Ollie Watkins

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It's funny, earlier this year absolutely nothing was working for Watkins and I came to the sad conclusion it's pointless getting frustrated with him, he's finished. He can't do it any more, nothing works, it's cruel to keep playing him, the poor fella is finished. Time to hang up your boots - certainly at this level. Fast forward to the middle of March and the complete reserve happens, step by step he starts finding his form and by the end of the season I honestly believe he was playing the best football of his life.

What happened? Some may think it was Tuchel dropping him from the England squads, a point to prove? Others may point to an injury he supposedly had but he was still very mobile throughout. The fans home and away never gave up on him so I don't think it was that. Tammy joining us didn't change anything, Watkins still got selected every week no matter how he played the in previous games, so he knew Unai still rated him.

I really think the 180º change happened inside his head. Those words of SJM a month or two back where he thanked each Villa manager for contributing to making him the player he is, could well ring true with Watkins and for the first time all the doubts were lifted and he finally really believed he belonged. It was like a massive cloud suddenly disappearing. Every aspect of his game improved, it was bloody weird yet wonderful to watch. It really was like watching a new player, a much better player.

He mentions in that interview with Rio Ferdinand that he calls Michael Owen rather than speak to a Sports Psychologist. I really think he would have benefited from professional help but he appears to have finally worked it out by himself. Long may it continue and hopefully interviewers stop asking him about his long climb up the leagues and his bloody time at Exeter. He is where he is and he belongs..

Apologises for the long post but like Watkins, I had something playing on my mind and was growing tired of screaming "FFS Watkins!" numerous times at the TV every bloody game.

[Meanwood Villa]

It's funny, I'd have dropped him for Duran, Rashford (the only time Unai agreed), Malen and Abraham over the last couple of years but he always seems to find another hot streak. I do worry how many more years he can do it. Time for him to prove me wrong again.

[Smirker]

No.

Assists were brought into it to deflect from his poor goal return.

Over a course of a season he's never had a poor goal return. He's had dips in form, but who hasn't? So therefore your argument doesn't stand up.

17 goals in 54 apps is poor.

So is 16 in 40 (twice) and 11 in 36.

He's had one good goal return and one average one in addition to those.

[PaulWinch again]

It’s obvious he’s consistently performed well season on season and has been a massive factor in where we are today.

[Smirker]

It’s obvious he’s consistently performed well season on season and has been a massive factor in where we are today.

That's a different discussion though.

"Never had a poor goal return."

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It's funny, I'd have dropped him for Duran, Rashford (the only time Unai agreed), Malen and Abraham over the last couple of years but he always seems to find another hot streak. I do worry how many more years he can do it. Time for him to prove me wrong again.

Oh you're not alone the only difference is I don't believe what we saw these last two months of the season was a hot streak. It was so much more than goals. It wasn't just taking the piss with the drawback on Stones on the last day, it was an accumulation of demonstrating the talents of a top centre forward. His hold up play massively improved, he controlled a ball first time, he buried goals into the corner, he linked up well with those around him, he supplied and delivered.. most we've seen him do every now and then but never on the same day, game after game, etc. It was beyond impressive, as Elvis said, it was beyond belief.

[Dave]

16 goals in 40 games is not a "poor return" for a top division striker

[PaulWinch again]

No it definitely is not.

[Smirker]

16 goals in 40 games is not a "poor return" for a top division striker

And you think the same about 17 in 54?

[Dave]

16 goals in 40 games is not a "poor return" for a top division striker

And you think the same about 17 in 54?

No. If I did, I'd have said "16 goals in 40 games and 17 goals in 54 games is not a "poor return" for a top division striker".

But I didn't say that.

[FatSam]

All comps Benteke was almost a 1 in 2 game goalscorer, 49 goals in 101 appearances in a team that finished 15th, 15th and 17th in his three glorious seasons with us.

I liked Benteke, but he only managed to get into double figures twice in the next seven seasons with Liverpool and Palace, and was basically finished as a PL striker by the time he was Watkins’ age.

[RamboandBruno]

No.

Assists were brought into it to deflect from his poor goal return.

Over a course of a season he's never had a poor goal return. He's had dips in form, but who hasn't? So therefore your argument doesn't stand up.

17 goals in 54 apps is poor.

So is 16 in 40 (twice) and 11 in 36.

He's had one good goal return and one average one in addition to those.

More or less 1 in 3 and for most of his time with us that has been at a top end club. That is a pretty good goalscoring record, even more impressive as its over a long period of time.
Then when you add in all the other stuff he does, he’s absolutely top draw for the majority of the time.

I would go as far as to say in the last month in our brilliant end to the season he was possibly our most influential player.

Look, you are obviously entitled to your opinion and I feel a bit uncomfortable with a pile on, but its all been too much for a very long time now. there are literally a handful of better strikers out there now and there have literally been a relative handful of  better strikers at villa in our history (see the various lists posted), what constitutes better being subjective obviously.
You don’t think he’s been good enough, fair enough you’ve said a lot. You are wrong though mate.

[Monty]

Can we stop this? One guy has a (wilfully) eccentric view of the stats, everyone else disagrees. We're not discussing Watkins anymore.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

All comps Benteke was almost a 1 in 2 game goalscorer, 49 goals in 101 appearances in a team that finished 15th, 15th and 17th in his three glorious seasons with us.

I liked Benteke, but he only managed to get into double figures twice in the next seven seasons with Liverpool and Palace, and was basically finished as a PL striker by the time he was Watkins’ age.

Certain players suit certain styles of play. It's why Unai let Malen go, not because he isn't a quality centre forward but because he apparently didn't suit Unai's "structure". Benteke for us could score every type of goal possible, maybe Liverpool just didn't know what to do with him.