Ollie Watkins

[Mellin]

I diverge from Smirker in that I don't really care whether he scores the odd goal (in my analysis of the player, I care deeply that we score goals). He's just not a very good footballer.

Yeah, I've said something about his technique before. When he's out of form it makes him look like a carthorse. When he's confident and scoring it doesn't matter so much.

And if you look across his career with us he heavily leans towards the latter.

Absolutely.

Look at all the money spent on centre forwards this summer. Two of them were in black and white today. Be careful what you wish for.

[Toronto Villa]

7 goals in his last 10 PL games 

I put it in the match thread, but it has been swallowed up. Does that make him the form goalscorer in the Premier League?

If he’s not he’s close to the top. His goals have kept us in the title hunt.

[PaulWinch again]

I diverge from Smirker in that I don't really care whether he scores the odd goal (in my analysis of the player, I care deeply that we score goals). He's just not a very good footballer.

Yeah, I've said something about his technique before. When he's out of form it makes him look like a carthorse. When he's confident and scoring it doesn't matter so much.

And if you look across his career with us he heavily leans towards the latter.

Absolutely.

Look at all the money spent on centre forwards this summer. Two of them were in black and white today. Be careful what you wish for.

And I’d disagree with the view he’s not “good” - his output and general play over time suggest he’s pretty good. If someone says his technique is not the best, I get that, but he overcomes that in terms of delivering a good output season upon season.

[Olof's Beard]

The heavy touches stick in people's heads but we actually played to his strengths today by sticking the ball in behind them and his movement was exceptional. It would have been a lot harder to win without him, even ignoring the goal, and that's the conundrum.

[London Villan]

Gives 100%, plays at the limit of his talents and top bloke. Running him down and moaning at him will not do him any favours. We should be backing him for the next 4 months as he could be the player that wins us a trophy.

[PeterWithesShin]

Last 10 PL games

Haaland also has 7 although he's now having a dip, certainly be his freak standards
Thiago 5, although he didn't score in 8 of the last 10
Semenyo 5
DCL 8

[PeterWithesShin]

Wrong thread!

[Rudy Can't Fail]

At least we're now making chances for him. Play to his strengths and he'll more than likely score. Glad to see Unai reads the posts on here.

[eamonn]

Disappointing, flunking the question, moving the goalposts. Bit of a Starmer answer that, Smirk.

Andy Burnham or Ollie Watkins to lead the line ?

[eye digress]

Not quite sure why this is causing such debate right now.

Ollie was a nuisance for the Jaudis from start to finish. He didn’t always make the right choices/show perfect technique but he was hugely involved and always a menace, so it was really no surprise at all that he scored the vital second goal.

That’s about a zillion miles away from his very poor form in October and November, when he looked like zero threat.

What more is there to say?

[Aldridge Villa]

Not quite sure why this is causing such debate right now.

Ollie was a nuisance for the Jaudis from start to finish. He didn’t always make the right choices/show perfect technique but he was hugely involved and always a menace, so it was really no surprise at all that he scored the vital second goal.

That’s about a zillion miles away from his very poor form in October and November, when he looked like zero threat.

What more is there to say?

What is to say is that he was more of a nuisance to me watching than he was for the Newcastle defence . Still love him mind.

[SamTheMouse]

Movement, strength, running, technique, decision-making, finishing.

Any striker who ticks all those boxes is already playing for Real Madrid or Manchester City.

Watkins still ticks enough of them to be sufficiently good for us.

[Ian.]

Great header from Ollie and he was unlucky with his effort from outside the box. Those last 30 minutes he was immensely important.  There were quite a few long balls and he was doing well holding the ball up and bringing players into the game and causing trouble. It helped run that clock down and frustrate Newcastle. That along with as his goal helped us over the line.

[Sexual Ealing]

Movement, strength, running, technique, decision-making, finishing.

Any striker who ticks all those boxes is already playing for Real Madrid or Manchester City.

Watkins still ticks enough of them to be sufficiently good for us.

And that's how to Know Your Place.