Ollie Watkins

[Monty]

Who was the last player to score 20 for us in a top-division league campaign?

[PeterWithesShin]

Who was the last player to score 20 for us in a top-division league campaign?

Withe 80/81.

Platt (twice) and Benteke got 19.

[Risso]

I don't think anybody at all is saying that Watkins is a bad player, as he clearly very much isn't. But he needs to be way more clinical/intelligent in front of goal, and there's also the fact that we still don't really have a number 9 style replacement for him. Also people keep mentioning his all round work rate, when Ollie himself said last season that Emery had said he needs to do less of it and to concentrate on being in the area more and scoring goals.

[Monty]

I don't think anybody at all is saying that Watkins is a bad player, as he clearly very much isn't. But he needs to be way more clinical/intelligent in front of goal, and there's also the fact that we still don't really have a number 9 style replacement for him. Also people keep mentioning his all round work rate, when Ollie himself said last season that Emery had said he needs to do less of it and to concentrate on being in the area more and scoring goals.

But it wasn't just 'build-up vs. scoring', it's more that he's more useful in the team's build-up play by staying central, within the width of the area up and down the pitch. Emery would hardly want him to turn into Darren Bent.

[ozzjim]

Spot on. I think every fan appreciates how good he is for us, but the cold facts are to get top 4 we need him to be a bit more clinical. Takes his chance at Newcastle it might be a different game. Should have scored against Burnley and Everton. Missed a sitter and a half against Hibs. I get strikers have off days, Haaland could have scored 5 at the weekend, but Ollie is consistently hit and miss where it matters most.

[Drummond]

Spot on. I think every fan appreciates how good he is for us, but the cold facts are to get top 4 we need him to be a bit more clinical. Takes his chance at Newcastle it might be a different game. Should have scored against Burnley and Everton. Missed a sitter and a half against Hibs. I get strikers have off days, Haaland could have scored 5 at the weekend, but Ollie is consistently hit and miss where it matters most.

And he's top of the striker's assist table since the start of last season. He offers far more than just goals for himself.

As for picking holes in games where we scored 3, 4 and 5 goals well perhaps I should just give in.

[Risso]

There haven't been many players who've scored 20 in a season, but we've had loads of players who have got in to the 10-15 range that Ollie seems stuck in, eg Agbonlahor, Carew, Angel, Dublin, Joachim. He just needs to be more clinical. He's playing in arguably the best and most creative side we've had in 30 years, so there's no excuse.

[PeterWithesShin]

A year ago there were plenty on here saying pretty much every player (Martinez the main exception) were the problem not Gerrard as they weren't top 10 standard and no one could do anything with them. They've shit on that theory so now it's that they aren't amongst the most elite in Europe. It's progress!

[yamyam]

Who was the last player to score 20 for us in a top-division league campaign?

Withe 80/81.

Platt (twice) and Benteke got 19.

im pretty sure Platt   never got 20 in top division ..19 twice was best league return  in 89/90 and 90/91

[Sexual Ealing]

Who was the last player to score 20 for us in a top-division league campaign?

Withe 80/81.

Platt (twice) and Benteke got 19.

im pretty sure Platt   never got 20 in top division ..19 twice was best league return  in 89/90 and 90/91

I think Platt only got 19 actually.

[PeterWithesShin]

Well yes. Platt, twice, and Benteke both got 19. And Withe was the last to score 20.

[Olneythelonely]

I think we’d all love the perfect striker. The argument is whether you accept him for what he is or whether you’re willing to trade the parts of his game he’s great at (strength, speed, creating space) for an extra 5-10 goals.

My view is that the work he does, outside of scoring himself, likely creates more than 5-10 goals for teammates.

He’s better than Wilson, he’s not as good as Haaland. There are probably lots of players in between Watkins and Haaland, but would they come to us right now?

[AV84]

I think he's better than Haaland in everything outside of scoring. But I suppose when you score as much as Haaland does you don't need to contribute much else.

[alan_clarke]

I know its the common belief that Watkins’ form improved when Ings wasn’t breathing down his neck for a starting place anymore. Watkins admitted that helped him in a recent press interview. Well now he’s got Dhuran providing competition too. I sense he feels slightly dismayed to have the penalty duty taken away from him too. I do wonder whether he has the right mentality to be a truly top striker in this league.

But i don’t subscribe to the view that he could be easily replaced - he still has good numbers compared to most. I do see why Southgate might not fancy him though.

[Clampy]

Southgate picks players who hardly kick a ball for their club though.