Ollie Watkins

[Smithy]

Penalties are a definite skill, especially mentally. That said i'd rather have the striker that scores 20 from open plan than scores 20 including 8 pens.

Of course. I'm the same. A reliable penalty-taker is obviously pretty valuable, but it's still likely to be only 5 or 6 pens a season for the average team.  And even if your penalty taker is decidedly average, you're still getting 3 or 4 goals from those penalties.  Your penalty taker can be your left-back (someone like Stuart Pearce), or your forward, it doesn't really matter - someone in your 11 is capable of a 70%+ conversion rate.  The real value of a striker is picking up goals in open play that other players can't.

Whenever we've looked at strikers in the past, it's one of the first things I look at when I see their "goals scored" record. Not because penalties don't count, I just think they come with a small asterisk when you're evaluating a players ability as a centre-forward.  We've often heard about the mythical "20 goal a season forward", but are they really THAT player if they have 9 penalties? I don't think so.

[Dogtanian]

The Grauniad talking him up for player of the season;

https://www.theguardian.com/football/who-scored-blog/2024/apr/17/ollie-watkins-contender-premier-league-player-of-season

[danno]

Being top of the assists chart is equally impressive.

[Footy-Vill]

Watkins on golden boot:  " I want to score every game. I want to win it. I've got my eyes set on it"

[Stu]

Ollie Watkins is a real contender to be Premier League player of the season

[Hillbilly]

Chelsea fans in the comments below the Guardian article talking up Palmer just so they can feel relevant.

[Rigadon]

Chelsea fans in the comments below the Guardian article talking up Palmer just so they can feel relevant.

Yes I noticed that too.  Jokers.

[Risso]

Ollie for Player of the Season, Palmer for Young Player. Seems about right.

[Dogtanian]

Is it me, or has his missus bought herself and the kids matching jumpers, and forgot about one for our hero?

https://x.com/sportsbriefcom/status/1780888091516940335

[Rudy Can't Fail]

She can do what she wants providing she's not up the duff.

[itbrvilla]

Ollie for Player of the Season, Palmer for Young Player. Seems about right.

I think they've both been exceptional. Although a big chunk of Palmer's goals have been penalties

[Footy-Vill]

Time for Watkins to show us his penalty

[Somniloquism]

His standing leg slips out, so did a very good job to score in that circumstance.

[AV84]

His standing leg slips out, so did a very good job to score in that circumstance.

Also all the Emi nonsense happened while he was waiting to take it.

[nigel]

His composure for his penalty was absolutely outstanding, he was made to wait for an age. Many would have crumbled