Ollie Watkins

[eamonn]

Natural finishers that offer bugger-all else (Ings) have become more redundant though.

[ChicagoLion]

There is a dearth of top quality strikers, Watkins for all his attributes would not be any where near the top flight in previous decades. But right now it would be very difficult for us to get much better.

[Chris Smith]

There is a dearth of top quality strikers, Watkins for all his attributes would not be any where near the top flight in previous decades. But right now it would be very difficult for us to get much better.

I am not sure that stands up to scrutiny. The game has changed in so many - laws, technology, fitness, pitches, coaching etc - that making meaningful comparisons becomes almost impossible. What was asked of a striker in the 90s is a world removed from what is required now.

[Dante Lavelli]

Ollie signing provides great security. From now, we should buy the world’s best 18 year old strikers.

Rinse and repeat until we find the next “Kane” with Ollie providing the consistency and benchmark in the meantime.

[ChicagoLion]

There is a dearth of top quality strikers, Watkins for all his attributes would not be any where near the top flight in previous decades. But right now it would be very difficult for us to get much better.

I am not sure that stands up to scrutiny. The game has changed in so many - laws, technology, fitness, pitches, coaching etc - that making meaningful comparisons becomes almost impossible. What was asked of a striker in the 90s is a world removed from what is required now.

Get that but one thing you needed was first touch (particularly when you consider the state of the pitches) and sadly Watkins doesn’t have that.

[Somniloquism]

Remember Kevin Philips he played for a few clubs including us scored goals at them All
was considered a very good striker, but not world-class and there would be other strikers about at the time similar

He’d be worth 100 million now because those sort of natural finishing strikers are not about anymore

The trouble is his scoring record is very skewed between his appearances in the 2nd Level and his appearances in the top flight. His first prem season he slaughtered it, but was then found out and he only beat 15 goals three times in 13 years since that season, and all three times was in the Championship.

[OCD]

Ollie signing provides great security. From now, we should buy the world’s best 18 year old strikers.

Rinse and repeat until we find the next “Kane” with Ollie providing the consistency and benchmark in the meantime.

Problem is other clubs are doing that and even though they're often unproven, they can still be expensive. So you risk spending a lot on someone who doesn't make it.

[Hookeysmith]

Ollie signing provides great security. From now, we should buy the world’s best 18 year old strikers.

Rinse and repeat until we find the next “Kane” with Ollie providing the consistency and benchmark in the meantime.

And maybe Rory Wilson is that guy if his current rate of progress is to continue

[LeeB]

Natural finishers that offer bugger-all else (Ings) have become more redundant though.

And the thing is that 'natural finisher' missed loads of bloody chances. There were enough in that 4-0 home defeat to Spurs to cover ollie for a season.

[Drummond]

Ollie signing provides great security. From now, we should buy the world’s best 18 year old strikers.

Rinse and repeat until we find the next “Kane” with Ollie providing the consistency and benchmark in the meantime.

And maybe Rory Wilson is that guy if his current rate of progress is to continue

Or Duran.

[Dante Lavelli]

Ollie signing provides great security. From now, we should buy the world’s best 18 year old strikers.

Rinse and repeat until we find the next “Kane” with Ollie providing the consistency and benchmark in the meantime.

Problem is other clubs are doing that and even though they're often unproven, they can still be expensive. So you risk spending a lot on someone who doesn't make it.

Arguably £40-50m doesn’t guarantee success nowadays. It’ll be interesting to see how the £70m player at Man U develops as that ‘failure bar’ might get higher.

Watkins becomes the insurance policy whilst we can throw the dice at least a couple of times for the same money.

[Rigadon]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/11/im-ok-with-silence-quiet-man-watkins-aiming-to-turn-up-volume

An interesting article / interview…. It’s so odd to me how these players are advised regarding ‘socials’ and their ‘profile’.  And then how that leads to fingers in the ear celebrations to ‘fickle’ fans. 

[ChicagoLion]

What does it say about Southgate if you need to raise your social media profile to get into the squad?

[pablo_picasso]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/11/im-ok-with-silence-quiet-man-watkins-aiming-to-turn-up-volume

An interesting article / interview…. It’s so odd to me how these players are advised regarding ‘socials’ and their ‘profile’.  And then how that leads to fingers in the ear celebrations to ‘fickle’ fans.

I did wonder if those fingers in ears was aimed at Villa fans.

Im not sure its fair to call fans "fickle" for highlighting issues with his game.

Especially the fans who still highlight those issues while he is on one of his scoring runs.

As I said before, I think a striker who has scored in 2 out of 8 Prem games isn't immune to criticism.

Especially when they are showing a trampoline touch & missing sitters in more games than he is scoring in.

Even if they think they are immune to criticism & cant see the irony of giving a little criticism to fans who are giving a little criticism...

[Somniloquism]

Yep. ignore the 21 in 39 games. Ignore the 4 goals in 8 prem games and three more games assisted in. Ignore the two penalties won, both of which he probably would have scored if not taken out. Just choose the stats that make him look worse.