Ollie Watkins

[Risso]

I'd say Watkins' problems are related to the fact that he's crap, and can't do a simple thing like control a ball.

[Toronto Villa]

I wanted Gerrard gone as much as anyone, but I’m pretty sure his inability to control a football and miss clear cut goalscoring chances has nothing at all to do with the former manager. The amount of chances he was given to perform to a high level and score goals doesn’t suggest at all there was some deep rift.

If this was Sanson or Archer or Freddie or Traore or AEG or Trezeguet or even Mings I’d understand. All binned at some point under Gerrard.

[eamonn]

Yeah, I mean, Watkins was nearly always picked when fit.

[brontebilly]

Grealish leaving and Ings coming in, that's the start of Watkins issues. The constant chopping and changing of formations hasn't helped any attacking player. His back to goal play was never great but at some point the finger has to point at the player. Could he not improve his first touch with additional work at the training ground? Bring in a specialist coach to improve his ability to strike a ball cleanly?

[Rigadon]

He's a confidence player in terms of therein reason he's on the pitch.  Runs his knackers off every game.   If he gets a does of confidence from Emery he could shine again.  Big if though.  Same for Coutinho. 

[SamTheMouse]

He did look really good in that first season,and although I appreciate Grealish helped raise everyone's game that year to some extent, Jack wasn't responsible for improving Watkins' technical ability. I suppose you could argue that he created more space which meant that Ollie had more time to control the ball, etc., but I don't remember noticing the ping-pong first touch much that year.

[N'ZMAV]

Emery is not a miracle worker.

[Sexual Ealing]

Grealish leaving and Ings coming in, that's the start of Watkins issues. The constant chopping and changing of formations hasn't helped any attacking player. His back to goal play was never great but at some point the finger has to point at the player. Could he not improve his first touch with additional work at the training ground? Bring in a specialist coach to improve his ability to strike a ball cleanly?

Surely touch and technique are the raw materials that a coach gets to build on. If they're not there, what can they do? You need more than just onions to make a delicious onion soup, but you're fucked if you don't have onions.

[john e]

He’ll love Watkins for his pressing game, can’t see Ings getting much of a look in

Then he’ll realise that Watkins running around and chasing is great but the rest of his talents aren’t good enough so I’ll expect to see a new striker in Jan
hopefully someone he knows of who’s going under the radar at the moment and ends up becoming a reincarnation of Pongo

[LeeB]

He’ll love Watkins for his pressing game, can’t see Ings getting much of a look in

Then he’ll realise that Watkins running around and chasing is great but the rest of his talents aren’t good enough so I’ll expect to see a new striker in Jan
hopefully someone he knows of who’s going under the radar at the moment and ends up becoming a reincarnation of Pongo

Finding a striker that keeps chickens in his front room is going to be a tough ask

[john e]

He’ll love Watkins for his pressing game, can’t see Ings getting much of a look in

Then he’ll realise that Watkins running around and chasing is great but the rest of his talents aren’t good enough so I’ll expect to see a new striker in Jan
hopefully someone he knows of who’s going under the radar at the moment and ends up becoming a reincarnation of Pongo

Finding a striker that keeps chickens in his front room is going to be a tough ask

Probably the easy part to be fair

[brontebilly]

Grealish leaving and Ings coming in, that's the start of Watkins issues. The constant chopping and changing of formations hasn't helped any attacking player. His back to goal play was never great but at some point the finger has to point at the player. Could he not improve his first touch with additional work at the training ground? Bring in a specialist coach to improve his ability to strike a ball cleanly?

Surely touch and technique are the raw materials that a coach gets to build on. If they're not there, what can they do? You need more than just onions to make a delicious onion soup, but you're fucked if you don't have onions.

All skills can be improved with hard work. Likes of Ronaldo couldn't head a ball when he arrived at Old Trafford but ended up probably the best in the world. I look at some of ours, likes of McGinn or Mings barely able to kick a ball with their right foot and wonder if worked on correcting those weaknesses hard enough.

[maidstonevillain]

Grealish leaving and Ings coming in, that's the start of Watkins issues. The constant chopping and changing of formations hasn't helped any attacking player. His back to goal play was never great but at some point the finger has to point at the player. Could he not improve his first touch with additional work at the training ground? Bring in a specialist coach to improve his ability to strike a ball cleanly?

Surely touch and technique are the raw materials that a coach gets to build on. If they're not there, what can they do? You need more than just onions to make a delicious onion soup, but you're fucked if you don't have onions.

All skills can be improved with hard work. Likes of Ronaldo couldn't head a ball when he arrived at Old Trafford but ended up probably the best in the world. I look at some of ours, likes of McGinn or Mings barely able to kick a ball with their right foot and wonder if worked on correcting those weaknesses hard enough.

Grealish leaving and Ings coming in, that's the start of Watkins issues. The constant chopping and changing of formations hasn't helped any attacking player. His back to goal play was never great but at some point the finger has to point at the player. Could he not improve his first touch with additional work at the training ground? Bring in a specialist coach to improve his ability to strike a ball cleanly?

Surely touch and technique are the raw materials that a coach gets to build on. If they're not there, what can they do? You need more than just onions to make a delicious onion soup, but you're fucked if you don't have onions.

All skills can be improved with hard work. Likes of Ronaldo couldn't head a ball when he arrived at Old Trafford but ended up probably the best in the world. I look at some of ours, likes of McGinn or Mings barely able to kick a ball with their right foot and wonder if worked on correcting those weaknesses hard enough.

Unlike Watkins who is barely able to kick a ball with either foot.

[Risso]

All skills can be improved with hard work. Likes of Ronaldo couldn't head a ball when he arrived at Old Trafford but ended up probably the best in the world. I look at some of ours, likes of McGinn or Mings barely able to kick a ball with their right foot and wonder if worked on correcting those weaknesses hard enough.

Ronaldo was only 18 when he pitched up at Man U though, and alongside his natural skill he's probably got the biggest will to win of any footballer in the last 20 years. John McGinn is 28 and enjoys a night out. There really is no comparison.

[Toronto Villa]

Ronaldo always gets hit with the pre Madonna stuff but very few ever comment on his desire to be the absolute best. To do what he’s done and to still do what he’s doing at his age is simply astonishing. Not just the playing at a high level but the training and dietary discipline that he has to maintain.