Ollie Watkins

[eye digress]

In his productive seasons he was scoring far more with his head than somebody of his size normally would do. This season I don't really recall him even having a headed chance.

He did have one in a recent game - can’t recall if it was Leeds or maybe Bournemouth. Typically, he arrived… half a yard short for it, and the chance went begging.

For me, that is the leitmotif of his season - pitching up a yard short of where he needs to be. He was poor early doors last season too, but that was more a matter of finishing, as he had plenty of chances. Not this season.

And yet, you’d think that if there was a genuine reason for that (injury, or simply a physical decline), it would be all over Unai’s data printouts and he would be out of the team (and likely, out of the door). So it makes our perseverance with him slightly mysterious.

[PhilVill]

Agreed. Against good opposition that isn’t Malen’s role. He’s far more of a support striker - that’s not a criticism, but lone frontman isn’t Malen’s game.

Then we need to give Wilson a shot or buy a striker immediately in January.

We can't go on like this.

Yeah, winning games is shit.

In spite of. Not because of. And we've lost three in the league already. Could have got points from those had he not played.

We won by one goal last night, had we started our 1 goal in 18 apps striker there's a solid chance we would have dropped points again.

Needs to be dropped. You all know it as well.

I agree. He's nowhere near it at the moment, he may never be there again, so to me Malen starts at the moment.

[Holy Trinity]

Yh I think Ollie has had some sort of catastrophic confidence break and will never recover. 1 in 19 and can't recall any assists in that time.
He has to be dropped and has to be given help because he is a shell of the player he once was.

[ChicagoLion]

There was another explanation for his poor form.

[eye digress]

We’ve been told he is playing “with discomfort”, and that he’s not training fully. Yet he is playing, so can’t reasonably be considered “injured”. We can see that, especially, his pace has gone - but that doesn’t really tie in with his age and physical professionalism. He doesn’t seem the type to not be trying. Everything seems to point to him having some kind of mental problem - fear of injury, perhaps - that is making him play within himself. The hope being that a couple of goals will allow him to break back through that barrier.

[Monty]

It just seems strange, when we have Malen in good form, players who are 'training well' (Elliot) being kept out of the squad by the form of the other attackers AND NOTHING ELSE, that we persist in making our number one striker suffer through the pain and possibly do himself longterm damage. It just doesn't add up, Hooch.

[ChicagoLion]

There are very few injuries that get better by playing football.

[eye digress]

Exactly. The management doesn’t think he is injured. But maybe he does?

[TonyD]

The big question is how many more games does he get before being dropped if he doesn’t start performing. 
If is was another player he would have been dropped by now. 

[Dante Lavelli]

I wouldn't be surprised if there's something in the thought that he might be sulking because he didn't get a move. We know he enjoys a lovely sulk.

That’s my hunch, or at least it started that way. Potentially sulking during the transfer window now means he’s struggling to reach 100%.

I very much doubt he’s happy with the current situation. Being dropped by England might be both the kick up arse he needed and also the chance to improve his fitness and focus.

[Dante Lavelli]

Exactly. The management doesn’t think he is injured. But maybe he does?

As far as I know Tuchel is the only person to have publicly said he has an injury. I see no reason why he’d want to protect watkin’s reputation so I can only assume he’s been told by the player or club.

[Chris Smith]

The big question is how many more games does he get before being dropped if he doesn’t start performing. 
If is was another player he would have been dropped by now. 

The issue is we don’t have a like for like replacement so if the manager wants somebody to hold it up and link with the midfield then he has to play.

[DB]

As someone said, with Tielemans back, he should get more service. It's not like he's missing loads of chances, he doesn't seem to be in the game as much.

[Ian.]

Last season we couldn’t defend and would let a goal as soon as the opposition could attack. This season we’re looking far more solid, but our Achilles Heel is Ollie isn’t scoring or making the chances he provided last year. However we do look a much stronger, more organised and better side. Not quite the attacking threat when Bailey and Dougie were running the show, but still I feel like we can compete with the best again.

[Exeter 77]

What has been noticeable is that Ollie is running the channels more rather than staying within the width of the posts as he was a couple of seasons ago.