watkins out. Speed is the key and we are not utilising it enough in some situations and it's noticeable and because of it we could be servicing Watkins much better I reckon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 Anything confirmed about him apparently not training? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 5 hours ago, Kingman said: Anything confirmed about him apparently not training? Probably not, lad is a terminator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 6 hours ago, Kingman said: Anything confirmed about him apparently not training? He is strangely missing from the training photos on the villa site from 2 days ago, but i'm sure we'd have heard something from the presser today if he was likely to be out. That said, if we declare Watkins unfit before we name the starting lineup, it's a give away that the opposition could play 2 at the back and not have have worry about us scoring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow1988 Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 59 minutes ago, MrBlack said: He is strangely missing from the training photos on the villa site from 2 days ago, but i'm sure we'd have heard something from the presser today if he was likely to be out. That said, if we declare Watkins unfit before we name the starting lineup, it's a give away that the opposition could play 2 at the back and not have have worry about us scoring. Or in Bruce's case, he might be tempted to go from a back 6 to a back 5. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKP90 Posted March 11, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted March 11, 2021 1 hour ago, sparrow1988 said: Or in Bruce's case, he might be tempted to go from a back 6 to a back 5. A right back, two left backs, another right back, and one more left back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LxYoungAVFC Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Yes his work off the ball is good but this kid needs to start scoring again asap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 He’s having a shocker today. Worst I’ve ever seen him. Everything is bouncing off him. Hopefully he’s back to himself second half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villan_of_oz Posted March 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted March 12, 2021 Always works hard, always puts in a shift, and very much deserves the goal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Was typing something in the match thread literally as he scored 2 mins before he had space in the box but wide and no real chance of scoring, el ghazi at the back post a really hard pass, he just smashed it goal wards, keeper saved it, spoke before about him missing chances but having good technique and at least trying the right thing... Thats maybe the first or at least very few times I seen him take a shot on and think that just ain't there that's poor and a bit lazy But then he scored so who cares! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoony Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 (edited) I’m starting to have concerns about Watkins. There’s only so many times you can be “unlucky” or come up against “fantastic saves” etc etc. His finishing desperately needs improvement. Hitting the bar is a miss. Your one on ones ALWAYS being saved is an issue with failing to place it properly or just making it super obvious what you’re doing. Edit: And failing to convert has once again cost us the game. Edited March 12, 2021 by Spoony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Awful today. Has to score that chance. His touch and hold up play was terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Had a right shocker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farlz Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 He's starting to frustrate me. I think his technical ability is quite frankly dreadful, never looks in control of the ball. It's also becoming far more concerning that maybe he isn't just unlucky and that his finishing is dreadful. I'm the same with this but he does get away with murder just because he runs around a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattVillaPortsmouth Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Rare off day, although don’t think has been that great recently - only Barkley was worse for us today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhan_Zhuang Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Last couple of games I've been worried by his performances. The ball is bouncing off him, he can't hold it up and now he's giving the ball away which invites pressure. It's a worrying performance to show against Newcastle especially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 2 minutes ago, Farlz said: He's starting to frustrate me. I think his technical ability is quite frankly dreadful, never looks in control of the ball. It's also becoming far more concerning that maybe he isn't just unlucky and that his finishing is dreadful. I'm the same with this but he does get away with murder just because he runs around a lot. He's good technically with ball to feet. His hold up play was poor tonight but there were loads of difficult balls drilled into him with 2-3 around him and he struggles v physical CBs. Was poor he couldn't stay onside for the counter attack we had in injury time. That cost us. Might be own goal aswell in the end. He's good. But I still can't quite get on board with this idea there are no good strikers in world football who we could realistically sign to try and at least challenge his place. You'd think we were Man. City the way some people go on rather than having a decent season but still 9th in the league. When you're 9th and want to eventually challenge for top 4 with ambitious owners there's still so much growth to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbcuk Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Should have been rubbing his hands today playing against Newcastle’s defence....was dreadful, ball was just bouncing off him, we need to get competition in for him as he’s just coasting knowing he has no one to challenge his spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turvontour Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Hes absolutely knackered, those balls into him were just bouncing off. But fair play, he always carries a threat. Gutted that goal was taken off him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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