Ollie Watkins

[Dave]

The only positive Watkins can take right now is Tuchel knows him well and obviously likes him. Finish the season on a high and he'll be impossible to ignore. Calvert-Lewin is hardly setting the world alight, 10 goals in 29 league games, just two more than Watkins. Solanke's injury record has to be taken into serious consideration, 848 minutes all season in all competitions. Not your ideal Kane replacement.

It's doable.

My guess is that he's made his mind up on Kane and Ollie, but has no idea where to look after that.  So he's got the next two in line to have look at them in camp, and see who's next in line, should Ollie or Kane get injured between now and the world cup.  There is no 'obvious' striker next in line, and he needs a plan.  In pretty much every other position he's got back-ups and options - but up front we're a bit thin on the ground.

I'll be VERY surprised if Ollie isn't on the plane, not least because he offers something very different in terms of his work rate and running in behind.  He's never going to be prolific, Tuchel knows that, but he also knows that if he's not scoring, he will do the required work to instruction - and that's important. 

I think if the World Cup squad were being picked tomorrow, Watkins wouldn't be in it. I expect that the strikers will be Kane + whichever of Watkins / Solanke / Calvert-Lewin scores the most goals between now and June.

[Smithy]

The only positive Watkins can take right now is Tuchel knows him well and obviously likes him. Finish the season on a high and he'll be impossible to ignore. Calvert-Lewin is hardly setting the world alight, 10 goals in 29 league games, just two more than Watkins. Solanke's injury record has to be taken into serious consideration, 848 minutes all season in all competitions. Not your ideal Kane replacement.

It's doable.

My guess is that he's made his mind up on Kane and Ollie, but has no idea where to look after that.  So he's got the next two in line to have look at them in camp, and see who's next in line, should Ollie or Kane get injured between now and the world cup.  There is no 'obvious' striker next in line, and he needs a plan.  In pretty much every other position he's got back-ups and options - but up front we're a bit thin on the ground.

I'll be VERY surprised if Ollie isn't on the plane, not least because he offers something very different in terms of his work rate and running in behind.  He's never going to be prolific, Tuchel knows that, but he also knows that if he's not scoring, he will do the required work to instruction - and that's important. 

I think if the World Cup squad were being picked tomorrow, Watkins wouldn't be in it. I expect that the strikers will be Kane + whichever of Watkins / Solanke / Calvert-Lewin scores the most goals between now and June.

Tuchel doesn't strike me as the sort of manager to pick a world cup squad striker based on how he plays in 7 or 8 games.

Now, he MIGHT have simply decided Ollie isn't good enough, and doesn't know who else might be - but I think if that were the case, he'd have looked elsewhere long before the last two friendlies.

[TopDeck113]

We need Ollie to go to the World Cup.  History tells us that Villa players' heads get turned and they're off pretty sharpish.

[Dave]

Tuchel doesn't strike me as the sort of manager to pick a world cup squad striker based on how he plays in 7 or 8 games.

Now, he MIGHT have simply decided Ollie isn't good enough, and doesn't know who else might be - but I think if that were the case, he'd have looked elsewhere long before the last two friendlies.

Well, he's said this:

“It’s a decision for Solanke and Calvert-Lewin, who I don’t know as well as Watkins. I have a clear picture of what he can give us. I want to have a look at other players to get a clearer picture"

That to me suggests that Watkins position isn't safe, but nor is he definitely being cut loose.

[paul_e]

We say players should be picked on form and Solanke is more in form than most of the options. Which says more about the lack of options than it does about Solanke being great.

and may as well include this snark as well...

I can’t believe Tuchel is so naive that he only looks at what players do with a football. No wonder he’s never achieved anything.

It's a team sport, he's the leading striker for a team that haven't won a league game since December (or alternatively for the entire time his 'good form' covers), and has played 90 minutes 5 times in that period. Yes form matters but form is more than just a few goals 2 months ago and a couple of meaningless goals on games where his team got absolutely battered and he barely touched the ball aside from the goals.

