Ollie Watkins

[LeeB]

OK I only saw the MOTD highlights and wasn't able to follow any commentary, so that's all I have to go on. But from what I saw it looks like Ollie's biggest contribution tonight was getting out of the way of Asensio's goal. And I can't help but think that is an apt metaphor. I would be looking at signing all three of our January loan signings permanently, especially the two forwards, and for that, to keep FFP happy we will surely have to sell. And with that, this summer would appear to be the time to let Ollie go for a tidy sum to, possibly, see his top flight career out at the team he supported as a kid

Why would one of our rivals, who have, over the past umpteen years been better than us want to buy a player not good enough for our team, despite them scoring more goals than us ... and, if he is good enough for our team, why would we want to sell one of our starting players to a team we aspire to be better than?

I don't know, you'd have to ask them but they wanted to sign him a couple of months back so it's hardly pie in the sky, we have to watch the finances so always have to keep an eye on sales and the point is the introduction of the quality of the players signed in January has meant he isn't necessarily first choice anymore.

At 29/30, and one of top earners, leaving him on the bench for much of the next year would absolutely sink his value and I don't expect us to let it happen.

[Dave]

OK I only saw the MOTD highlights and wasn't able to follow any commentary, so that's all I have to go on. But from what I saw it looks like Ollie's biggest contribution tonight was getting out of the way of Asensio's goal. And I can't help but think that is an apt metaphor. I would be looking at signing all three of our January loan signings permanently, especially the two forwards, and for that, to keep FFP happy we will surely have to sell. And with that, this summer would appear to be the time to let Ollie go for a tidy sum to, possibly, see his top flight career out at the team he supported as a kid

Why would one of our rivals, who have, over the past umpteen years been better than us want to buy a player not good enough for our team, despite them scoring more goals than us ... and, if he is good enough for our team, why would we want to sell one of our starting players to a team we aspire to be better than?

Because these things aren't a zero-sum game.

He's plenty good for us, this season and next season. He's 29 with three years left on his contract. Arsenal have lots of money. Arsenal don't have any strikers. Watkins is arguably just the sort of striker they need. We might need to sell a valuable asset again this summer and he might be seen as less valuable than others. We might be moving to a style that is less dependent on Watkins. We might not. He's an Arsenal supporter and might want to join them. He might be happy and not want to join them.

There are lots of different moving parts.

[ChicagoLion]

It will be down to what the player wants if Arse come calling.

[London Villan]

Watkins to Arsenal might work financially, but footballing-wise it would be a crazy decision.

Our transfer dealings are going to be influenced massively by the level of European football we are playing next season. It's hardly worth speculating on ins and outs until we know.

[Drummond]

It will be down to what the player wants if Arse come calling.

With the right amount of money.

[Dave]

Watkins to Arsenal might work financially, but footballing-wise it would be a crazy decision.

Maybe there's another hard-working striker scoring 10-12 goals somewhere that Emery can turn into a 20-25 goal striker, like he did with Watkins and various other strikers before him?

[SamTheMouse]

Watkins isn't always going to be playing for us, so at some point we'll have to find a replacement. Given it's a question of when, not if, we should be considering the optimum time to cash in.

That could well be this summer.

I wouldn't have said that until recently, but the arrivals of Rashford and Asensio have changed my outlook a bit.

[VillaTim]

It will be down to what the player wants if Arse come calling.

With the right amount of money.

i don't see them offering the right level of money .

[LeeB]

Watkins to Arsenal might work financially, but footballing-wise it would be a crazy decision.

Maybe there's another hard-working striker scoring 10-12 goals somewhere that Emery can turn into a 20-25 goal striker, like he did with Watkins and various other strikers before him?

Maybe we already have him and he scored the 4th goal last night.

[Dave]

Watkins to Arsenal might work financially, but footballing-wise it would be a crazy decision.

Maybe there's another hard-working striker scoring 10-12 goals somewhere that Emery can turn into a 20-25 goal striker, like he did with Watkins and various other strikers before him?

Maybe we already have him and he scored the 4th goal last night.

Yup, very plausible. Although it's charitable of you to count Adingra's goal when the referee didn't.

Malen's just turned 26, we signed Ollie just before he turned 24. He showed plenty at PSV and in his brief cameos with us so far to suggest that he's got all the attributes to do the same sort of role. And if Emery can turn the Smith / Gerrard version of Watkins into the current one, why can't he do the same with a more experienced, faster player?

[LeeB]

Watkins to Arsenal might work financially, but footballing-wise it would be a crazy decision.

Maybe there's another hard-working striker scoring 10-12 goals somewhere that Emery can turn into a 20-25 goal striker, like he did with Watkins and various other strikers before him?

Maybe we already have him and he scored the 4th goal last night.

Yup, very plausible. Although it's charitable of you to count Adingra's goal when the referee didn't.

Malen's just turned 26, we signed Ollie just before he turned 24. He showed plenty at PSV and in his brief cameos with us so far to suggest that he's got all the attributes to do the same sort of role. And if Emery can turn the Smith / Gerrard version of Watkins into the current one, why can't he do the same with a more experienced, faster player?

Exactly. Apart from my ghost goal bit.

[Brend'Watkins]

It's at the stage now that Ollie isn't our starting striker and on the evidence of last night he can have no qualms. It wasn't a case of him being poor he just wasn't that good.  His best bit of play being getting out of the way Alenseo's goal bound shot. There's pressure for starting places now and Ollie is going to have to live with it.

[Olneythelonely]

I agree that he’s probably not in our first XI in the majority of games now. And I’m in love with the man.

[Dave]

I agree that he’s probably not in our first XI in the majority of games now. And I’m in love with the man.

I think that's going a bit far. Unless something strange happens, he's playing both legs against PSG. And against Palace. And in the next round of those competitions if we get there.

[brontebilly]

It's at the stage now that Ollie isn't our starting striker and on the evidence of last night he can have no qualms. It wasn't a case of him being poor he just wasn't that good.  His best bit of play being getting out of the way Alenseo's goal bound shot. There's pressure for starting places now and Ollie is going to have to live with it.

Watkins wasn't that bad. Took a touch in the box when he didn't need to at one point. But his movement and workrate was good but the game kind of petered out really. He did great at one point down the left wing and cut the ball back but likes of Malen didn't bother making a run. The previous PL game, he scored the winner at Brentford. He hasn't reacted all that well to genuine competition before so let's see. Emery could well start him v Forest as they will sit deep with some space in behind for Rashford. Like McGinn, I just wouldn't doubt Watkins.

We can all be guilty of jumping to conclusions based on a game or two. Was Rashford's performance at Preston or last night really all that - probably not. Goals kind of frame the narrative for forwards obviously. To be fair for that chance in first half, it was all of Rashfords making with a glorious first touch that Ollie could only dream of. But his back to goal play is fairly average and maybe was on verge of being hooked before the goal.