Ollie Watkins

[eye digress]

In his productive seasons he was scoring far more with his head than somebody of his size normally would do. This season I don't really recall him even having a headed chance.

He did have one in a recent game - can’t recall if it was Leeds or maybe Bournemouth. Typically, he arrived… half a yard short for it, and the chance went begging.

For me, that is the leitmotif of his season - pitching up a yard short of where he needs to be. He was poor early doors last season too, but that was more a matter of finishing, as he had plenty of chances. Not this season.

And yet, you’d think that if there was a genuine reason for that (injury, or simply a physical decline), it would be all over Unai’s data printouts and he would be out of the team (and likely, out of the door). So it makes our perseverance with him slightly mysterious.

[PhilVill]

Agreed. Against good opposition that isn’t Malen’s role. He’s far more of a support striker - that’s not a criticism, but lone frontman isn’t Malen’s game.

Then we need to give Wilson a shot or buy a striker immediately in January.

We can't go on like this.

Yeah, winning games is shit.

In spite of. Not because of. And we've lost three in the league already. Could have got points from those had he not played.

We won by one goal last night, had we started our 1 goal in 18 apps striker there's a solid chance we would have dropped points again.

Needs to be dropped. You all know it as well.

I agree. He's nowhere near it at the moment, he may never be there again, so to me Malen starts at the moment.

[Holy Trinity]

Yh I think Ollie has had some sort of catastrophic confidence break and will never recover. 1 in 19 and can't recall any assists in that time.
He has to be dropped and has to be given help because he is a shell of the player he once was.