Ollie Watkins

[pablo_picasso]

Apologies, I didn't mean that he didn't play well.

Thats poor communication on my part.

I didn't watch the game, so I was just responding to the media response.

So fuck the media, as well as England & Southgate... 😉

He did fine with no service, no chances and was crowded out any time the ball was played anywhere near him.

So classic Southgate when Kane isn't bailing him out, by the sounds of it.

[SaddVillan]

Shitgate's made a rod for his own back.

By totally relying on Kane and not experimenting with other players/systems that he could employ should Kane be injured/suspended; he's left with himself in the situation that we saw last night. A top club striker with a different skill set to Kane trying to function in a team that had no idea how to make the best use of his abilities.

Ollie will get criticised, but it's well nigh impossible to do anything if you never get the ball. Chilwell put every chance he had into orbit and Gordon seemed oblivious to anybody else - just wanted to carve out a glory goal for himself and ended up either running down cul-de-sacs or shooting wide.

Unless he works out how to play without Kane, then Ollie or whoever takes the number 9 shirt will be scapegoated for Shitgate's incompetence.

[claret+blue ed]

I was at the game yesterday and obviously took more notice of what Ollie was doing than the the others, from my position behind the goal I could see he was making lots of good runs, but the balm was never played to him. I thought he did ok, but obviously without a goal it will always be looked at by a failure from the national press who already have their favourites

[The Edge]

End of the day they’re not going to build a team around Ollie Watkins for the way he plays

He’s going to have to make the most of it and fit in where he can, and if his ability doesn’t allow for that he will struggle to make the impact and we want him to have

It not. ‘Building a team around him’ to ask them to pass the ball to the centre forward in the centre forward position.

Exactly. I cant remember a single pass to him in the box, whereas shit left-back Chilwell had three blasts from outside it.

Southgate is clueless. Probably encourages players to "have a pop" instead of coaching ways how to play each other into goalscoring opportunities.

[nigel]

Miss? If you look, the defender kicked it against Ollie’s leg…

It was mentioned at HT, if I recall it was Jill Scott (?) who said the defender got a touch before Ollie.

I thought she was very complimentary towards Ollie and Ezri, too.

[Clampy]

I was at the game yesterday and obviously took more notice of what Ollie was doing than the the others, from my position behind the goal I could see he was making lots of good runs, but the balm was never played to him. I thought he did ok, but obviously without a goal it will always be looked at by a failure from the national press who already have their favourites

He's only the cream for Villa.

[nigel]

Anyway, back on topic, perfect outcome today. Ollie didn't play well and wasn't injured. Hopefully he won't feature in the second pointless friendly and will be fine and good to play proper football again Saturday

Really?
I thought he played very well considering he had no real service.
He made some very good runs which resulted in nothing as the build up was so slow.
The one real chance that did come his way was unlucky as the defender managed to get a touch.

[Toronto Villa]

The wise head that is Joe Cole said that he’d pick Toney on Tuesday because he’s got regular CL experience.

[AlexAlexCropley]

And now the stomach-churning media clamour for Toney to start against Belgium over Ollie . The narrative being Ollie was crap against Brazil. It's like Brian Little all over again.

[Dogtanian]

And now the stomach-churning media clamour for Toney to start against Belgium over Ollie . The narrative being Ollie was crap against Brazil. It's like Brian Little all over again.

If he's so crap, why do they like to try and sell him to other teams all the time? 

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

And now the stomach-churning media clamour for Toney to start against Belgium over Ollie . The narrative being Ollie was crap against Brazil. It's like Brian Little all over again.

Sounds like a bonus for us! He gets a week off before our next game.

[Simon Page]

Southgate on Toney: "His passing, his link play. We're still getting to know all of those strengths because until you work with a player more regularly you don't know them inside out."

There's your problem. You've only worked with Kane and no-one can do what he does. If you'd tried something different and, in truth, were able to spot strengths and weaknesses from a distance, you'd not be so one dimensional.

Toney should start, but I suspect England will learn as much about how to use him as they did on Saturday.

[LeeB]

And now the stomach-churning media clamour for Toney to start against Belgium over Ollie . The narrative being Ollie was crap against Brazil. It's like Brian Little all over again.

Yeah, I've noticed that, the narrative being 'he' struggled rather than the absence of anything around him and the fact it was him that had to craft the two best balls into the box all night himself.

Foden didn't touch the ball inside the Brazil box all night, Gordan was one dimesional and Gallagher was out of his depth, but I ve heard nothing of this.

[Sexual Ealing]

I think it's entirely possible Toney is a better player, and a better fit for England, than Watkins. If that makes me a c-word, well, I'd point you to a number of other factors much higher up the list.

[LeeB]

Southgate on Toney: "His passing, his link play. We're still getting to know all of those strengths because until you work with a player more regularly you don't know them inside out."

There's your problem. You've only worked with Kane and no-one can do what he does. If you'd tried something different and, in truth, were able to spot strengths and weaknesses from a distance, you'd not be so one dimensional.

Toney should start, but I suspect England will learn as much about how to use him as they did on Saturday.

Exactly, paying the price for puffing up Harry's stats in rollover fixtures that could serve better as preperation for games that actually test us.