duke313 Posted October 4, 2022 Share Posted October 4, 2022 4 minutes ago, ChesterDad said: To be fair this is true - however I don’t trust him to convert chances regardless. As others state, he is not good enough to take us where we want to be. Good cover, but not a lot more imo We're never going to be where we want to be with Gerrard, so it doesn't matter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_1989 Posted October 4, 2022 Share Posted October 4, 2022 They briefly discussed Watkins chance of making England squad for World Cup on radio today emphasis on the word ‘briefly’ the guy shouldn’t even be playing in the PL let alone make World Cup. People have questioned me many times - Watkins is not the striker to take us forward. Awful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted October 4, 2022 Share Posted October 4, 2022 1 minute ago, Mark_1989 said: They briefly discussed Watkins chance of making England squad for World Cup on radio today emphasis on the word ‘briefly’ the guy shouldn’t even be playing in the PL let alone make World Cup. People have questioned me many times - Watkins is not the striker to take us forward. Awful. 3rd choice for england Not that there's any point because Southgate would play a one legged kane over Tammy let alone anyone else The pickings are slim, I'd take Ollie over Bamford or DCL, at least Southgate would get him to press and make some use of him 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Steve Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 13 hours ago, villa4europe said: 3rd choice for england Not that there's any point because Southgate would play a one legged kane over Tammy let alone anyone else The pickings are slim, I'd take Ollie over Bamford or DCL, at least Southgate would get him to press and make some use of him At least Ollie will put a shift in. That’s just not enough any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 26 minutes ago, The_Steve said: At least Ollie will put a shift in. That’s just not enough any more. All Southgate needs from a player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 14 hours ago, Mark_1989 said: They briefly discussed Watkins chance of making England squad for World Cup on radio today emphasis on the word ‘briefly’ the guy shouldn’t even be playing in the PL let alone make World Cup. People have questioned me many times - Watkins is not the striker to take us forward. Awful. Well said. He looks every inch the lower league player doing his best, but who's completely out of his depth. His first touch often goes further than I can kick it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 He still looks like a winger playing at centre forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Steve Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 1 hour ago, Zatman said: All Southgate needs from a player Haha true. Gotta role those sleeves up. Only strikers willing to play a False 9 or False 6 can apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom13 Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 17 hours ago, Mark_1989 said: They briefly discussed Watkins chance of making England squad for World Cup on radio today emphasis on the word ‘briefly’ the guy shouldn’t even be playing in the PL let alone make World Cup. People have questioned me many times - Watkins is not the striker to take us forward. Awful. Strangely, as much as I criticise Ollie as a player, as he has many faults, he would certainly be a unique option off the bench. His running and energy could create different problems, just as long as he doesn't have to link play or take a crucial first touch in a tight area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post danceoftheshamen Posted October 5, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted October 5, 2022 (edited) A bang on view of Ollie by Michael Owen & Paul Scholes... LINK: CLICKY "He has everything apart from finishing which is a problem" They go on to say he lacks the essential difference making little things like the dinks & touches. Scholes more worryingly goes on to say that these things "are not coachable" and that they don't think he will ever become a good finisher. It is the "heat of the moment" in which he lacks the ability to make a quick decision etc. They also say Ings is by far the best finisher we have but he doesn't offer the other stuff Ollie does like pressing etc. I just don't see what the point of all this pressing is if there is no other striker there to take advantage of it?! The odd goal from Bailey (tempered with his liability to lose the ball) or the odd goal from midfield are simply not enough to fill the goal vacuum as 7 goals in 8 games highlights! FULL ARTICLE: Michael Owen and Paul Scholes agree on Ollie Watkins 'problem' for Aston Villa The latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as the pundits dissect Ollie Watkins' performance against Leeds United and his overall game Ollie Watkins possesses all of the attributes to be a great striker for Aston Villa, save for the most important one, according to Michael Owen and Paul Scholes. The pundits analysed the forward's game following the goalless draw with Leeds United at the weekend in which he spurned a number of chances to break the deadlock, noting that he's "not a consistent finisher". The 26-year-old took six shots in the game, with no player across the Premier League having more chances during the gameweek. All of his attempts were from inside the box and, according to Opta, half of them were categorised as big chances missed. Only ten players in the division have had more big chances than his five so far this term, but he has converted just one of them for his only goal of the season. His conversion rate currently stands at 7.1 percent. When asked to explain why this is the case, former Liverpool striker Owen suggests that he missing the "tiny nuances" in his game that would make him a top striker. Specifically, he pointed to his first touch and decision-making abilities. “I really like Ollie Watkins,” Owen told Premier League Productions, via HITC “He’s their main man. Yes, Danny Ings is probably their best goalscorer, but he