Ollie Watkins

[PeterWithesShin]

Sorry.

Accepted.

 

[PaulWinch again]

I think Smirker is ok. He’s pushing the debate on. We all support the same team. Some fans don’t like certain players. Still legitimate. 6 months ago, you’d be abused for saying a bad word against Martinez, but now it’s more accepted.

Not sure anyone has said Ollie has had a good season, although his record since later last year is very good. Reasoned debate is fine, I think stating we’d be further up the league with a better centre forward and then citing a centre forward who has scored less league goals (in a better team) is at best ill informed, or it’s trolling.

[Ianu]

I think Smirker is ok. He’s pushing the debate on. We all support the same team. Some fans don’t like certain players. Still legitimate. 6 months ago, you’d be abused for saying a bad word against Martinez, but now it’s more accepted.

Not sure anyone has said Ollie has had a good season, although his record since later last year is very good. Reasoned debate is fine, I think stating we’d be further up the league with a better centre forward and then citing a centre forward who has scored less league goals (in a better team) is at best ill informed, or it’s trolling.

I don’t think it is. It’s condescending to say someone else’s viewpoint is ill informed or trolling. It’s just a viewpoint! Chill.

[Smirker]

I think Smirker is ok. He’s pushing the debate on. We all support the same team. Some fans don’t like certain players. Still legitimate. 6 months ago, you’d be abused for saying a bad word against Martinez, but now it’s more accepted.

Not sure anyone has said Ollie has had a good season, although his record since later last year is very good. Reasoned debate is fine, I think stating we’d be further up the league with a better centre forward and then citing a centre forward who has scored less league goals (in a better team) is at best ill informed, or it’s trolling.

I don’t think it is. It’s condescending to say someone else’s viewpoint is ill informed or trolling. It’s just a viewpoint! Chill.

Thank you mate 

[Monty]

I think Smirker is ok. He’s pushing the debate on. We all support the same team. Some fans don’t like certain players. Still legitimate. 6 months ago, you’d be abused for saying a bad word against Martinez, but now it’s more accepted.

Not sure anyone has said Ollie has had a good season, although his record since later last year is very good. Reasoned debate is fine, I think stating we’d be further up the league with a better centre forward and then citing a centre forward who has scored less league goals (in a better team) is at best ill informed, or it’s trolling.

I don’t think it is. It’s condescending to say someone else’s viewpoint is ill informed or trolling. It’s just a viewpoint! Chill.

What if my viewpoint is both condescending and right?

[PaulWinch again]

If it was not preceded by literally months of this, perhaps. But it has been a singular myopic focus on slagging Ollie off - again criticism of his performance earlier in the season is fine - but it went beyond that. He’s also been good since end of November, not every of course, but up there in terms of centre forward performance over that period - scoring several, good, and important goals.

To then cite a better option for getting us higher up the league as someone who has scored less league goals, is just a continuation of what has gone before.

[Ianu]

If it was not preceded by literally months of this, perhaps. But it has been a singular myopic focus on slagging Ollie off - again criticism of his performance earlier in the season is fine - but it went beyond that. He’s also been good since end of November, not every of course, but up there in terms of centre forward performance over that period - scoring several, good, and important goals.

To then cite a better option for getting us higher up the league as someone who has scored less league goals, is just a continuation of what has gone before.

It’s hard to say. Sometimes the unpopular opinion is the first to get shot down, but actually has value.

[PaulWinch again]

Sometimes, often it’s unpopular for a reason. Like I say, I don’t think anyone is arguing Ollie hasn’t been at his best, it’s obvious. It’s the “he’s useless, he’s holding us back stuff”. On balance he looks on for around 14 goals or so, which would be a decent return. Replacing his consistency and wider value to our play is not impossible I’m sure, but not cheap or easy.

[eamonn]

All comps please.

Ah, playing the Watkins doesn't score in Europe card?

8 goals and one assist for Gyokeres.

2 were penalties (35% of his goals for Sporting last season were from the spot too). Imagine getting 19(!) penalties in one season. Fair play for scoring them all but from open play he's a bit blose for what Arsenal need.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think Smirker is ok. He’s pushing the debate on. We all support the same team. Some fans don’t like certain players. Still legitimate. 6 months ago, you’d be abused for saying a bad word against Martinez, but now it’s more accepted.

Not sure anyone has said Ollie has had a good season, although his record since later last year is very good. Reasoned debate is fine, I think stating we’d be further up the league with a better centre forward and then citing a centre forward who has scored less league goals (in a better team) is at best ill informed, or it’s trolling.

I don’t think it is. It’s condescending to say someone else’s viewpoint is ill informed or trolling. It’s just a viewpoint! Chill.

What if my viewpoint is both condescending and right?

Something in all these years on H&V I've never seen, Monty. You're never right.

[Ianu]

Sometimes, often it’s unpopular for a reason. Like I say, I don’t think anyone is arguing Ollie hasn’t been at his best, it’s obvious. It’s the “he’s useless, he’s holding us back stuff”. On balance he looks on for around 14 goals or so, which would be a decent return. Replacing his consistency and wider value to our play is not impossible I’m sure, but not cheap or easy.

Not easy or cheap to replace, probably true.

“He’s useless”: agree- a tad too far.

However..

“Holding us back” - very much a viewpoint that one is entitled to have.

[Monty]

I think Smirker is ok. He’s pushing the debate on. We all support the same team. Some fans don’t like certain players. Still legitimate. 6 months ago, you’d be abused for saying a bad word against Martinez, but now it’s more accepted.

Not sure anyone has said Ollie has had a good season, although his record since later last year is very good. Reasoned debate is fine, I think stating we’d be further up the league with a better centre forward and then citing a centre forward who has scored less league goals (in a better team) is at best ill informed, or it’s trolling.

I don’t think it is. It’s condescending to say someone else’s viewpoint is ill informed or trolling. It’s just a viewpoint! Chill.

What if my viewpoint is both condescending and right?

Something in all these years on H&V I've never seen, Monty. You're never right.

Why I oughtta...