Ollie Watkins

[Sexual Ealing]

Without the ball though, there are few better.

[trinityoap]

I'm struggling to think of a realistic replacement we could get.

[Drummond]

I'm struggling to think of a realistic replacement we could get.

The usual response when anyone is asked, is that it isn't their job. Well the person whose job it might be is leaving, so maybe the new guy will work a miracle.

[LeeB]

So far I've watched other supposedly lesser centre forwards playing for the opposition manage to do the basics Ollie seems to have such trouble with, so the 'who can we get in to replace him?' can get right in the fucking bin.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I'm struggling to think of a realistic replacement we could get.

Gonçalo Ramos, bench warmer at PSG. Ideally get him in before the World Cup, preferably January, as his price may be much higher in July. A footballing Ollie Watkins and only 24.

[PaulWinch again]

Whoever you decide to replace him I promise after the new gloss wears off, people will be calling out limitations where we can do better etc. There aren’t any flawless players, certainly not available to us. You have to look at output to give you an idea of where a player is and Ollie’s output as a forward is consistently strong.

[VinnieChase84]

Liam Delap pre his stupid move to Chelsea would have been a long term option here

Samu has a high ceiling and loads want him

[Caribbeanvillan]

I'd like to see him come deeper for the ball, I'm not a fan of Watkins but he's got to try something different. It's not working for him, not much service at the moment which happens in games, but you see good strikers drop deep to get the ball and try to make things happen. I can imagine playing with the like of Watkins and Rogers, and getting frustrated especially with Unia not making changes until the last 10/15 minutes. On another point regarding Unais comments about Harvey Elliot playing balls into gaps without options, this highlights the problem, there should be players running into these 'gaps', he's used to playing for Liverpool when most times he knew players were there to run on to these balls. I noticed when Elliot and Sancho come on, they seem to play the game at a different speed to what we do, always looking to play it forward, looking for the players to run through or give them options, instead they start to get into the routine of go forward 10 yards and then pass it all the way back to the defense. At least these two try to make things happen.

[PeterWithesShin]

No chance Delap would have joined us. Samu is interesting but Portugal is a massive stat padder of a league. For every Cunha there's a few Fabio Silvas.

[Caribbeanvillan]

Jean-Philippe Matteta

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I hope he has a fantastic season and scores 25+ goals as we might get some decent money for him next summer to put towards an upgrade. Strikers, at least the good ones don't come cheap so the more we can get, hopefully the better we can bring in. Qualification for the CL is obviously going to help even if through the Europa League.

A poor/average season and his price will really drop, like £25m/£30m max drop. We had no takers in the summer if you ignore Arsenal taking the piss in January with £40m. Fitness wise he's still got a few seasons left in him but focus has to be getting him functioning again this season. Unai is said to be a big fan, so start playing to his strengths rather than the things he can't do, eh?

[Olneythelonely]

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Zero good goalscoring seasons. Smirker ™️

[PeterWithesShin]

Mateta is pretty short term though as he's only 18 months younger than Ollie. And that's assuming he'd join us rather than someone further up the food chain.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

So far I've watched other supposedly lesser centre forwards playing for the opposition manage to do the basics Ollie seems to have such trouble with, so the 'who can we get in to replace him?' can get right in the fucking bin.

Names?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I'd like to see him come deeper for the ball, I'm not a fan of Watkins but he's got to try something different. It's not working for him, not much service at the moment which happens in games, but you see good strikers drop deep to get the ball and try to make things happen. I can imagine playing with the like of Watkins and Rogers, and getting frustrated especially with Unia not making changes until the last 10/15 minutes. On another point regarding Unais comments about Harvey Elliot playing balls into gaps without options, this highlights the problem, there should be players running into these 'gaps', he's used to playing for Liverpool when most times he knew players were there to run on to these balls. I noticed when Elliot and Sancho come on, they seem to play the game at a different speed to what we do, always looking to play it forward, looking for the players to run through or give them options, instead they start to get into the routine of go forward 10 yards and then pass it all the way back to the defense. At least these two try to make things happen.

See this if where I think we'd not be playing to his strengths. He lacks the technical ability to drop deep, I want him finding the space he's so good at. It's an unique quality he has, in fact I'd even have high hanging out on the half way line when the opposition have a corner. Give him something to chase, it's tried and tested.