doesn’t offer them what Ollie Watkins offers. “He offers virtually everything bar being a good finisher and that’s a problem. When he’s on it, he’s great because he looks like the complete player. “But he’s not a consistent finisher. His final touch, before he finishes, is sometimes average. His decision-making. Tiny things. Both chances (against Leeds), he should have dinked it. It’s not just about arriving and dinking it over [Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier] though. It’s how fast you run towards the ball, if you are thinking the defender is going to get back onto the line, then you need to sprint as fast as you can and then dink it. “If you want the goalkeeper to dive at your feet, and he is a little bit further back, then you go a little bit slower, entice the dive and then you dink. There are lots of tiny nuances about finishing and he doesn’t seem to get it and does what presents right in front of him. Everything else I really rate.” Scholes concurred, and suggests that Watkins does not know what he's going to do before he does it. “There’s not much a coach can do," the ex-Man United midfielder said. "Once you are in that situation, one-v-one, I think for Watkins it’s not clear. It’s not clear in his mind what he is going to do or how he’s going to do it. “For all the qualities that he has, I think he leads the line brilliantly and he is a real handful, but he should be a goalscorer and he isn’t a goalscorer. I don’t think he will get that into his game. You almost need a blend of both Ings and Watkins, it would be perfect.” Edited October 5, 2022 by danceoftheshamen 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 is michael owen being right about something a harbinger of the apocalypse? even says it in a sensible well thought out manner rather than being hyperbolic too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 25 minutes ago, villa4europe said: is michael owen being right about something a harbinger of the apocalypse? even says it in a sensible well thought out manner rather than being hyperbolic too Maybe was Michelle Owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 We need to get to a point or find a system where Ollie is an integral part of the attack, but not the focal point or who we rely on to finish. He is an outstanding " forward " in terms of workrate, pace, and running defenders ragged but his finishing is too inconsistent. Very valuable to the team but can't be solely relied on for goal IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke313 Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 46 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: We need to get to a point or find a system where Ollie is an integral part of the attack, but not the focal point or who we rely on to finish. He is an outstanding " forward " in terms of workrate, pace, and running defenders ragged but his finishing is too inconsistent. Very valuable to the team but can't be solely relied on for goal IMO. Ollies best games with us was the 7-2 Liverpool and the 3-0 Arsenal. We played a 4231 in those games, with Ollie as the focal point in the attack. It seems he really benefited from playing and linking up with Grealish, which he hasn't been able to re-capture with Coutinho or Buendia. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danceoftheshamen Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: We need to get to a point or find a system where Ollie is an integral part of the attack, but not the focal point or who we rely on to finish. He is an outstanding " forward " in terms of workrate, pace, and running defenders ragged but his finishing is too inconsistent. Very valuable to the team but can't be solely relied on for goal IMO. This is exactly it for me. He has the potential to be fantastic in a pair but it's finding the right partner who he'll work with. I do feel it's worth a try with Archer but you would think this has been tried in training etc? So maybe this is why Archer does not get minutes? Maybe SG just doesn't think they work together either? We desperately need to solve this conundrum however to have any hope of European football. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: We need to get to a point or find a system where Ollie is an integral part of the attack, but not the focal point or who we rely on to finish. He is an outstanding " forward " in terms of workrate, pace, and running defenders ragged but his finishing is too inconsistent. Very valuable to the team but can't be solely relied on for goal IMO. Luckily our tactics have changed to stop pressing and nullify his greatest strength 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom13 Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 Problem is it's not just his finishing. As good as his strengths are (energy, pace, workrate, strength as well), I'm not sure if he'll ever be rounded enough to be consistently good at this level. Vardy has similar attributes, but is not only a much better finisher, he also seems to keep it simple a lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom13 Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 Oh, and Vardy is also excellent at spotting and getting on the end of through balls behind the back line. Something Ollie isn't good at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 Surely Watkins Ings Bailey front three should be tried at some point. Looks the right balance of pace work rate and getting best finisher there who does drop deep often Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 2 hours ago, danceoftheshamen said: This is exactly it for me. He has the potential to be fantastic in a pair but it's finding the right partner who he'll work with. I do feel it's worth a try with Archer but you would think this has been tried in training etc? So maybe this is why Archer does not get minutes? Maybe SG just doesn't think they work together either? We desperately need to solve this conundrum however to have any hope of European football. I don’t think he’s smart enough to play with a strike partner. He often lacks awareness of those around him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts