Ollie Watkins

[ChicagoLion]

People critical of him tend to be extremely quiet when he puts in a performance like that.

A brilliant centre forward.

You could also say that all the Ollie fans become noisy when he puts in a performance like that.
Why are some people so intent on criticising other Villa fans?

Could ask why some people so intent on criticising Villa players?

Presumably we’re all Ollie fans when he puts in a performance like that? I know it’s difficult for people to admit being wrong though. Easier to just wait for him to not score in a game before coming to this thread.

I criticise when I see fit, I compliment the same.
It’s that some take a criticism of a player / manager as a personal criticism which I just don’t get.

[Toronto Villa]

Not only that it spun away from goal onto the post, really unlucky but great awareness from SJM to follow up.

It was speed of McGinn following up that surprised me as well, absolute Usain Bolt-standard 10 metre sprint as well.

As impressive as it was, it also highlighted exactly why Sheff Utd are where they are, and why they will go down.

[Olneythelonely]

People critical of him tend to be extremely quiet when he puts in a performance like that.

A brilliant centre forward.

You could also say that all the Ollie fans become noisy when he puts in a performance like that.
Why are some people so intent on criticising other Villa fans?

Could ask why some people so intent on criticising Villa players?

Presumably we’re all Ollie fans when he puts in a performance like that? I know it’s difficult for people to admit being wrong though. Easier to just wait for him to not score in a game before coming to this thread.

I criticise when I see fit, I compliment the same.
It’s that some take a criticism of a player / manager as a personal criticism which I just don’t get.

How good was he yesterday? Brilliant, right?

[aldridgeboy]

he was fab yesterday. He's so much better running forward onto a ball, than receiving it with his back to goal. We need to play to his strengths. Him an Dougie were very in tune with each other yesterday

[Somniloquism]

Although the opposition was a massive factor, it is not a surprise that when Bailey is playing instead of Diaby he can make these runs. Especially as Bailey draws the other defender wider.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I criticise when I see fit, I compliment the same.
It’s that some take a criticism of a player / manager as a personal criticism which I just don’t get.

How good was he yesterday? Brilliant, right?

I'd say it was his best performance in a Villa shirt. That said, it only took a few minutes of the game for my first "WTF Watkins" as the ball bounced off him. Thereafter he really delivered. His goal was typical Watkins, how many have we seen him scored from that position. Brilliant finish. I'm tempted to say his ball to Moreno was better. The technique to lift the ball was dirty. Again, if a Man City player had played that ball we wouldn't hear the end of it.

Two in two games. He's back where we need him, scoring goals and almost as important, delivering assists. Five goals from five different players is a great place to be and a pain in the arse for opposition teams.

[ChicagoLion]

People critical of him tend to be extremely quiet when he puts in a performance like that.

A brilliant centre forward.

You could also say that all the Ollie fans become noisy when he puts in a performance like that.
Why are some people so intent on criticising other Villa fans?

Could ask why some people so intent on criticising Villa players?

Presumably we’re all Ollie fans when he puts in a performance like that? I know it’s difficult for people to admit being wrong though. Easier to just wait for him to not score in a game before coming to this thread.

I criticise when I see fit, I compliment the same.
It’s that some take a criticism of a player / manager as a personal criticism which I just don’t get.

How good was he yesterday? Brilliant, right?

Yes very good, but has not been great for a few weeks now. I am not sure if that is him or because those around him have been below par.
Diaby being the obvious culprit.

[Goldie.7]

Watkins was great yesterday against very poor opposition but let's face it whenever we play against a team with Holgate in the opposing defence we tend to do very well. He's a terrible defender.

Watkins isn't immune from criticism when he has stinkers either. For me, the most impressive part about his form this season are his assist stats. Chris Wood has 8 goals so Ollie's current tally is pretty much around what he should be scoring.

I don't see him scoring 9 in the remaining 15 to get the 20 goal dream but 15 to 17 is very possible.

[Hillbilly]

I don't see him scoring 9 in the remaining 15 to get the 20 goal dream but 15 to 17 is very possible.

A hattrick against Man U will get him a lot closer.

[chrisw1]

People critical of him tend to be extremely quiet when he puts in a performance like that.

A brilliant centre forward.

I was pretty critical of him, but not for some time,  I felt he used to just miss far too many chances and his first touch was so inconsistent so he wasn't offering much in hold-up either.  I'm not going to apologise for that, it's reasonable to get frustrated when your striker misses so many chances.

But since Emery has joined his all-round game has improved tremendously, to the extent that I wasn't worried during his recent dry spell at all.  I was never really sure if he was the answer for us.  Now I think he is.  One of the best strikers in the league.

[Clampy]

It doesn't worry me as much as others when he goes through a dry spell either, mainly because all strikers do. He probably should have a few more goals than he's got and he'll probably tell you that himself but I think he's excellent for us. 

[OCD]

I think we know now he's a very streaky striker. He'll either go on a hot streak or he'll go a few games without scoring.

[chrisw1]

I think we know now he's a very streaky striker. He'll either go on a hot streak or he'll go a few games without scoring.

But when he's not scoring he's still assisting.  I think his link-up play has improved massively.

edit - I'm not sure if the stats would bear that out, but my point remains that to me he just seems like a better player even during periods when he's not scoring.

[Somniloquism]

As I mentioned in a similar chat earlier in the season, there have been a lot of goals due to Watkins which don't get contributed to him due to the way Assist work. A OG or two, the post hit Saturday, the pens earned. And I think everyone above him in the goal charts are also their designated pen taker.

[Olneythelonely]

If he didn’t play for us, we’d want him to.