Ollie Watkins

[chrisw1]

I think with Ings at Southampton, he was the main man and played week in, week out and had the likes of JWP creating chances. He was never going to be in that position at Villa with Watkins as our main striker. He's not a bad player, it was just a daft signing made in the heat of the moment when we sold Grealish. That money would have been better spent increasing the bids for the aforementioned JWP or ESR.

exactly it was not the signing we needed and still isn’t.

You say that, but it was absolutely clear we were light up front.  We 100% needed a back up striker and Watkins form and earlier injury bears that out.  Maybe someone like Tammy would have been a better bet, but I don't think he wanted to come.

For me Ings is a quality player and he just needs to be given the shirt for a decent run in the team to pick up confidence.  He's far better with the ball at his feet and in link up play than Watkins.  He's also a much harder worker than people give him credit for.  Watkins has the edge on pace and energy (and age) but that's it at the moment. 

I don't think the mistake was signing Ings, it was pandering to a sulking Watkins and trying to fit them both in the team rather than asking them to fight for a shirt.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

I'd always keep Watkins over Ings.
He's younger by 3 years and has time to improve on his side. He's our main striker, internationally recognised. He hasn't got the injury record of Ings. He had a cracking 1st season in the pl and has contributed just as much as anybody else in this meh season with the disruptions that we've had.
If we were to ever get a cl quality striker (and I'm not talking about the ageing suarez) then I'm sure Ollie would be a better back up striker than Ings has proven to be in the time he's been here. I like Ings and I'm glad we've got quality back-up for Ollie, but that's as far as it goes for me.

[Risso]

I think we need to buy a top quality striker then keep one of them as back up, probably Ings.

[ChicagoLion]

I think with Ings at Southampton, he was the main man and played week in, week out and had the likes of JWP creating chances. He was never going to be in that position at Villa with Watkins as our main striker. He's not a bad player, it was just a daft signing made in the heat of the moment when we sold Grealish. That money would have been better spent increasing the bids for the aforementioned JWP or ESR.

exactly it was not the signing we needed and still isn’t.

You say that, but it was absolutely clear we were light up front.  We 100% needed a back up striker and Watkins form and earlier injury bears that out.  Maybe someone like Tammy would have been a better bet, but I don't think he wanted to come.

For me Ings is a quality player and he just needs to be given the shirt for a decent run in the team to pick up confidence.  He's far better with the ball at his feet and in link up play than Watkins.  He's also a much harder worker than people give him credit for.  Watkins has the edge on pace and energy (and age) but that's it at the moment. 

I don't think the mistake was signing Ings, it was pandering to a sulking Watkins and trying to fit them both in the team rather than asking them to fight for a shirt.

Ings wasn't a back up though, he is a 29 year old footballer with a history of injury problem's who cost us £38million and Smith started him pretty much every game. Some back up.

[Mister E]

I think with Ings at Southampton, he was the main man and played week in, week out and had the likes of JWP creating chances. He was never going to be in that position at Villa with Watkins as our main striker. He's not a bad player, it was just a daft signing made in the heat of the moment when we sold Grealish. That money would have been better spent increasing the bids for the aforementioned JWP or ESR.

exactly it was not the signing we needed and still isn’t.

You say that, but it was absolutely clear we were light up front.  We 100% needed a back up striker and Watkins form and earlier injury bears that out.  Maybe someone like Tammy would have been a better bet, but I don't think he wanted to come.

For me Ings is a quality player and he just needs to be given the shirt for a decent run in the team to pick up confidence.  He's far better with the ball at his feet and in link up play than Watkins.  He's also a much harder worker than people give him credit for.  Watkins has the edge on pace and energy (and age) but that's it at the moment. 
I don't think the mistake was signing Ings, it was pandering to a sulking Watkins and trying to fit them both in the team rather than asking them to fight for a shirt.

Ings wasn't a back up though, he is a 29 year old footballer with a history of injury problem's who cost us £38million and Smith started him pretty much every game. Some back up.

Ings £38m? - I thought it was £25m?

[rougegorge]

I think with Ings at Southampton, he was the main man and played week in, week out and had the likes of JWP creating chances. He was never going to be in that position at Villa with Watkins as our main striker. He's not a bad player, it was just a daft signing made in the heat of the moment when we sold Grealish. That money would have been better spent increasing the bids for the aforementioned JWP or ESR.

exactly it was not the signing we needed and still isn’t.

You say that, but it was absolutely clear we were light up front.  We 100% needed a back up striker and Watkins form and earlier injury bears that out.  Maybe someone like Tammy would have been a better bet, but I don't think he wanted to come.

For me Ings is a quality player and he just needs to be given the shirt for a decent run in the team to pick up confidence.  He's far better with the ball at his feet and in link up play than Watkins.  He's also a much harder worker than people give him credit for.  Watkins has the edge on pace and energy (and age) but that's it at the moment. 
I don't think the mistake was signing Ings, it was pandering to a sulking Watkins and trying to fit them both in the team rather than asking them to fight for a shirt.

Ings wasn't a back up though, he is a 29 year old footballer with a history of injury problem's who cost us £38million and Smith started him pretty much every game. Some back up.

Ings £38m? - I thought it was £25m?

Yes, it was Buendía whose fee was up to £38m and Bailey was around £30m.

Our much-vaunted transfer business of last summer hasn't really paid off as hoped.

