Ollie Watkins

[ChesterDad]

1 hour ago, TheMightyVillans said:

Back to his best today. Some great linking up of the play. Happy he got that goal

Actually he wasn’t - if anything Ollie showed just why he is not an elite striker - An elite striker would have put the game out of Brightons reach much earlier.

Improving yes - without question, still a little selfish yes to this. Has much to do ?absolutely but he is trying 

[HongKongVillan]

Another finger up GS arse. Well done Ollie keep it up next year hopefully the next England manager will be a bit better in recognising better players.

[ChesterDad]

6 minutes ago, HongKongVillan said:

Another finger up GS arse. Well done Ollie keep it up next year hopefully the next England manager will be a bit better in recognising better players.

Ollie is not really England class - improving but not there yet 

[Tom13]

6 minutes ago, ChesterDad said:

Actually he wasn’t - if anything Ollie showed just why he is not an elite striker - An elite striker would have put the game out of Brightons reach much earlier.

Improving yes - without question, still a little selfish yes to this. Has much to do ?absolutely but he is trying 

Yeah, I didn't think he was great today. He had a couple of poor attempts at trying to beat a man one-on-one, also should have been more alive to Ramsey's cutback, at least from where I was sitting. Also, being in the North stand I could see it clearly, when Dougie broke with the ball first half, Ollie just didn't make an angle for a through ball at all.

Gives us so much and has improved, but some attributes he just doesn't have, unfortunately.

[PaulC]

I thought he was really good today. Link up play excellent, pressed well and was in the right position for  goal. Yss he might have scored another but he ran his socks off and was knackered by the end 

[villa4europe]

10 hours ago, ChesterDad said:

Ollie is not really England class - improving but not there yet 

But callum Wilson is?

Edit - and were playing malta, what does england class even mean in that context? Of course he's good enough 

Edited May 29, 2023 by villa4europe

[Steero113]

Particularly enjoyed his 'phonecall' celebration yesterday. 

Basically a "f**k you Gareth you daft git". 

[CVByrne]

He's been superb under Emery. His goals per 90 has rise and his xG per shot. He got 15 over the season and would have been 20 if his form under Emery was over 38 games and not 25. Room for improvement next season too

[Exeter Fan Too]

Ollie has posted a picture of a phone call with the message 'Europe is calling' which might explain the celebration.

First goal since the birth of the second child. Mind you,I reckon his older child (aged 18 months?) might have been able to score that one!

 

[ChesterDad]

9 hours ago, villa4europe said:

But callum Wilson is?

Edit - and were playing malta, what does england class even mean in that context? Of course he's good enough 

I don’t really have a view on Callum Wilson being England class to be honest with you.

And I suspect you do know what being “ England class “ is - otherwise you would not have drawn the comparisons.

I thought Ollie was poor yesterday tbh with you. Look I am happy with the transformation taking place in him, under Unai - but I still see a ceiling with him and I’m honestly unsure if this includes being England quality in the true sense.

I hope I am wrong and Ollie continues his current path of progression.

[markavfc40]

49 minutes ago, ChesterDad said:

I don’t really have a view on Callum Wilson being England class to be honest with you.

And I suspect you do know what being “ England class “ is - otherwise you would not have drawn the comparisons.

In fairness to be England class, or any International side class, you just need to one of the best available players at that given time who is eligible to represent that country. There is no more criteria than that.

I dare say if Wilson was injured then Ollie would have been picked. For what it's worth I'd have Ollie in my team ahead of Wilson as whilst they have very similar scoring records over their top flight careers (Wilson a goal every 2.5 games, Ollie a goal every 2.7) for me Ollie has the better all round game and work rate. 

Edited May 29, 2023 by markavfc40

[Mantis]

League stats since he arrived:

2020/21 - 37 apps, 14 goals

2021/22 - 35 apps, 11 goals

2022/23 - 37, 15 goals

He's both durable and a decent goalscorer. The £30m-odd we paid for him was excellent value, especially when you take into account his good link-up play too. PL clubs regularly spend that amount (or more) on strikers and struggle to get half the return.

[villa4europe]

13 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

In fairness to be England class, or any International side class, you just need to one one of the best available players at that given time who is eligible to represent that country. There is no more criteria than that.

I dare say if Wilson was injured then Ollie would have been picked. For what it's worth I'd have Ollie in my team ahead of Wilson as whilst they have very similar scoring records over their top flight careers (Wilson a goal every 2.5 games, Ollie a goal every 2.7) for me Ollie has the better all round game and work rate. 

That's it for me

He doesn't have to be Harry Kane, he doesn't have to lead the line in a world cup final, he has to be the 2nd or 3rd best striker available and he is

And then this whole England / international quality... We're playing Malta... Of course he's good enough

[robby b]

I'm really pleased for Ollie that he made it to the 15 goals in the end, just! Thanks to Jacob and that superb pass from Leon. Very happy for him that he's just become our highest goalscorer in a season for ten years! Well done him! 

[Sulberto21]

6 minutes ago, robby b said:

I'm really pleased for Ollie that he made it to the 15 goals in the end, just! Thanks to Jacob and that superb pass from Leon. Very happy for him that he's just become our highest goalscorer in a season for ten years! Well done him! 

Had his new born waited till the end of the season Ollie wouldn’t have had that drought and he might have got twenty. Kids these days man!

[Tom13]

2 hours ago, markavfc40 said:

In fairness to be England class, or any International side class, you just need to one of the best available players at that given time who is eligible to represent that country. There is no more criteria than that.

I dare say if Wilson was injured then Ollie would have been picked. For what it's worth I'd have Ollie in my team ahead of Wilson as whilst they have very similar scoring records over their top flight careers (Wilson a goal every 2.5 games, Ollie a goal every 2.7) for me Ollie has the better all round game and work rate. 

Pointless comparing games. You need to compare minutes. This season for example, Ollie has one goal every 209 minutes, Wilson one goal every 105 minutes. Huge difference. They are different types of striker though.

Edited May 29, 2023 by Tom13

[foreveryoung]

People mentioning the birth of his kids, I do think it does effect him, weather it's tiredness or just loses his focus a bit. Since he has had his second that goal per game and hard work off the ball died off a bit, hopefully he'll be back on form for next season, although I still think we may need a more natural goal scorer.

[Hobsons Choice]

11 hours ago, Steero113 said:

Particularly enjoyed his 'phonecall' celebration yesterday. 

Basically a "f**k you Gareth you daft git". 

Is that what that was for? I was hoping he wasn't sending a message to potential suiters.

[Hobsons Choice]

1 hour ago, foreveryoung said:

People mentioning the birth of his kids, I do think it does effect him, weather it's tiredness or just loses his focus a bit. Since he has had his second that goal per game and hard work off the ball died off a bit, hopefully he'll be back on form for next season, although I still think we may need a more natural goal scorer.

It's bound to. Absolutely bound to. I'd like to say having kids didn't affect my work, but that would be a lie. I couldn't remember my own name through fatigue some days. I know he'll be able to afford all manner of support that you or I couldn't, but it's still gonna have a toll. 

Peace and calm will be gone now for decades.

[Wainy316]

A text bar came one the screen on MOTD after his second goal saying he was the first Villa player to score 15 top flight goals since David Platt.

Off the top of my head Yorke, Angel and Benteke all exceeded that.  
 

Anyway, 20 for Ollie next season please.