Sport
Ollie Watkins’ recent form a reminder to Gareth Southgate
Ollie Watkins played his part in England’s qualification for the 2022 World Cup, but he missed out on a place in the squad that actually played in the tournament. The 27-year-old’s form dipped at the wrong time and he watched the Three Lions play in Qatar from home just like most supporters of the team.
Watkins has since rediscovered his scoring touch, finding the back of the net in each of his last five appearances for Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s team have struggled for consistent form in recent matches, but Watkins has given the Spaniard an attacking focal point to build around. Right now, he is playing like one of the best in his position in the Premier League.
This comes just as Gareth Southgate is planning for England’s first matches of 2023. The Three Lions, who are now starting a new cycle following their quarter-final exit at the 2022 World Cup, have Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine to look forward to in March and Watkins is surely on the radar.
Harry Kane is still England’s best centre forward by quite some distance. The Tottenham Hotspur striker has one of the best all-round games of any forward in the game right now with his link-up play crucial to the way Southgate sets up his team. Kane is the Three Lions’ attacking hub and that will stay the same as long as he’s fit.
However, there is a dearth of elite level options behind Kane to provide depth. Callum Wilson went to Qatar, but the Newcastle United striker is a penalty box poacher. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also been used frequently by Southgate, but the Everton forward is a targetman. Watkins, on the other hand, offers a lot more.
Like Kane, Watkins is capable of dropping deep to link up play. He lifts to create space by moving away from opposition defenders before making quick movements. Watkins is strong in possession, but is also an orthodox centre forward in the way he is focused on getting into the box and getting on the end of chances. He is a modern striker.
Emery recognises the quality of Watkins and has harnessed the 27-year-old since arriving at Villa Park. Reliable goalscorers are hard to come by in the Premier League and Aston Villa have one if Watkins is deployed in the right way with the right support structure around him. Emery is doing that this season.
“Watkins, his best characteristic as a striker is to be close to scoring, to be close to assisting and to be close to fighting with the defence, as he is doing,” said Emery after Watkins’ goal-scoring performance in the away win over Everton before demanding his centre forward score more before the end of the season.
“He will need his team-mates to help him achieve his objectives. At the moment, he is doing well but I want to be more demanding with him because I think he can play better than he is doing. When he is scoring and he is helping the team to win, we can be happy. Everyone can do more and he is one of them.”
Aston Villa are in a period of transition with Emery at the helm. The Spaniard is moulding the team in his own image and with that transition has come some growing pains. At this point, it would be an achievement for Villa to merely finish in the top half of the Premier League table, but the ceiling will be higher if Watkins can continue his scoring streak.
