Ollie Watkins

[London Villan]

Of all the players to get stick at Villa Park, Oli is one of the last on that list. What he has done for us over the last 5 years has been a key part to our rise from relegation battlers to Champions League quarter-finalists. Does my head in the grief and abuse he gets. He should have a statue and has been as important as Emi, Mings and McGinn. He has the potential to become a Villa legend - of he isn't already.

[rob_bridge]

Of all the players to get stick at Villa Park, Oli is one of the last on that list. What he has done for us over the last 5 years has been a key part to our rise from relegation battlers to Champions League quarter-finalists. Does my head in the grief and abuse he gets. He should have a statue and has been as important as Emi, Mings and McGinn. He has the potential to become a Villa legend - of he isn't already.

Agree with what you say. Although legend is overused. He has been a fantastic buy for us overall. He has missed some relatively easy chances this season but still has 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
Only peak Benteke comes close in terms of forwards since Yorke.

[ChicagoLion]

Of all the players to get stick at Villa Park, Oli is one of the last on that list. What he has done for us over the last 5 years has been a key part to our rise from relegation battlers to Champions League quarter-finalists. Does my head in the grief and abuse he gets. He should have a statue and has been as important as Emi, Mings and McGinn. He has the potential to become a Villa legend - of he isn't already.

There must be a reason why so many give him stick.

[Drummond]

I watched the match yesterday, for a different perspective, and just to enjoy it.

In the build up, as the players were lining up and the scarves were out, there's just a moment where Watkins rubs the back of his head/neck, I very much suspect it was the goosebumps/hairs standing up on the back of his neck that caused him to do that. The atmosphere was spot on.

[VILLA MOLE]

Of all the players to get stick at Villa Park, Oli is one of the last on that list. What he has done for us over the last 5 years has been a key part to our rise from relegation battlers to Champions League quarter-finalists. Does my head in the grief and abuse he gets. He should have a statue and has been as important as Emi, Mings and McGinn. He has the potential to become a Villa legend - of he isn't already.

There must be a reason why so many give him stick.

I do not know why he gets the stick , but for me I always feel he is not a natural footballer , everything he has achieved he

has had to work extra hard for.  If anything (for me ) he deserves more plaudits.  We will miss him when he is goes 

[simon ward 50]

Watkins is out with a minor knee injury, rather than not selected.

So that's fine, nice rest for him with no need to stress about his place.

Rest and rehab is what I think Ollie has needed for a few weeks now!

[Hookeysmith]

I wonder how many of our Internationals would of preferred the hot weather training break in Dubai

I know where i would rather be 

[OCD]

I think he gets stick because for the chances he takes, there can be some pretty good chances that he doesn't take. Of course, you can say that about most strikers and if Ollie did take those chances, his stats would be so good that we probably wouldn't be able to prevent him leaving for someone higher in the pecking order.

[Gareth]

Of all the players to get stick at Villa Park, Oli is one of the last on that list. What he has done for us over the last 5 years has been a key part to our rise from relegation battlers to Champions League quarter-finalists. Does my head in the grief and abuse he gets. He should have a statue and has been as important as Emi, Mings and McGinn. He has the potential to become a Villa legend - of he isn't already.

There must be a reason why so many give him stick.

The same reason as soon as many were moaning for most of the first half the other night…it’s there opinion! Doesn’t make it right or wrong

Unai wouldn’t be picking him if he wasn’t doing what Unai wants him to do….for me Ollie works his nuts off and when he is flying he seems to have the ability to scuff and nudge shots in…at the moment he seems to be striking it well but hitting the keeper more often than not.  He is a massive part of our attacking unit & long may that continue.

[Sexual Ealing]

I've been a(n occasionally noisy) advocate of selling him for a couple of years. The thing that sealed it most recently was at the end of last season when he was on 19 league goals with six or seven games left and he didn't get to 20. It's kind of meaningless, but a proper, serious striker would've made sure he got to that figure at least, by hook or by crook. There's just something missing for the level we're aspiring to be at.

That, and he couldn't trap a cement factory.

[Smirker]

I've been a(n occasionally noisy) advocate of selling him for a couple of years. The thing that sealed it most recently was at the end of last season when he was on 19 league goals with six or seven games left and he didn't get to 20. It's kind of meaningless, but a proper, serious striker would've made sure he got to that figure at least, by hook or by crook. There's just something missing for the level we're aspiring to be at.

That, and he couldn't trap a cement factory.

Agreed. When he goes clean through I have no confidence in him. The other week when he tried to dink to the keeper, we all knew he wasn't going to score. That dink sums him up tbh. Then the long range shot when it was 4 on 2 against Brugge the other night.

If we want to challenge at the very top we need a better striker.

[LeeB]

I've been a(n occasionally noisy) advocate of selling him for a couple of years. The thing that sealed it most recently was at the end of last season when he was on 19 league goals with six or seven games left and he didn't get to 20. It's kind of meaningless, but a proper, serious striker would've made sure he got to that figure at least, by hook or by crook. There's just something missing for the level we're aspiring to be at.

That, and he couldn't trap a cement factory.

I've been a big advocate and have argued the toss with you about it in that time, but you're right.

His 'non-lethalness' can and has been negated when the other aspects of what's needed from the role are being delivered, but they haven't been for a while, he's being out thought by his markers and has been like a puppy chasing a balloon with the ball, to say 'at his feet' would breach trading standards.

I also think, given the financial situation we're in, we will be mercilessly ruthless with cashing in on players where there may be question marks, we will not be allowing the value of assets to decline on our books and he will be gone by the start of next season.

[Drummond]

I think we got good money for Duran, he has all the talent in the world but not the attitude and team ethic.

Watkins has the latter, and because of his attitude,I think he suffers reputationally about the finishing. He does so much for the team and defenders need to be on their game to stop him from getting regular chances.

Asensio is the sort of player that we aspire to having z and his finishing to date is exemplary; he's showing Watkins what he needs to do.

Having said that, what would the reaction have been had Watkins missed the 1:1 chance that Asensio did?

[Meanwood Villa]

We'll never have another player score 20 league goals in a top flight season. Just won't happen. See Carlos taking Ollie's tap in v Liverpool last season off his toes as the latest evidence.

[Meanwood Villa]

Also, Ollie gave perhaps his best ever performance v Bournemouth the week after his 19th but didn't get on the scoresheet.