Ollie Watkins

[Dogtanian]

An idle thought on Ollie's not-quite-so convincing England performances.

Last year there was the popular theory that one of the reasons for his Emerenaissance was the sale of Ings, which meant that he knew he was the indisputed first choice striker, so confidence came from that and he was able to play free of the pressure of worrying about his place in the team.

So given his current role is not even indisputed first-choice striker, but "try and outperform this other guy that you're in a race with to be second-choice striker", he's mentally back in his pre-Emery days of competing with Ings for his role. And his performances suffer because of it.

Yeah, so he gets desperate and things play on his mind. For Villa, he has talked about not beating himself up after a miss and being confident he will get another chance. For England, he may not get another chance, and may be hooked at any minute or left out the next squad.

So in his head, every miss is massive.

[Mister E]

An idle thought on Ollie's not-quite-so convincing England performances.

Last year there was the popular theory that one of the reasons for his Emerenaissance was the sale of Ings, which meant that he knew he was the indisputed first choice striker, so confidence came from that and he was able to play free of the pressure of worrying about his place in the team.

So given his current role is not even indisputed first-choice striker, but "try and outperform this other guy that you're in a race with to be second-choice striker", he's mentally back in his pre-Emery days of competing with Ings for his role. And his performances suffer because of it.

Yeah, so he gets desperate and things play on his mind. For Villa, he has talked about not beating himself up after a miss and being confident he will get another chance. For England, he may not get another chance, and may be hooked at any minute or left out the next squad.

So in his head, every miss is massive.

The service to him was once again poor: he hardly got any ball.

[Dogtanian]

Yes, but that still leaves him desperate for anything.

Jonathan Kodjia summed this up for me. When he hadn't scored for a while he would become greedy and awful, because he was desperate to get back on the scoresheet.

As soon as he scored he became a better player and relaxed and did what he should be doing and scored more.

I think Watkins is the same, it plays on his mind.

[LeeB]

I think you make a good point, but it's largely the same for any player that makes the squad and is part of what 'stepping up' to international football is about and where many good players struggle.

Particularly hard for Ollie though given he's up against the captain and probably the best centre forward in the world.

[eamonn]

Emerenaissance - love it.

[Sexual Ealing]

An idle thought on Ollie's not-quite-so convincing England performances.

Last year there was the popular theory that one of the reasons for his Emerenaissance was the sale of Ings, which meant that he knew he was the indisputed first choice striker, so confidence came from that and he was able to play free of the pressure of worrying about his place in the team.

So given his current role is not even indisputed first-choice striker, but "try and outperform this other guy that you're in a race with to be second-choice striker", he's mentally back in his pre-Emery days of competing with Ings for his role. And his performances suffer because of it.

That would suggest he doesn't quite have the mentality to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

[Risso]

An idle thought on Ollie's not-quite-so convincing England performances.

Last year there was the popular theory that one of the reasons for his Emerenaissance was the sale of Ings, which meant that he knew he was the indisputed first choice striker, so confidence came from that and he was able to play free of the pressure of worrying about his place in the team.

So given his current role is not even indisputed first-choice striker, but "try and outperform this other guy that you're in a race with to be second-choice striker", he's mentally back in his pre-Emery days of competing with Ings for his role. And his performances suffer because of it.

He wasn't at his best towards the end of the season for us, so I think it's more likely to be a combination of playing in a tired/injury ravaged team at the end of a long season, being a bit fatigued himself, and where England are concerned, it's a different team and set up to his club side, with a lesser manager organising things.

[purpletrousers]

I didn’t see and haven’t watched enough to compare, probably don’t have the ‘insight’ (or cookies) to see it so clearly, but how much is it the way the whole team sets up? It’s so often said how irreplaceable he is for our style of play, how much is it he’s a different type of strike, with many making the point Toney might be a more natural like for like swap?

[Bad English]

An idle thought on Ollie's not-quite-so convincing England performances.

Last year there was the popular theory that one of the reasons for his Emerenaissance was the sale of Ings, which meant that he knew he was the indisputed first choice striker, so confidence came from that and he was able to play free of the pressure of worrying about his place in the team.

So given his current role is not even indisputed first-choice striker, but "try and outperform this other guy that you're in a race with to be second-choice striker", he's mentally back in his pre-Emery days of competing with Ings for his role. And his performances suffer because of it.

That would suggest he doesn't quite have the mentality to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Yes. It's a good job he's not French where they have about ten players for every position, and could field three totally different teams and still win the Euros. ;-)

[Dave]

An idle thought on Ollie's not-quite-so convincing England performances.

Last year there was the popular theory that one of the reasons for his Emerenaissance was the sale of Ings, which meant that he knew he was the indisputed first choice striker, so confidence came from that and he was able to play free of the pressure of worrying about his place in the team.

So given his current role is not even indisputed first-choice striker, but "try and outperform this other guy that you're in a race with to be second-choice striker", he's mentally back in his pre-Emery days of competing with Ings for his role. And his performances suffer because of it.

That would suggest he doesn't quite have the mentality to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Which is of course, very possible.

[Sexual Ealing]

An idle thought on Ollie's not-quite-so convincing England performances.

Last year there was the popular theory that one of the reasons for his Emerenaissance was the sale of Ings, which meant that he knew he was the indisputed first choice striker, so confidence came from that and he was able to play free of the pressure of worrying about his place in the team.

So given his current role is not even indisputed first-choice striker, but "try and outperform this other guy that you're in a race with to be second-choice striker", he's mentally back in his pre-Emery days of competing with Ings for his role. And his performances suffer because of it.

That would suggest he doesn't quite have the mentality to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Which is of course, very possible.

And why, of all our saleable assets, he might not be the worst one to lose. He's going to have competition next season and he'll be worth half of what he is now if he turns in a stinker because he's upset that there's an able replacement on the bench.

[ozzjim]

I am very much of the view that I would sooner get silly money for Ollie than anyone else in our squad. I just think he's more replaceable than others, because he has massively out performed his level last season.

[Drummond]

I am very much of the view that I would sooner get silly money for Ollie than anyone else in our squad. I just think he's more replaceable than others, because he has massively out performed his level last season.

I'd rather get silly money for Hause, Coutinho, Dendoncker.....but I get your point.

I do think he got more assists and goals than you'd normally see, or maybe this is him finally flourishing. He's such a strong player, that offers so much more than the goals and assists that I'd rather keep him thank you.

[Olneythelonely]

Jesus!

[Ads]

The takes are hotter than the English summer weather that's for sure.