Ollie Watkins / Villa Player

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,267
Supports
Aston Villa
Yes Ollie's been great. Not the best one on one finisher (as saw a bit tonight in second half) but he's still scored roughly once every 2 and a half games so not bad at all in his debut top flight season.

Nightmare for any defence with his workrate and intelligence of his runs.

Being greedy I'd still love to add a Tammy Abraham into the mix just to give us more of a poacher in the actual penalty area.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,267
Supports
Aston Villa
Imo technically one of most underrated forwards in the whole league. Ball then glued to his foot at times this half. If people think Bamford is some technical god I'd argue Ollie is just as good if not better.

What he hasn't quite got yet is ruthless finishing. That chance when he tried to go past Mendy which allowed them to get Silva and Rudiger back a good example.

Sort of striker who you always think should score more. Last season he got 15 but should've got 20 + with hitting the post a few times.
 

Desert Eagle

Punjabi Dude
Joined
Sep 25, 2006
Messages
17,200
FootballHQ said:
Imo technically one of most underrated forwards in the whole league. Ball then glued to his foot at times this half. If people think Bamford is some technical god I'd argue Ollie is just as good if not better.

What he hasn't quite got yet is ruthless finishing. That chance when he tried to go past Mendy which allowed them to get Silva and Rudiger back a good example.

Sort of striker who you always think should score more. Last season he got 15 but should've got 20 + with hitting the post a few times.
Click to expand...
Yup always liked him. Class player and definitely better than Bamford. Would be a good buy for a top club.
 

Trequarista10

Full Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2020
Messages
2,542
FootballHQ said:
Imo technically one of most underrated forwards in the whole league. Ball then glued to his foot at times this half. If people think Bamford is some technical god I'd argue Ollie is just as good if not better.

What he hasn't quite got yet is ruthless finishing. That chance when he tried to go past Mendy which allowed them to get Silva and Rudiger back a good example.

Sort of striker who you always think should score more. Last season he got 15 but should've got 20 + with hitting the post a few times.
Click to expand...
Where's he playing with Ings in the side? When he was Exeter he played largely either in centre midfield or number 10, at Brentford he started off playing on the wing, so he's only been playing as a number 9 for a few seasons.
 

Dumbstar

We got another woman hater here.
Joined
Jul 18, 2002
Messages
21,255
Location
Viva Karius!
Supports
Liverpool
FootballHQ said:
Imo technically one of most underrated forwards in the whole league. Ball then glued to his foot at times this half. If people think Bamford is some technical god I'd argue Ollie is just as good if not better.

What he hasn't quite got yet is ruthless finishing. That chance when he tried to go past Mendy which allowed them to get Silva and Rudiger back a good example.

Sort of striker who you always think should score more. Last season he got 15 but should've got 20 + with hitting the post a few times.
Click to expand...
That was Ollie's purple season. And you still see he's not ruthless enough by your own comments. You could say he was unlucky but missing the post by mm could also be deemed unlucky. Bottom line is woodwork or no woodwork, ya missed! Be more ruthless, no what ifs!

His lack of end product will see his value dip this season. Along with the whole Villa team minus Grealish I suppose. Ollie is a good player but I don't see where he fits ahead of the likes of DCL, Vardy, Son, Kane, Antonio, or whomever else is going to finish top six (that's replying to someone else, not you, who mentioned a top six team).
 

The Corinthian

I will not take Mad Winger's name in vain
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
11,842
Supports
A Free Palestine
I like the cut of this guy's jib.

He's a pressing monster, and although his finishing can be improved on, he's a constant menace around the box, and seems to score all types of goals.

He's 27 years old (a good age), and can play facing goal or with his back to goal. Also good at bringing others into play. His hold up play is decent, but can also be improved on.

This season he's on (G/A) 11/5 which is which is impressive playing for a Villa side that were being managed by Gerrard for half a season. Has gone up a few gears now that Emery is there. I think at a club like ours where we are (theoretically) creating better chances, he could easily become a 20 goal a season striker.

