Ollie Watkins

[Somniloquism]

You were crtitising him all of last season even though he was contributing.

Barely.

And I was right to seeing as we missed out on the CL on goal difference.

Strange how we conceded more goals than any other team in top 7 but the GD is all down to the striker

Our goals against was about par. Only three behind Newcastle.

However we scored 10 fewer. We simply didn't score enough goals.

And Watkins played 600 minutes less and only scored three goals less. But yes, it is all his fault.

[PaulWinch again]

Well no not really - you shouldn’t really be flipping in such a binary way like that. It’s funny I don’t recall other player’s threads getting lit up when they have a bad game. For instance, Konsa had a bad game today have you slagged him off? I wouldn’t be doing so, but you know if it’s as binary as you say it is.

[Smirker]

Well no not really - you shouldn’t really be flipping in such a binary way like that. It’s funny I don’t recall other player’s threads getting lit up when they have a bad game. For instance, Konsa had a bad game today have you slagged him off? I wouldn’t be doing so, but you know if it’s as binary as you say it is.

Do I have to quote my post from the match thread?

Konsa is having a disastrous fame here. At fault for both goals. Two horrendous errors.

[PaulWinch again]

Have you sought out his personal thread? Not saying I’d welcome it, but your bias against Watkins is very obvious to everyone.

[Smirker]

Have you sought out his personal thread? Not saying I’d welcome it, but your bias against Watkins is very obvious to everyone.

I regularly bump player threads as well as Unai's.

This is all in your head mate.

Konsa was shit and I've said so.

Watkins was also shit.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

All is not lost for Watkins despite having a poor season so far. If he needs to give his head a happy pill, the England squad is still there waiting for him. Okay so Welbeck has scored 7 then you have Dominic Calvert-Lewin 5, Callum Wilson 4, Jarrod Bowen is on 5 but he's not really a centre forward though he can play the position and Watkins on 3.

It's strange as his fitness record during his time with us has been brilliant, almost playing every league game, no injuries then this season he looks like he's about to turn 40 not 30. I can't decide if Unai should take him out for a few games and give him some time to rest and reset or keep flogging him every game and sub him on 60 minutes. Maybe benching him and giving him a chance to run at tired legs on 60 minutes is the best short term solution to helping him return to scoring.

Confidence is massive for strikers and you do have to worry how much longer he can keep his head above water. Knowing he's going to miss out on the World Cup would destroy him completely. Fortunately there's still time and despite his poor form I'd probably start him against Man U. It could be the perfect game for him to relight his season proper. Rumours of us bringing in another striker in January won't help him unless he starts firing again.

Whether you like it or not, the rest of our season will be heavily reliant on either Watkins or another hitting the target on a regular basis.

[Ian.]

I would be very surprised if Emery isn’t looking to get someone in to replace or compete with Ollie. Malen is such a different style of player, they really are not competing for the same kind of role. Both players offer different things. Ollie’s not going to recover anytime soon and that window of opportunity is a few weeks time.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

We've been linked with a loan deal for the kid Garcia from Real Madrid.

[rougegorge]

Imagine if he had been playing well this season and where we would be.

Although actually, given the incredible run of results, then maybe we wouldn't be that much better off than we are now.

We'd probably have a better goal difference, and there would certainly be less reliance on others to play well and put the chances away.

Also, there would be a collective higher level of confidence for the rest of the season.

[Olneythelonely]

Considering Smirker thinks that fans thinking the worst about upcoming matches is the reason we won’t win the league, I’m going to say it’s entirely his fault Watkins is performing poorly.

[London Villan]

Are there any Rashford type players we could bring in on loan?

[Pete3206]

I'm a massive fan of Watkins and think he played well against Brighton and Arsenal.

Today, he was piss poor and highlighted our need for more forwards in the short term, January and certainly next summer. Love him to bits but, it's time to look ahead.

[Somniloquism]

Are there any Rashford type players we could bring in on loan?

Nothing in the UK unless we can chuck Elliot back to the Redscouse. I'm assuming Ramos from PSG is out of the question with Dembele being injured.

[Smirker]

Considering Smirker thinks that fans thinking the worst about upcoming matches is the reason we won’t win the league, I’m going to say it’s entirely his fault Watkins is performing poorly.

You admit he is performing poorly then?

[brontebilly]

Poor today.