- Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-off
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“Poor Ollie Watkins.” So begins Kieran McKintosh’s email. “Clearly Unai Emery didn’t read Point 3 of the latest Talking Points article. Hopefully Watkins gets subbed on in minute 65 or so and rips it up again. He was a joy to watch last week, and a very likeable player.”
So for those that missed it, here’s what Barney Ronay had to say …
Ollie Watkins has a point. What is the appropriate response to losing your starting place in a team you helped drive into the Champions League, to a loan player who has one goal in nine league games? Watkins said he was “furious” and – also, just to be clear – “angry” after being replaced by Marcus Rashford in attack for the prime games against Paris Saint-Germain. He played like it against Newcastle, scoring after 23 seconds, his 15th of the season in the league, and hitting the woodwork twice. Unai Emery made the entirely correct point in victory that football is a squad game and Watkins a fantastic team player. But he is also 30 this year, Villa’s best forward and would slot nicely into the first XIs of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. Maybe don’t make him too angry.
Continue reading…Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-offLive scores | Read today’s Football Daily | Email Scott“Poor Ollie Watkins.” So begins Kieran McKintosh’s email. “Clearly Unai Emery didn’t read Point 3 of the latest Talking Points article. Hopefully Watkins gets subbed on in minute 65 or so and rips it up again. He was a joy to watch last week, and a very likeable player.”So for those that missed it, here’s what Barney Ronay had to say …Ollie Watkins has a point. What is the appropriate response to losing your starting place in a team you helped drive into the Champions League, to a loan player who has one goal in nine league games? Watkins said he was “furious” and – also, just to be clear – “angry” after being replaced by Marcus Rashford in attack for the prime games against Paris Saint-Germain. He played like it against Newcastle, scoring after 23 seconds, his 15th of the season in the league, and hitting the woodwork twice. Unai Emery made the entirely correct point in victory that football is a squad game and Watkins a fantastic team player. But he is also 30 this year, Villa’s best forward and would slot nicely into the first XIs of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. Maybe don’t make him too angry. Continue reading…
