Ollie Watkins

[CT Villan]

Contrast the difference between Ollie and Tammy tonight. Ollie won so many challenges against the Bologna defenders and retained possession very well, in addition to linking from open play. Tammy could not make the ball stick at all and frequently the ball went straight to the defender. Ollie has certainly had issues this season, but tonight was one his best performances, and hopefully he is coming good in the run in [fingers-crossed].

[Percy McCarthy]

Contrast the difference between Ollie and Tammy tonight. Ollie won so many challenges against the Bologna defenders and retained possession very well, in addition to linking from open play. Tammy could not make the ball stick at all and frequently the ball went straight to the defender. Ollie has certainly had issues this season, but tonight was one his best performances, and hopefully he is coming good in the run in [fingers-crossed].

I wanted Tammy back, and I’ve always thought he’s a better striker than Ollie. But scoring or not, Ollie makes Emery’s system work. That’s why he loves him.

[Deano's Mullet]

When you think he’s outscored both Peter Withe now is incredible. We
Just need him to score in the final. Terrific servant to the club.

[PaulWinch again]

Contrast the difference between Ollie and Tammy tonight. Ollie won so many challenges against the Bologna defenders and retained possession very well, in addition to linking from open play. Tammy could not make the ball stick at all and frequently the ball went straight to the defender. Ollie has certainly had issues this season, but tonight was one his best performances, and hopefully he is coming good in the run in [fingers-crossed].

Yeah Ollie is just a higher level player than Tammy. Tammy is a decent player, but other than being good defensively from corners outside of being quite an instinctive finisher he’s quite limited. He’s a good squad option, whereas Ollie has been our main striker as we have progressed through the levels in Unai’s reign.

[Dave]

I wanted Tammy back, and I’ve always thought he’s a better striker than Ollie. But scoring or not, Ollie makes Emery’s system work. That’s why he loves him.

I was pretty comfortable with Tammy coming back, but there's no way he's a better striker than Ollie.

[Ian.]

Ollie’s going to be incredibly difficult to replace when the time comes.

[algy]

Top Goalscorers (League & Cup)
244 - WH Walker
242 - H Hampton
188 - JHG Devey
184 - JW Bache
170 - WE Houghton
167 - T Waring
144 - JT Dixon
121 - PJ McParland
111 - W Garraty
100 - DJ Astley
100 - LK Capewell
100* - OGA Watkins
98 - DE Yorke
96 - GA Hitchens
96 - C Stephenson
92 - P Withe
91 - FH Broome
89 - G Brown
87 - GI Agbonlahor
87 - D Hodgetts
87 - RE York

1 more goal and he’ll be in our top 10 highest goalscorers ever, is already in our top 3 post-war, and is our 2nd highest living goalscorer (behind Peter McParland, who he could conceivably overtake in the next couple of seasons).

But apparently that’s not good enough for some on here

[dave.woodhall]

Top Goalscorers (League & Cup)
244 - WH Walker
242 - H Hampton
188 - JHG Devey
184 - JW Bache
170 - WE Houghton
167 - T Waring
144 - JT Dixon
121 - PJ McParland
111 - W Garraty
100 - DJ Astley
100 - LK Capewell
100* - OGA Watkins
98 - DE Yorke
96 - GA Hitchens
96 - C Stephenson
92 - P Withe
91 - FH Broome
89 - G Brown
87 - GI Agbonlahor
87 - D Hodgetts
87 - RE York

1 more goal and he’ll be in our top 10 highest goalscorers ever, is already in our top 3 post-war, and is our 2nd highest living goalscorer (behind Peter McParland, who he could conceivably overtake in the next couple of seasons).

But apparently that’s not good enough for some on here

Er, I've some sad news for you.

[Baldy]

Even better when you consider in the older days the average score was 5-5 with a 3 2 5 formation.

Congrats Ollie.

[Smirker]

Contrast the difference between Ollie and Tammy tonight. Ollie won so many challenges against the Bologna defenders and retained possession very well, in addition to linking from open play. Tammy could not make the ball stick at all and frequently the ball went straight to the defender. Ollie has certainly had issues this season, but tonight was one his best performances, and hopefully he is coming good in the run in [fingers-crossed].

Yeah Ollie is just a higher level player than Tammy. Tammy is a decent player, but other than being good defensively from corners outside of being quite an instinctive finisher he’s quite limited. He’s a good squad option, whereas Ollie has been our main striker as we have progressed through the levels in Unai’s reign.

Switch the two and you'd all be saying Ollie needs minutes before we can say stuff like that.

Tammy has barely been given a chance since he got here.

[Dave]

Tammy has barely been given a chance since he got here.

Well, he does have one of the best strikers in the club's history ahead of him in the pecking order.

[SamTheMouse]

I think Ollie's one of those players we'll only appreciate properly at the end of his career. Because his biggest quality is his consistency. He's not a flashy showboater, he just applies himself at all times, barely misses a game through injury, misses and converts chances at pretty much the same rate, season in, season out. He's the Toyota Corolla of strikers. Not blingy, just supremely dependable.

Reading that back, it sounds reductive but it really isn't meant to be. Those are all qualities that any manager worth a damn prizes incredibly highly. Emery clearly loves Ollie, and that should tell us all we need to know.

His first touch still pisses me off, though.

[PaulWinch again]

Contrast the difference between Ollie and Tammy tonight. Ollie won so many challenges against the Bologna defenders and retained possession very well, in addition to linking from open play. Tammy could not make the ball stick at all and frequently the ball went straight to the defender. Ollie has certainly had issues this season, but tonight was one his best performances, and hopefully he is coming good in the run in [fingers-crossed].

Yeah Ollie is just a higher level player than Tammy. Tammy is a decent player, but other than being good defensively from corners outside of being quite an instinctive finisher he’s quite limited. He’s a good squad option, whereas Ollie has been our main striker as we have progressed through the levels in Unai’s reign.

Switch the two and you'd all be saying Ollie needs minutes before we can say stuff like that.

Tammy has barely been given a chance since he got here.

Yes there’s a reason for that. Also, I don’t have an agenda against Tammy - I like him and he’s a decent player for the squad. He is just not the same level as Ollie.

[PeterWithesShin]

Tammy is a better finisher, Ollie is a better player and much better for how we play.

[Smirker]

Contrast the difference between Ollie and Tammy tonight. Ollie won so many challenges against the Bologna defenders and retained possession very well, in addition to linking from open play. Tammy could not make the ball stick at all and frequently the ball went straight to the defender. Ollie has certainly had issues this season, but tonight was one his best performances, and hopefully he is coming good in the run in [fingers-crossed].

Yeah Ollie is just a higher level player than Tammy. Tammy is a decent player, but other than being good defensively from corners outside of being quite an instinctive finisher he’s quite limited. He’s a good squad option, whereas Ollie has been our main striker as we have progressed through the levels in Unai’s reign.

Switch the two and you'd all be saying Ollie needs minutes before we can say stuff like that.

Tammy has barely been given a chance since he got here.

Yes there’s a reason for that. Also, I don’t have an agenda against Tammy - I like him and he’s a decent player for the squad. He is just not the same level as Ollie.

So you've decided it's deserved even though you admit he hasn't been given a chance?

And I don't mean the odd start in a meaningless game and ten or twenty mins at the end if he's lucky.

I mean a run of 15-20 starts where we stick with him.