The Ollie Watkins Thread | Page 50 | Vital Football

The Ollie Watkins Thread

Pangloss said:
I just don't rate him that highly based on this season, his touch is poor, he cannot hold onto the ball well, he haemorrhages possession like no striker I've seen for us at this level as well.

He has his plus points of course but I just want him to do the basics consistently. My feeling towards him at this stage reminds me of when we had Agbonlahor up top, a player who could contribute well but lacked the quality to really push us on.

I sincerely hope Watkins proves me wrong and goes on a great run, I'd always rather be wrong if it means we succeed but I just have a feeling we will get to next summer needing a better striker.
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Well SG wants to play possession football - we can't do that if every time we play it to one player he loses possession instantly.

Normally that would be an exaggeration but it was literally the case yesterday - of course he has other attributes to his game but you can't play at this level merely because you're willing to run around a lot.

I'd like to think that perhaps it's merely a consequence of his injury early in the season but I'm clutching at straws tbh - the problem of course is that when other players see that you're so powder puff/loose when receiving the ball that they're obviously going to keep nudging you off it so I dunno how he fixes it, he's kinda made a rod for his own back.

He needs a game where he shows he can beat a player and/or be genuinely dangerous in/around the box but I'm not holding my breath on current evidence.

It's a pity really cos as I remarked yesterday, the better the rest of the team look, the worse he looks :/
 
Pangloss said:
I think we will find out. One school of thought is if you can't take a good touch at 25/ 26 years old you never will.

Although I think some of the technical flaws behind his inability to shield the ball can be improved. He doesn't get his body across well for starters, I'm sure this can be taught.
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I'd send him to ball control/keeping possession school for a week - forget regular training, it's such a glaring and costly flaw for him/us that it's simply got to be improved and markedly.

He can't play at this level as he is.
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 said:
My neighbours brother is Will Johnson, who started out at the Liverpool academy and ended up at Blackburn, then went to the US.

I had a coffee with said neighbour yesterday, and he told me a story about Gerrard in training. Apparently he pinged a ball into Will, who couldn't control it. Gerrard marched over and told him he wasn't going to make it.

Brutal, but ultimately, honest. If this is the case, he's not going to allow Watkins to carry on like this.
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Blimey, well that really is brutal - Danny Murphy has a similar tale to tell too - "sort your f***ing game out" :)
 
Bonker said:
Well SG wants to play possession football - we can't do that if every time we play it to one player he loses possession instantly.

Normally that would be an exaggeration but it was literally the case yesterday - of course he has other attributes to his game but you can't play at this level merely because you're willing to run around a lot.

I'd like to think that perhaps it's merely a consequence of his injury early in the season but I'm clutching at straws tbh - the problem of course is that when other players see that you're so powder puff/loose when receiving the ball that they're obviously going to keep nudging you off it so I dunno how he fixes it, he's kinda made a rod for his own back.
He needs a game where he shows he can beat a player and/or be genuinely dangerous in/around the box but I'm not holding my breath on current evidence.

It's a pity really cos as I remarked yesterday, the better the rest of the team look, the worse he looks :/
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I thought he did some good things and some bad things yesterday. Involved in some slick passing but also ran into traffic on occasions. Lost possession a few times. I'm wondering whether he's trying too hard to get something going sometimes. Last week he clearly showed he can be dangerous in the box.
 
Hifriedelity said:
I thought he did some good things and some bad things yesterday. Involved in some slick passing but also ran into traffic on occasions. Lost possession a few times. I'm wondering whether he's trying too hard to get something going sometimes. Last week he clearly showed he can be dangerous in the box.
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He's obviously very dangerous in the box....that's why he's a new father!
 
Things aren't 100% clicking for him, i'm not hiding away from that, but he still didn't hide, put in loads of energy, worries defenders, stayed active, which isn't bad for a player not on form.

And Gerrard will get the best out of another top class striker that we have, Danny Ings, as well. Then we have Archer coming through the ranks as well.
 
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The Fear said:
Things aren't 100% clicking for him, not hiding away from that, but he still didn't hide, put in loads of energy, worries defenders, stayed active, which isn't bad for a player not on form.

And Gerrard will get the best out of another top class striker that we have, Danny Ings, as well. Then we have Archer coming through the ranks as well.
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Maybe he’ll even get a tune out of Keinan :guns:
 
He is what he is. Top championship striker . Probably more bottom half premier league. No more. Think villa fans will be in for a long wait if they think that we will see anything more than what we have already seen. Up to the club if they want to keep pursuing this sort of recruitment or want that real quality. Costs money but then we have some don’t we?.
 
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HeathfieldRoad1874 said:
Has anyone got any idea why he gets into the England squad?
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Must be the same reason Deano persisted with him and Gerrard seems to fancy him, a managers player.

I still like Ollie, I don't want to sell him or anything, but I don't see how he merits a starting place with the form he's in, and it's not a good message for the likes of Archer.

Then again, if we keep winning what does it matter, we could have Davis playing left back for all I care.
 
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Stephen Jay Hawkings said:
Must the same reason Deano persisted with him and Gerrard seems to fancy him, a managers player.

I still like Ollie, I don't want to sell him or anything, but I don't see how he merits a starting place with the form he's in, and it's not a good message for the likes of Archer.

Then again, if we keep winning what does it matter, we could have Davis playing left back for all I care.
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But that would damage his run as a world class centre half though.
 
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