Ollie Watkins

[PhilVill]

He needs to work on his first touch as the ball bounces off him when it's passed to him, he must make it stick. The chance after half time was an absolute sitter, it wasn't a great save, it was a piss poor finish. If Archer comes back next season (highly likely) then we must adopt a way to play with him instead of Watkins so that Watkins knows that he must deliver.

[Demitri_C]

He certainly wasn't "dire today".  We do, however, lack a 2nd option for when he isn't on his game or we need a different option in the box, that's certain.

He certainly was. His finishing was poor, wasnt holding the line up. Kept coming in deep and just was not putting enough pressure on their back four.

He is costing us with these misses. He needs real competition up top

Where do we find the £80 plus million to buy one?? Because that’s what it would cost to buy a better striker than him

We need an alternative option. Awoniyi cost Forrest £17m. Schick cost Leverkusen approx £23m. Watkins has become a top class premier league player but he wasn’t when we bought him. The idea we can’t get another very good option who may end up just as good if not better is just nonsense and would be a bad reflection on our recruitment team.

I agree leon. The " we need to spend big" isnt necessarily true. I mean that pavlidis chap who plays for AZ looked real good against us and wont cost the world.

There is players out there that wont cost the  earth. We done it in the past with benteke.

It needs someone to push ollie so ehen he has poor games he knows his spot could be up for grabs. All the top sides have competition up top

Or even just a different type of option. We need more variety. I think we will bring someone in this summer. This is where Monchi will earn his money. It’s badly needed though.

I think a majority of our budget will go on a striker and a rb in the summer.  Rumours were we had tammy lined up in summer before the ACL injury. Wonder if that will still be on the cards? I doubt it after that big injury

[Mister E]

He needs to work on his first touch as the ball bounces off him when it's passed to him, he must make it stick. The chance after half time was an absolute sitter, it wasn't a great save, it was a piss poor finish. If Archer comes back next season (highly likely) then we must adopt a way to play with him instead of Watkins so that Watkins knows that he must deliver.

Watkins played okay yesterday; his movement was excellent. The 'sitter' (which is how I saw it at the game) was in fact a really good connection on a fast / fizzing cross and the keeper's reactions were far better - seen again - than when I saw it in real time.

[Olneythelonely]

He needs to work on his first touch as the ball bounces off him when it's passed to him, he must make it stick. The chance after half time was an absolute sitter, it wasn't a great save, it was a piss poor finish. If Archer comes back next season (highly likely) then we must adopt a way to play with him instead of Watkins so that Watkins knows that he must deliver.

Absolute madness.

[olaftab]

He's fine but does need to deal with this if we are to finish top 4:

Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa in the Premier League 2023-24

Up to 21 Dec   Per 90 minutes   Since 22 Dec
3.02              Total shots                  3.00
18%              Shot Conversion %      9.5%
9                     Goals                       2
8.7                       xG                      2.7
0.4                  xG difference           -0.7

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Great research, Olaftab. I don't know how you find the time.

[olaftab]

Great research, Olaftab. I don't know how you find the time.

As you would appreciate and obviously realise I have a full team dedicated to this sort of work. They feed material of interest constantly all day long but I try not to overwhelm the forum with deluge of data driven posts😌

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Great research, Olaftab. I don't know how you find the time.

As you would appreciate and obviously realise I have a full team dedicated to this sort of work. They feed material of interest constantly all day long but I try not to overwhelm the forum with deluge of data driven posts😌

I'm impressed and there was me thinking it was just a lazy cut and paste job from an earlier link minutes before.

[Mister E]

He's fine but does need to deal with this if we are to finish top 4:

Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa in the Premier League 2023-24

Up to 21 Dec   Per 90 minutes   Since 22 Dec
3.02              Total shots                  3.00
18%              Shot Conversion %      9.5%
9                     Goals                       2
8.7                       xG                      2.7
0.4                  xG difference           -0.7

Unless you're prepared to show the full team data on attacking momentum, chances created, opposition pressing strategies, Watkins assists, etc before and after Xmas, these numbers have limited value, to be honest.

[Olneythelonely]

I love him

[Toronto Villa]

Two brilliant finishes

[Ian.]

Magic today.

[ChicagoLion]

Yes 2 good goals and battled well.

[Somniloquism]

On the second, his movement to drag the defender away from the box to then spin back into the space for the pass was very clever. But I thought the keeper should have done better. It is one of the few times he has hit it close to a keeper and not had them pull off the save.

[Somniloquism]

Some stats for Ollie from the BBC.

Watkins stars as Villa produce 'massive reaction'
Watkins was superb at Craven Cottage and has now scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, while his statistics speak for themselves.

His 23 goal involvements in the top flight this season (13 goals and 10 assists in 25 games), is only bettered by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (24).

And in terms of goal involvements for Villa, only Dwight Yorke (27 in 1995-96) can boast more in a single Premier League campaign.

I think the some other site also had him with the most goals (or involvements at least) away from home this season.