Ollie Watkins

[onemansview]

I think Smith was struggling to fit both Ollie and Danny Ings in up front and compromising the rest of the team through the change of shape from last season. And you are right that they were looking over their shoulder. Gerrard has added a midfielder to the shape in the young lad Jacob Ramsey with Ollie the centre of a three which he is well versed with.

Now Ings is fit again it will be interesting to see what Gerrard does. My guess is nothing to the shape. Team over individual for Stevie G every time.

That extra midfielder was the position that most needed filling, they look much better balanced with the current shape. The formation was my biggest gripe with Smith.

 

[StroudGrecian]

I watched the Norwich Villa game the other night - Ollie's goal may have been a tap in, but he had certainly earned it with an impressive display that had all the pundits praising him.

When he's on form, his energy, application, positioning, running, teamwork and finishing is all top class. If he could only improve his control and passing he would become an England regular, no doubt.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

I watched the Norwich Villa game the other night - Ollie's goal may have been a tap in, but he had certainly earned it with an impressive display that had all the pundits praising him.

When he's on form, his energy, application, positioning, running, teamwork and finishing is all top class. If he could only improve his control and passing he would become an England regular, no doubt.

Here's hoping !

 

[SEA Grecian]

I watched the Norwich Villa game the other night - Ollie's goal may have been a tap in, but he had certainly earned it with an impressive display that had all the pundits praising him.

When he's on form, his energy, application, positioning, running, teamwork and finishing is all top class. If he could only improve his control and passing he would become an England regular, no doubt.

I love Ollie as much as the next City fan but he is up against some of the best young attacking talent in the world for a place in the England team. I know they don't all play exactly the same position but when England are struggling to fit all of the likes of Kane, Sterling, Grealish, Sancho, Saka and Foden in the team it's hard to see Ollie ever becoming a regular for England.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

I think Smith was struggling to fit both Ollie and Danny Ings in up front and compromising the rest of the team through the change of shape from last season. And you are right that they were looking over their shoulder. Gerrard has added a midfielder to the shape in the young lad Jacob Ramsey with Ollie the centre of a three which he is well versed with.

Now Ings is fit again it will be interesting to see what Gerrard does. My guess is nothing to the shape. Team over individual for Stevie G every time.

The story which I read, suggested that Smith didn't even want Ings, but had him "foisted" upon on him by the "powers that be" at Villa Park, which didn't seem to augur well ?

 

[Pobbop]

W

I love Ollie as much as the next City fan but he is up against some of the best young attacking talent in the world for a place in the England team. I know they don't all play exactly the same position but when England are struggling to fit all of the likes of Kane, Sterling, Grealish, Sancho, Saka and Foden in the team it's hard to see Ollie ever becoming a regular for England.

We have a ridiculous amount of talent in mid-field and on the wings, but really other than Kane (who isn't in any sort of form), as a second striker he's against Bamford, Abrahams, and Calum Wilson, not exactly World beaters

 

[andrew p long]

W

We have a ridiculous amount of talent in mid-field and on the wings, but really other than Kane (who isn't in any sort of form), as a second striker he's against Bamford, Abrahams, and Calum Wilson, not exactly World beaters

Calvert-Lewin has been back up to Kane for the season or so before getting injured. And Rashford can play down the middle too.

 

[John William]

I love Ollie as much as the next City fan but he is up against some of the best young attacking talent in the world for a place in the England team. I know they don't all play exactly the same position but when England are struggling to fit all of the likes of Kane, Sterling, Grealish, Sancho, Saka and Foden in the team it's hard to see Ollie ever becoming a regular for England.

Watkins is ony really competing with Kane, Calvert-Lewin, Rashford and possibly Bamford. But otherwise agreed.

 

[Rosencrantz]

Watkins is ony really competing with Kane, Calvert-Lewin, Rashford and possibly Bamford. But otherwise agreed.

You forgot Tammy Abraham who got in the squad last time.

 

[Pobbop]

You forgot Tammy Abraham who got in the squad last time.

I think the general point is he isn't fighting off the generational talents in midfield for his place, he's fighting off solid Prem players, in fact I'd say it's a pretty weak pool of strikers for an England team. Rashford is definitely not playing up-front for United, Greenwood is the better out-and-out striker, but he's out-of-favour.

I mean our midfield resources are silly, I mean every time you watch MOTD it's a star performance, from Madison, Smith-Rowe, Gallacher, Ward-Prowse, all people who quite possibly won't get in the England squad, behind Rice, Phillips, Saka, Sterling, Foden, Grealish, Bellingham, Sancho and err Henderson. Jacob Ramsey a new one, to keep the thread Villa, but must be miles behind.

I do say though they're probably going to play a 3, so yeah Sterling, Rashford and Sancho are partly in his way, so it isn't easy to play, but honestly he should be in the reckoning as second striker, and Kane isn't actually never injured.