Ollie Watkins

[OCD]

Frankly, he's got to get over himself. Emery's on record as saying he wants 2 options per position. If his competition is a younger striker, he's still going to be the main guy for a while.

[LeeS]

I am totally speculating here, but it strikes me that every other club brings players through in each position. In that centre forward role we have Barry but not a lot else. And nothing for years it seems. Where are they?

[paul_e]

I am totally speculating here, but it strikes me that every other club brings players through in each position. In that centre forward role we have Barry but not a lot else. And nothing for years it seems. Where are they?

We have Wilson who was really highly rated but has been largely frozen out because he won't sign a new deal, it's a shame because he's a real goalscorer but apparently he won't sign unless we offer him guarantees around first team football.

Behind him there's Cotcher and Jimoh-Aloba who are both doing well this year. Cotcher has been in superb form in the cup and europe and decent for the U18s but hasn't done much for the U21s. J-A has been decent for the U21s (about 1 in 3) but is still eligible for U18s and has been on the bench for us a fair few times since Christmas so Emery clearly sees something in him.

We also have Kobei Moore out at Fleetwood who's probably not going to make it at the top level.

[LeeS]

Thanks Paul. That’s interesting.

[Clampy]

Jimoh-Aloba is not a forward though, he's a midfielder. There's also Bradley Burrowes but he might be a way off yet bit I think he's been on the bench.

[paul_e]

Jimoh-Aloba is not a forward though, he's a midfielder. There's also Bradley Burrowes but he might be a way off yet bit I think he's been on the bench.

From what I've seen of him this year he's mostly played in the same sort of role that Havertz plays for Arsenal, not quite a out-and-out striker but not really in centre-mid either.

Burrowes seems a lot like Malen and will probably play anywhere across the front. I didn't include him because he's a bit younger (he's got 2 more U18 seasons after this one) but he looks a top talent.

[cdbearsfan]

Frankly, he's got to get over himself. Emery's on record as saying he wants 2 options per position. If his competition is a younger striker, he's still going to be the main guy for a while.

What's the evidence that he would have a problem with this? Did he refuse to play last season, with Durán breathing down his neck?

Erm, no. He had his best season ever.

Not really sure why we are still slating Watkins for not performing brilliantly alongside Danny Ings (currently unable to get a start for West Ham even when his only competition nearly died).

[pauliewalnuts]

I wouldn't sell him this summer. I'd look to bring an understudy in who can become first choice, someone like Delap.

People point out that Ollie's 29 and peak value but he's a fit lad and plays most matches. He's going to be around for a good while yet. His transfer fee will either be fully amortised this summer or next and any fee we get becomes pure profit.

He'll be a 29 year old looking for someone willing to pay for a last bumper pay deal if he gets a move, and he'll still carry a relatively hefty fee.

It is this summer that his original fee will be off the books, which just makes it more likely we'll cash in on him.

[pauliewalnuts]

I am totally speculating here, but it strikes me that every other club brings players through in each position. In that centre forward role we have Barry but not a lot else. And nothing for years it seems. Where are they?

We have Wilson who was really highly rated but has been largely frozen out because he won't sign a new deal, it's a shame because he's a real goalscorer but apparently he won't sign unless we offer him guarantees around first team football.

Behind him there's Cotcher and Jimoh-Aloba who are both doing well this year. Cotcher has been in superb form in the cup and europe and decent for the U18s but hasn't done much for the U21s. J-A has been decent for the U21s (about 1 in 3) but is still eligible for U18s and has been on the bench for us a fair few times since Christmas so Emery clearly sees something in him.

We also have Kobei Moore out at Fleetwood who's probably not going to make it at the top level.

None of those are anywhere near the level we play at, and won't be - if at all - for years yet.

[Dave]

I think he knows that, he's just answering the question of which youth team players we've got who are strikers.

[eamonn]

What about the lad we've loaned to Antwerp - decent standard to learn from, we must have high hopes for him (can't remember his name without googling and I don't know his name to search so...).

[Percy McCarthy]

I wouldn't sell him this summer. I'd look to bring an understudy in who can become first choice, someone like Delap.

People point out that Ollie's 29 and peak value but he's a fit lad and plays most matches. He's going to be around for a good while yet. His transfer fee will either be fully amortised this summer or next and any fee we get becomes pure profit.

It will be fully amortised at the end of his current contract. There’s only a negligible amount outstanding anyway. Same as Martinez, Mings, McGinn, Rogers, Barkley, Cash and Konsa. Bit more book value on Digne, Bailey and Buendia, but not much. Then there’s pure profit on Kamara, Ramsey, Tielemans. We only owe big money on Pau, Maatsen, Onana and Malen. It all makes us able to operate very nimbly in the transfer market.

[Percy McCarthy]

I wouldn't sell him this summer. I'd look to bring an understudy in who can become first choice, someone like Delap.

People point out that Ollie's 29 and peak value but he's a fit lad and plays most matches. He's going to be around for a good while yet. His transfer fee will either be fully amortised this summer or next and any fee we get becomes pure profit.

He'll be a 29 year old looking for someone willing to pay for a last bumper pay deal if he gets a move, and he'll still carry a relatively hefty fee.

It is this summer that his original fee will be off the books, which just makes it more likely we'll cash in on him.

I don’t think that’s right paulie. Whatever is left of his book value at the signing of a new contract then gets spread over the years of that new contract. But yes, along with everyone else who has played for us for four or five years, he will have a negligible amount outstanding, as will anyone who was signed for a small fee (relative to their current value) like Rogers or Duran.

[Percy McCarthy]

I categorise our squad thus:

AFA - almost fully amortised
PP - pure profit
OHA - over half amortised
BMO - big money owed
NF - negligible fee

Martinez (AFA)
Olsen (AFA)

Cash (AFA)
Garcia (NF)

Digne (OHA)
Maatsen (BMO)

Torres (BMO)
Konsa (AFA)
Mings (AFA)

Tielemans (PP)
Barkley (NF)
McGinn (AFA)
Kamara (PP)
Onana (BMO)
Bogarde (PP)

Rogers (NF)
Ramsey (PP)
Bailey (AFA)

Watkins (AFA)
Malen (BMO)

Dendonker & Couts - probably worth paying off.

[john e]

I am totally speculating here, but it strikes me that every other club brings players through in each position. In that centre forward role we have Barry but not a lot else. And nothing for years it seems. Where are they?

Err we did have a really good one
But he/we chose to move him  to where the sun shines a lot