Ollie Watkins / Villa Player

SadlerMUFC

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What about Ollie Watkins from Brentford? He's 23 years old, he's English, he's leading the Championship in scoring, and he has good off the ball movement as proved by how much he scores in and around the 6 yard box. He will also put his body on the line to get to a ball. He basically ticks every box Ole is apparently looking for...

 

SadlerMUFC

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Is this a game now to see who's the 'edgiest' striker we can go for?
It's a hell of a lot better than the rubbish we've been rumoured with. Joshua King? He was sold for a reason. It would be like bringing Chris Eagles back to help out on the right wing. I also don't see what's "edgy" about Watkins. He's young and scoring a ton of goals in the Championship...
 

Rozay

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It's a hell of a lot better than the rubbish we've been rumoured with. Joshua King? He was sold for a reason. It would be like bringing Chris Eagles back to help out on the right wing. I also don't see what's "edgy" about Watkins. He's young and scoring a ton of goals in the Championship...
Somewhere in between bringing Pogba back and bringing Eagles back in reality. King is an established good PL player.
 

CM10

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He was only converted to being a striker from a left winger this season. He has done well but don't think he's ready for a really big move yet, nor is he the traditional number 9 that I think we're looking for.
 

Ødegaard

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Doesn't have a Norwegian agent, so Ole doesn't have contacts himself for him.

A bit of a joke obviously, but I'm under the impression that Ole realize we need another striker/attacker for numbers, but that no decent amount of money is available. Håland, King and Ighalo all have Norwegian contact-points. In Kings case it's Ole's best friend and business-partner Jim Solbakken who is the players agent.

None of the strikers we've been linked with have had any sort of price-tag on them. Not a bad thing of course, but it does make me think money is an issue.
 

SadlerMUFC

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He was only converted to being a striker from a left winger this season. He has done well but don't think he's ready for a really big move yet, nor is he the traditional number 9 that I think we're looking for.
I hate this reasoning of "not ready yet". When is a player ready? After another team makes a go for them and their price skyrockets? I was saying a couple years ago that we should sign Maguire from Hull and heard the same thing. 2 years later and we pay 80m instead of 25-30m...
 

el diablorojo

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He was never leaving this window unless a massive bid came in so you are talking 20-25 million pounds anyway here is what you need to know:

Watkins believe it or not is playing his first season as a centre forward having joined as a wide attacker and having been played as one for the last two seasons. To be honest it started slowly for him this season and lots of fans doubted he had it in him to play that role (CF) despite Dean Smith's, Thomas Frank's and Phil Giles' (one of the DOFs) insistence that he would make the transition to CF at some point. He has been superb in the role though and his all round centre forward play has improved immensely. He can hold the ball, bring others into the game, scare the life out of defenders with his pace and strength and most importantly put the ball in the back of the net.
 

el diablorojo

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He was only converted to being a striker from a left winger this season. He has done well but don't think he's ready for a really big move yet, nor is he the traditional number 9 that I think we're looking for.
He is certainly not the "break his nose to score a goal" player OGS has mentioned although he is getting there, I think it would be criminal in terms of his development to make a move to a club where he'd be on the bench mostly at least initially.

He's also a lovely lad and would be a credit to any club he joined - certainly no big time charlie.
 

Art Vandelay

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Doesn't have a Norwegian agent, so Ole doesn't have contacts himself for him.

A bit of a joke obviously, but I'm under the impression that Ole realize we need another striker/attacker for numbers, but that no decent amount of money is available. Håland, King and Ighalo all have Norwegian contact-points. In Kings case it's Ole's best friend and business-partner Jim Solbakken who is the players agent.

None of the strikers we've been linked with have had any sort of price-tag on them. Not a bad thing of course, but it does make me think money is an issue.
I think the links with the Norwegian contact points today are possibly Ole himself having to get involved at the last minute as it took so long for everyone else to negotiate Fernandes. Basically getting Solbakken to get things moving for him just to get someone in today to help out.
 

Ødegaard

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I think the links with the Norwegian contact points today are possibly Ole himself having to get involved at the last minute as it took so long for everyone else to negotiate Fernandes. Basically getting Solbakken to get things moving for him just to get someone in today to help out.
Yeah, I too think it's Ole trying to work something out on a low budget.
 

Mark Pawelek

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Brentford are 5th in the Championship. Why would they throw away an chance to get promoted to premiership by selling him to us. Promotion is worth tens of millions to them.
 