So yes, I think he's worth looking at as an alternative to Osimhen, Kane etc - he wouldn't cost a bomb either (his contract is due to run out in 2 years so there's some incentive to drop the price).

And lastly, we didn't do too badly the last time we signed a striker from Aston Villa.
 

Drizzle

Full Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
1,350
The Corinthian said:
I like the cut of this guy's jib.

He's a pressing monster, and although his finishing can be improved on, he's a constant menace around the box, and seems to score all types of goals.

He's 27 years old (a good age), and can play facing goal or with his back to goal. Also good at bringing others into play. His hold up play is decent, but can also be improved on.

This season he's on (G/A) 11/5 which is which is impressive playing for a Villa side that were being managed by Gerrard for half a season. Has gone up a few gears now that Emery is there. I think at a club like ours where we are (theoretically) creating better chances, he could easily become a 20 goal a season striker.

So yes, I think he's worth looking at as an alternative to Osimhen, Kane etc - he wouldn't cost a bomb either (his contract is due to run out in 2 years so there's some incentive to drop the price).

And lastly, we didn't do too badly the last time we signed a striker from Aston Villa.
Click to expand...
He's a decent to good striker going through a little purple patch. Nothing in his past suggests he's going to explode into a goalscoring machine.

Also, Villa will not want to sell, nor do they need the money, so he'd be north of £70m. For that money I'd prefer Toney, or push it a little higher and get real potential like Ferguson or Ramos. Or Kane, obviously!
 

The Corinthian

I will not take Mad Winger's name in vain
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
11,842
Supports
A Free Palestine
Drizzle said:
He's a decent to good striker going through a little purple patch. Nothing in his past suggests he's going to explode into a goalscoring machine.

Also, Villa will not want to sell, nor do they need the money, so he'd be north of £70m. For that money I'd prefer Toney, or push it a little higher and get real potential like Ferguson or Ramos. Or Kane, obviously!
Click to expand...
I think he's doing better under Emery because they're playing better football - in theory, that would be the same for us (big if though).

Can he do 20 goals in the PL? I think so - considering some of the chances Wout has missed since he's arrived in our different competitions, a guy like Watkins would put them away no problem.

The fly in the ointment is the cost but I think Villa would want to cash in if we offered a fair amount - I personally think something in the £40-50m range would do it.
 

Drizzle

Full Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
1,350
The Corinthian said:
I think he's doing better under Emery because they're playing better football - in theory, that would be the same for us (big if though).

Can he do 20 goals in the PL? I think so - considering some of the chances Wout has missed since he's arrived in our different competitions, a guy like Watkins would put them away no problem.

The fly in the ointment is the cost but I think Villa would want to cash in if we offered a fair amount - I personally think something in the £40-50m range would do it.
Click to expand...
Yes he may have the potential to level up if he's playing for a better team. But there is absolutely no way he's getting sold for £40-50m! Why would they sell him for that? They don't want to sell and they don't need the money. Add in the English player tax, United tax, and my guess is £70/75m. And at that price you may as well be more ambitious.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,267
Supports
Aston Villa
Loved the way he took the goal at Chelsea.

He still misses a few but has improved plenty under Emery and relishing being the main man again after selling Ings.

Hitting double figures in all three of his prem seasons isn't to be dismissed lightly.

One thing that's incredible is he pretty much never gets injured. I think in his three seasons he's missed four league games for us (and one of those was due to him being wrongly given a red v Man. United for diving).
 

IRN-BRUno

Full Member
Joined
May 26, 2021
Messages
1,140
I think he's capable of going up another level, not sure he's quite got enough to become first choice here though. He's done an excellent job for Villa when you consider he'd only really been a regular CF for 1 season before joining them. As someone who's always seemed to play with a smile on his face it was noticeable how that wasn't the case under Gerrard, found his form immediately after he left as well.
 

