Ollie Watkins

[TheToffnar]

He does look off it, but he's getting older and is playing through an injury. I have to give him some credence for that.

At the end of the day the striker market is both dry and expensive. Outside of some having a purple patch season and Haaland being Haaland, we aren't getting anyone better. Not saying all this is reason enough to give him praise for shit performances, but it's a factor in why there shouldn't necessarily be a pile on.

[Sexual Ealing]

See, I just can't get on board with the response to my complaint to the restaurant manager that there was rat piss on my lunch being, 'well, there's d0gshit on the salad at the place next door'.

[caster troy]

Assuming Ollie is managing an injury, why didn't Tammy come on earlier v Bournemouth? I get why he played against Brighton, good record against them and he probably wants Tammy fresh for Newcastle.

Also do we know when this injury took place? The narrative seems to be that he had it last year too, but wasn't there talk in the summer that he felt much sharper and better having had a good pre-season? When he started the season badly it looked more to me like a mental issue, as if he was disappointed to still be here. It's all a bit strange, if I remember correctly the first mention of an injury came from Tuchel.

[PaulWinch again]

He does look off it, but he's getting older and is playing through an injury. I have to give him some credence for that.

At the end of the day the striker market is both dry and expensive. Outside of some having a purple patch season and Haaland being Haaland, we aren't getting anyone better. Not saying all this is reason enough to give him praise for shit performances, but it's a factor in why there shouldn't necessarily be a pile on.

I just think some people are disproportionate in their pile in. If you want to question his performance this season that’s entirely reasonable, he’s not been at his best. How that then equates to he’s utterly useless, can’t play football, we’d be better with anyone else etc is where it gets odd. He’s still scored a number of important goals this year that have won us points.

[TheToffnar]

See, I just can't get on board with the response to my complaint to the restaurant manager that there was rat piss on my lunch being, 'well, there's d0gshit on the salad at the place next door'.

Haha, that's a fair point in all honesty.

[Sexual Ealing]

He does look off it, but he's getting older and is playing through an injury. I have to give him some credence for that.

At the end of the day the striker market is both dry and expensive. Outside of some having a purple patch season and Haaland being Haaland, we aren't getting anyone better. Not saying all this is reason enough to give him praise for shit performances, but it's a factor in why there shouldn't necessarily be a pile on.

I just think some people are disproportionate in their pile in. If you want to question his performance this season that’s entirely reasonable, he’s not been at his best. How that then equates to he’s utterly useless, can’t play football, we’d be better with anyone else etc is where it gets odd. He’s still scored a number of important goals this year that have won us points.

What do you think is his main technical strength with the ball?

[PaulWinch again]

Specific technical attribute? Probably he’s a good header of the ball. But that’s not really the point, there’s a difference between really technically proficient and being a good footballer. They might overlap obviously, but being a good footballer is much wider than just technique. Could he trap a ball better? Probably, but has it materially inhibited him from being a consistent goal scorer (and assister) in the top flight? No.

[Sexual Ealing]

Specific technical attribute? Probably he’s a good header of the ball. But that’s not really the point, there’s a difference between really technically proficient and being a good footballer. They might overlap obviously, but being a good footballer is much wider than just technique. Could he trap a ball better? Probably, but has it materially inhibited him from being a consistent goal scorer (and assister) in the top flight? No.

That’s all fine (and I agree to an extent), but if his greatest strength is heading he’s in the wrong team because we don’t really cross the ball.
I asked the question because you seem annoyed that people say he isn’t a good footballer and yet you answered a question about his footballing ability with praise for his effectiveness, which isn’t quite the same thing.
Mick Harford scored and assisted plenty, but he wasn’t any good.

[PaulWinch again]

It just strikes me as a bit of a pointless philosophical debate on what makes a footballer. But to me, the fact he’s been a successful forward in the Premier League over a number of years means it’s an odd argument to suggest he’s not good at football.

[German James]

...he’s been a successful forward in the Premier League over a number of years means it’s an odd argument to suggest he’s not good at football.

But the problem is that his time as a successful forward looks to be in the past. Andy Gray was quite a good footballer, but I wouldn't want him in the team now.

[PaulWinch again]

To an extent, he’s still scored 7 goals since December.

[German James]

To an extent, he’s still scored 7 goals since December.

Andy Gray has? Really?

[Sexual Ealing]

It just strikes me as a bit of a pointless philosophical debate on what makes a footballer. But to me, the fact he’s been a successful forward in the Premier League over a number of years means it’s an odd argument to suggest he’s not good at football.

If I were his line manager at a pet food wholesaler, I’d agree, but he plays football. We watch football for mystery and art and magic and surprise. I don’t really care what his Salesforce pipeline looks like.

[German James]

@Sexual Ealing: congratulations on your 25000th post!

[Monty]

I think, SE, it offends something deep in your soul that a louche gentleman-slacker like Bert or a holy fool singularity like Jhon will wind up with less impact than a kind of corporeal form of Jake Humphries' High Performance Podcast, the word 'grindset' made flesh. And I respect that.