[ChicagoLion]

I think with Ings at Southampton, he was the main man and played week in, week out and had the likes of JWP creating chances. He was never going to be in that position at Villa with Watkins as our main striker. He's not a bad player, it was just a daft signing made in the heat of the moment when we sold Grealish. That money would have been better spent increasing the bids for the aforementioned JWP or ESR.

exactly it was not the signing we needed and still isn’t.

You say that, but it was absolutely clear we were light up front.  We 100% needed a back up striker and Watkins form and earlier injury bears that out.  Maybe someone like Tammy would have been a better bet, but I don't think he wanted to come.

For me Ings is a quality player and he just needs to be given the shirt for a decent run in the team to pick up confidence.  He's far better with the ball at his feet and in link up play than Watkins.  He's also a much harder worker than people give him credit for.  Watkins has the edge on pace and energy (and age) but that's it at the moment. 
I don't think the mistake was signing Ings, it was pandering to a sulking Watkins and trying to fit them both in the team rather than asking them to fight for a shirt.

Ings wasn't a back up though, he is a 29 year old footballer with a history of injury problem's who cost us £38million and Smith started him pretty much every game. Some back up.

Ings £38m? - I thought it was £25m?

Yes, it was Buendía whose fee was up to £38m and Bailey was around £30m.

Our much-vaunted transfer business of last summer hasn't really paid off as hoped.

I have heard different values quoted, all over £30million.

[eamonn]

No way was Ings that much. £25m was reported in most places. He only had a year left on his deal, £25m was too generous for Saints to turn-down once Ings told them he wanted to move to us rather than sign a new deal.
Mind you, factor in his salary and it'll hit the mid-30m's over the course of his deal. I think Gerrard rates him and will be reluctant to sell him but this summer is the only time we'll get something decent back for him (£15m- £20m). All depends on what we decide to do with strikers generally.

Watkins will have mainly held his value mainly for his England appearances this season as his club form has clearly regressed. I still don't think we'd make much of a profit on him, he was a hefty £32m including add-ons which have probably been ticked-off now.

[Dave]

I think with Ings at Southampton, he was the main man and played week in, week out and had the likes of JWP creating chances. He was never going to be in that position at Villa with Watkins as our main striker. He's not a bad player, it was just a daft signing made in the heat of the moment when we sold Grealish. That money would have been better spent increasing the bids for the aforementioned JWP or ESR.

exactly it was not the signing we needed and still isn’t.

You say that, but it was absolutely clear we were light up front.  We 100% needed a back up striker and Watkins form and earlier injury bears that out.  Maybe someone like Tammy would have been a better bet, but I don't think he wanted to come.

For me Ings is a quality player and he just needs to be given the shirt for a decent run in the team to pick up confidence.  He's far better with the ball at his feet and in link up play than Watkins.  He's also a much harder worker than people give him credit for.  Watkins has the edge on pace and energy (and age) but that's it at the moment. 
I don't think the mistake was signing Ings, it was pandering to a sulking Watkins and trying to fit them both in the team rather than asking them to fight for a shirt.

Ings wasn't a back up though, he is a 29 year old footballer with a history of injury problem's who cost us £38million and Smith started him pretty much every game. Some back up.

Ings £38m? - I thought it was £25m?

Yes, it was Buendía whose fee was up to £38m and Bailey was around £30m.

Our much-vaunted transfer business of last summer hasn't really paid off as hoped.

I have heard different values quoted, all over £30million.

Pretty much everywhere reported at the time that it was somewhere between £25m and £30m.

[brontebilly]

I think with Ings at Southampton, he was the main man and played week in, week out and had the likes of JWP creating chances. He was never going to be in that position at Villa with Watkins as our main striker. He's not a bad player, it was just a daft signing made in the heat of the moment when we sold Grealish. That money would have been better spent increasing the bids for the aforementioned JWP or ESR.

exactly it was not the signing we needed and still isn’t.

You say that, but it was absolutely clear we were light up front.  We 100% needed a back up striker and Watkins form and earlier injury bears that out.  Maybe someone like Tammy would have been a better bet, but I don't think he wanted to come.

For me Ings is a quality player and he just needs to be given the shirt for a decent run in the team to pick up confidence.  He's far better with the ball at his feet and in link up play than Watkins.  He's also a much harder worker than people give him credit for.  Watkins has the edge on pace and energy (and age) but that's it at the moment. 

I don't think the mistake was signing Ings, it was pandering to a sulking Watkins and trying to fit them both in the team rather than asking them to fight for a shirt.

Ings wasn't a back up though, he is a 29 year old footballer with a history of injury problem's who cost us £38million and Smith started him pretty much every game. Some back up.

Deano showed his inexperience there to allow the Ings transfer to go ahead. Ings is a good footballer, as are the likes of Buendia to be fair. But Ings was never going to be a good fit for us and Buendia with Coutinho also doesn't look as if it's going to work unfortunately. 

[Drummond]

It's a squad game and we need strength in depth.

[Brazilian Villain]

No way was Ings that much. £25m was reported in most places. He only had a year left on his deal, £25m was too generous for Saints to turn-down once

My understanding at the time was that it was £25m.

[Villan82]

One season wonder? He looked so promising last season (despite hitting the woodwork quite often). Really unimpressed with him this season.

[RamboandBruno]

One season wonder? He looked so promising last season (despite hitting the woodwork quite often). Really unimpressed with him this season.

Yes really poor today. That header in yhe forst hslf that went miles over, Kane or Son score, simple.

[PaulWinch again]

He’s out of form, he’s still a good player. He’s never going to be a perfect finisher, but when he’s on form he’s very useful.