Idxomer

Full Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Messages
15,300
He has been really impressive since Emery became a manager.
 

The Corinthian

I will not take Mad Winger's name in vain
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
11,842
Supports
A Free Palestine
I think he’d be great here.
 

Chief123

Full Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
12,787
Scored 11 goals in his last 12 prem games. Consistently performing. Scored as many goals as Haaland since World Cup. Well played to him.
 

PSV

Full Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
1,182


Decent purple patch this if its just that. (2023 so far, league performance)
 

2cents

Historiographer, and obtainer of rare antiquities
Scout
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
16,281
Big game player.
 

Dr Foo

Full Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Messages
333
Location
Singapore
Him or Toney should be the minimum level of striker we have in the squad instead of WW. If we aspire to be challenging for top honours. We have done well despite some obvious imbalances in our squad this season
 

BAMSOLA

Has issues!
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
10,979
Location
"You know why I'm here" - Marshawn Lynch
Supports
A Crack Habit.
crossy1686 said:
You pair him up with Rashford and Antony as a front 3 and he'd get a bag full.
Click to expand...
Maybe, maybe not but I'm not a fan of us going for a 27 year old striker who has shown little sign of being better than average over the last 3+ seasons till recently, we have far too many fair weather footballers on our books already, we need a much more proven player in a position where we're dying for a top class regular starter.
 

Chief123

Full Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
12,787
BAMSOLA said:
Maybe, maybe not but I'm not a fan of us going for a 27 year old striker who has shown little sign of being better than average over the last 3+ seasons till recently, we have far too many fair weather footballers on our books already, we need a much more proven player in a position where we're dying for a top class regular starter.
Click to expand...
Flipping heck. Had no idea he was 27 now. Still thinking he’s early twenties.
 

crossy1686

career ending
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
31,697
Location
Manchester/Stockholm
BAMSOLA said:
Maybe, maybe not but I'm not a fan of us going for a 27 year old striker who has shown little sign of being better than average over the last 3+ seasons till recently, we have far too many fair weather footballers on our books already, we need a much more proven player in a position where we're dying for a top class regular starter.
Click to expand...
Yeah that's fair enough, I didn't realise he was that old either, but he is entering his peak years. I think he's Spurs bound once they sell Kane anyway.
 

Rightnr

Wants players fined for winning away.
Joined
Jan 25, 2015
Messages
14,305
crossy1686 said:
Yeah that's fair enough, I didn't realise he was that old either, but he is entering his peak years. I think he's Spurs bound once they sell Kane anyway.
Click to expand...
Why would he go to Spuds, especially if they don't make the CL and Villa are more likely to finish above them?

Villa have the better manager, similar stadium (not sure about that), similar squad (or probably better if Kane leaves) and the better and more ambitious owners. Not to mention Villa are just a much bigger club and should really be a strong Tier 2 side for the next couple of years.
 

BAMSOLA

Has issues!
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
10,979
Location
"You know why I'm here" - Marshawn Lynch
Supports
A Crack Habit.
Chief123 said:
Flipping heck. Had no idea he was 27 now. Still thinking he’s early twenties.
Click to expand...
Yeah and problem is I couldn't name a single break out season for him up to now and this isn't even quite a season it more of a patch as season isnt over.

Far too many players like that here already, with a record of concentrated mediocrity only broken up by a few purple patches of form. With the momentum of this season come summer we really need to go in a different direction.
 

crossy1686

career ending
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
31,697
Location
Manchester/Stockholm
BAMSOLA said:
Yeah and problem is I couldn't name a single break out season for him up to now and this isn't even quite a season it more of a patch as season isnt over.

Far too many players like that here already, with a record of concentrated mediocrity only broken up by a few purple patches of form. With the momentum of this season come summer we really need to go in a different direction.
Click to expand...
Saha, Tevez, Alan Smith etc never really had break out seasons. They're just players who scored goals in a league that incredibly competitive, and did so at lesser teams
 
You must log in or register to reply here.