Ollie Watkins

[N'ZMAV]

The trouble is the two people with that specific opinion are the two who used to have the same opinion when he was scoring / assisting. If we were creating like last season and we still hadn't scored, you would probably get a lot more people on your side. Was that the first clear cut chance we have created him this season?

Bad miss mind.

With respect, my opinion has always been that he doesn't score enough.

I know people won't be on my side because he's our sacred cow for some reason. I know I am right. And every week that goes past I'm just proven right even more.

It’s a pretty fair assessment - he’s got something like 17 in his last 65 games. He misses as many big chances as anyone in the league. Then throws a strop when he has competition for places.

I do like the guy - and he’s done well for us at times but he certainly isn't at his best and isn’t above criticism

[Olneythelonely]

He’s not above criticism, he’s in a terrible run of form in front of goal and looks as though even his best attributes have gone missing.

It’s absolutely horseshit that he’s not been good enough for us in the past 5 years though. But as I said, if you keep saying someone is shit, eventually they might prove you right. It’s then up to you if it that makes you happy or not.

I thought Tielemans was crap. Said it a few times. I was really happy that I was wrong. My ego doesn’t need the boost of being “right”.

[Ian.]

Ollie’s been a great signing and one of the reasons we’ve gone up the league and competed with the best in Europe. He’s on an awful run of form, as is Rogers, as was Martinez last season (ok, probably not awful but not at his best). The whole team is off and even Emery seems at a loss with selecting players and sticking with things. McGinn’s had his fair share of struggles and he’s come through them, I thought he was finished under Gerard and would have been happy to see him go. He proved me wrong.

I don’t know what the answers are, but it’s a whole load of problems and it’s unfair to dismiss Ollie’s time here when he’s been a bloody good pro for us. He’s not alone in being rather shit at present either.

[PaulWinch again]

Exactly right.

[Smirker]

I never said he wasn't good enough for us at any point in the last five years.

He was good enough under Smith and Gerrard because of where we were. He stopped being good enough last season. That was when we needed to aim higher. And he certainly isn't good enough now.

He has never been a good goalscorer at any point though.

[N'ZMAV]

Regardless of his form, age or whatever - we're still light up front - which has been the story for the majority of the time in recent years.

[PaulWinch again]

I never said he wasn't good enough for us at any point in the last five years.

He was good enough under Smith and Gerrard because of where we were. He stopped being good enough last season. That was when we needed to aim higher. And he certainly isn't good enough now.

He has never been a good goalscorer at any point though.

Factually incorrect. He absolutely has been a good goal scorer, but he’s been a top end forward because of his goal scoring and goal creation.