Again, I don't think Watkins deserved to be in the squad either but Solanke has no business being called up for what he's done in the 18 months since he was last involved (which is mostly sitting in a treatment room).

Ultimately though, the position in the squad that they're all fighting over is "who does a bad impression of Harry Kane if he needs a twenty minute rest at the end of a game that's already won". There aren't many viable options for that.

Given all of our attacking eggs are going in the Kane basket, for a couple of friendlies before the World Cup squad gets picked, it doesn't feel crazy for the England manager to get a closer look at Solanke.

I agree, I'm just not sure someone who has spent 12 of the last 18months out injured but has a few goals recently is a good choice for a late 'look'.

[PaulWinch again]

His whole season has been a case of 'if'.

Many thought if he got one goal he'd turn his season round. Went on a little run post-Brighton and what happened? Scored a header against Lille then followed it up with a stinker.

Tuchel shouldn't be taking injured players anyway.

I think everyone can see he’s having a tough season, but you do seem to be going to pains to focus on the negative. The “little run” you reference from Brighton beyond was 7 goals in 10 league games - which isn’t insignificant. Then I suppose you could look at the poor performance against Man Utd post Lille as representative, but the very next game he came on a put in a really good performance - maybe he’s coming out of his struggle? He might not be, who knows, but he is a streaky player and if he hits a hot streak, like earlier in the season, it could be invaluable. The performance last night was more akin to him at his best.

[Dave]

We say players should be picked on form and Solanke is more in form than most of the options. Which says more about the lack of options than it does about Solanke being great.

and may as well include this snark as well...

I can’t believe Tuchel is so naive that he only looks at what players do with a football. No wonder he’s never achieved anything.

It's a team sport, he's the leading striker for a team that haven't won a league game since December (or alternatively for the entire time his 'good form' covers), and has played 90 minutes 5 times in that period. Yes form matters but form is more than just a few goals 2 months ago and a couple of meaningless goals on games where his team got absolutely battered and he barely touched the ball aside from the goals.

Again, I don't think Watkins deserved to be in the squad either but Solanke has no business being called up for what he's done in the 18 months since he was last involved (which is mostly sitting in a treatment room).

Ultimately though, the position in the squad that they're all fighting over is "who does a bad impression of Harry Kane if he needs a twenty minute rest at the end of a game that's already won". There aren't many viable options for that.

Given all of our attacking eggs are going in the Kane basket, for a couple of friendlies before the World Cup squad gets picked, it doesn't feel crazy for the England manager to get a closer look at Solanke.

I agree, I'm just not sure someone who has spent 12 of the last 18months out injured but has a few goals recently is a good choice for a late 'look'.

Don't think there's really anyone who is a "good" choice. But Solanke is a perfectly adequate winner of the tallest dwarf competition.

[PeterWithesShin]

Again though, who else does he look at. Ollie we know hasn't been doing great, then there's 35 year old Welbeck with 4 in 4 months. And not much else. No one is saying Solanke is great, just that there's very little else to choose ahead of him.

[PeterWithe]

Liam Delap could be one to consider?

Whilst checking that he was English rather than Irish I found out his dad, of long throw fame, was born in Sutton Coldfield.

[PeterWithesShin]

He's scored twice in 31 apps. Obviously a lot are as sub but that would be his role with England.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I'm not sure why Liam Delap would be considered after this season.

We simply have no decent depth in the striker position.

[PaulWinch again]

Had a made a wiser choice than going to Chelsea. I think he’s got 2 goals this season and whenever he plays looks like a red card waiting to happen.

[PeterWithe]

I'm not sure why Liam Delap would be considered after this season.

Because he's eligible for England and plays at a high level as a striker? And he hasn't proved himself to be woefully out of form.

[PeterWithesShin]

Based on the last 6 months it's DCL and Solanke. Which is shite backup to Kane.

[PeterWithe]

Aye, thin gruel indeed.