Ollie Watkins

[PaulWinch again]

Yep our rate of conceding goals is utterly unsustainable for the attack to keep up with.

[ROBBO]

Shadow of the player of the last few seasons, seems to have lost a lot of pace and his decision making is poor. Been a great player for us but we missed Duran today.

[Olneythelonely]

If he matches what he’s done up until now, he’ll have 16 goals and 8 assists by the end of the season. Yet some strange fruit called him a wanker on the match thread. Unreal.

[Accent Guy]

Headline on BBC Sport:

Watkins shines on birthday but Villa held by Brighton

[Jon Crofts]

I dunno, his finishing is way off and he had a few decent chances tonight. Unimpressed just now.

[Villan82]

If he matches what he’s done up until now, he’ll have 16 goals and 8 assists by the end of the season. Yet some strange fruit called him a wanker on the match thread. Unreal.

Staggering how quick people turn on our players.

[German James]

If he matches what he’s done up until now, he’ll have 16 goals and 8 assists by the end of the season. Yet some strange fruit called him a wanker on the match thread. Unreal.

Yes, that is unreal. But when we're (probably unfairly) relying on him so much, he really needs to do more.

[Ian.]

He’s not played for four games, came in tonight, scored a goal and got an assist. He’s not himself I admit, but come on, give him some credit.

[Dave]

If he matches what he’s done up until now, he’ll have 16 goals and 8 assists by the end of the season. Yet some strange fruit called him a wanker on the match thread. Unreal.

So far this season, the only strikers with more goals are Haaland, Isak, Cunha, Wood and Jackson (the last four of which are apparently having the greatest seasons of their lives) and the only ones with more assists are Joao Pedro and Solanke.

And I'd bet that Watkins has spent less time on the pitch than all of them.

Some people are mental.

[pelty]

He was hot and miss tonight; I would have hoped for more, but we had much bigger issues than Ollie.

[PaulWinch again]

If he matches what he’s done up until now, he’ll have 16 goals and 8 assists by the end of the season. Yet some strange fruit called him a wanker on the match thread. Unreal.

So far this season, the only strikers with more goals are Haaland, Isak, Cunha, Wood and Jackson (the last four of which are apparently having the greatest seasons of their lives) and the only ones with more assists are Joao Pedro and Solanke.

And I'd bet that Watkins has spent less time on the pitch than all of them.

Some people are mental.

They are and many people are far too focussed on individuals rather than the systemic issues at play. His goal and assist should be more than enough.

[AlexAlexCropley]

He had more than enough opportunities to put the game to bed .That miss at the end was woeful. I will give him the assist which was wonderful. Such is football.

[PaulWinch again]

It really wasn’t woeful.

He is not the problem tonight - a goal and an assist is more than enough of a contribution.

[Monty]

He and Bailey had normal games for good players who are out of form.

[Keeno]

They are and many people are far too focussed on individuals rather than the systemic issues at play. His goal and assist should be more than enough.

1 million percent this. HOW the players are being asked to defend is leading to us shipping soft goals every single game. Numbers-wise, the attack is roughly where it was last year. But the defence is SIGNIFICANTLY worse and it's placing all of our attackers in a position where they are needing to score 2-3 goals a game to get us points.