CM10

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I hate this reasoning of "not ready yet". When is a player ready? After another team makes a go for them and their price skyrockets? I was saying a couple years ago that we should sign Maguire from Hull and heard the same thing. 2 years later and we pay 80m instead of 25-30m...
We're talking about a player who has never played at Premier League level and has been playing as a striker for less than a year. You can't expect to throw someone like that in at the deep end and deliver. We have far more talented players in Martial and Rashford who have struggled with that burden when deployed as the main striker this season.

For reference, Maupay posted better numbers for Brentford than Watkins has (though Watkins could still surpass that). Andre Gray and Scott Hogan weren't far behind either, and neither of them have amounted to much since. I'd be very, very surprised if Watkins ended up being anything more than a midtable Premier League player.
 

londonredmaniac

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I think the links with the Norwegian contact points today are possibly Ole himself having to get involved at the last minute as it took so long for everyone else to negotiate Fernandes. Basically getting Solbakken to get things moving for him just to get someone in today to help out.
That's a sensible outlook...
 

GledTheRed

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If Brentford don't go up i wouldn't mind Watkins as an alternative to Josh King who think we will approach this Summer.
 

SAFMUTD

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If Brentford don't go up i wouldn't mind Watkins as an alternative to Josh King who think we will approach this Summer.
Is that our bar now? we either decide between a striker from a relegated team or a striker from the championship? I much rather go with a striker that might actually challenge Martial for the starting place not just a body to fill out the bench.
 

GledTheRed

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Is that our bar now? we either decide between a striker from a relegated team or a striker from the championship? I much rather go with a striker that might actually challenge Martial for the starting place not just a body to fill out the bench.
They're both very decent players.
 

CM10

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I think Ornstein had previously alluded to this but Watkins' clause is now active. I'd be very surprised if a Premier League team doesn't come in for him this summer.
 

sewey89

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26 championship goals. A prem team will certainly take a punt on him at 18m.

So many crying out for a striker too. Leeds, Villa, Newcastle, Palace.. Leicester? West Ham?
 

Cassidy

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Is that our bar now? we either decide between a striker from a relegated team or a striker from the championship? I much rather go with a striker that might actually challenge Martial for the starting place not just a body to fill out the bench.
I can see us looking at him as a James type signing/experiement. He would only be backup anyway. I think if he was smart though, he would go to a smaller club first where he can play regularly and gain PL experience.
 

Adam-Utd

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He'd be perfect for somebody like Palace, Everton or Newcastle etc.

He's not top quality yet but certainly has plenty of potential.
 

Conor

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Looked perfect for Everton from the game last night, for their 'striker that throws himself about, but doesn't score any goals' position.
 

starman

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Brentford ccertainly know how to get a good deal. Surely they'll get over 30m for Benrahma and would've almost already paid off the cost for their new stadium
 

Joseunited

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I think Exeter negotiated a 15% sell on clause :eek:.Fecking excellent, that would net them 4.2 million.
 

FootballHQ

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He's a good player but way higher price than I was expecting. Huge pressure on him now to hit the ground running and I've seen plenty of big money Villa strikers wilt under that pressure in last 20 years.

Hope he's up to scoring more than 4 or 5 goals which is all we seem to get from strikers at top level nowadays.
 

bond19821982

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I have always felt forward position is the toughest position to get the signing right. I mean if you compare the various positions, forwards finds it tougher to adjust to the new team (just my assumption). Probably because if you dont score enough, then you are labeled as a flop.

Given that the case, I can understand why Villa took this punt. Knows the country, is used to the physicality and so its a risk worth taking..

28m is way too high but would be certainly better than dross they have now.
 

SambaBoy

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I have always felt forward position is the toughest position to get the signing right. I mean if you compare the various positions, forwards finds it tougher to adjust to the new team (just my assumption). Probably because if you dont score enough, then you are labeled as a flop.

Given that the case, I can understand why Villa took this punt. Knows the country, is used to the physicality and so its a risk worth taking..

28m is way too high but would be certainly better than dross they have now.
Yeah I agree for teams in the bottom half of the PL. You see so many players banging them in in the Championship or other leagues but struggle to replicate it in the PL. The chances you get are tougher and fewer so you have to be clinical to take them and often the managers will often sacrifice a top level finisher for someone who contributes to the team in other ways i.e. being excellent at holding the ball up or being a work-horse. It's difficult to find someone who can do both to a very high standard if you are a bottom half team in the PL as they would be playing higher up.
 

Cast5

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He’d be a huge asset for all the teams in the top 6, he runs the channels, strong, hold up play is good, never stops running, can score a goal as well. He’s one of those forwards that if he doesn’t score he still contributes to the team. Impresses me every time I watch him play. 16 goals 5 assists in his debut season for Villa. I bet he’s a nightmare to play against.