‘Superb composure and vision’- Aston Villa star to improve quickly with higher quality around him
Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa
Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has raised a few eyebrows with his blistering start to the season.
His composure, vision and discipline set him above the competition at a time when a Covid-19 breach by the junior members of Gareth Southgate’s team has, frustrated preparation leading into the next three friendlies.
Watkins, who signed for Aston Villa in the summer transfer window from Brentford for around £33m, started of his career in the fourth tier of English football at Exeter City and just five years on has scored his first Premier League hat-trick against Liverpool. Last season’s Champions.
After scoring 26 goals and helping the Bees reach the Championship play- off final last season, it was obvious Watkins had developed into one of the most sought- after strikers in the Country.
Having attracted the attention of a number of big clubs during the summer window, the forward wasn’t swayed away from reuniting with Aston Villa boss Dean Smith who previously managed him at Brentford.
With Villa just avoiding relegation on the last day and only scoring 41 league goals, with just six coming from forwards’ last season, it was obvious they needed a goal-scorer and with the signing of Ollie Watkins you are guaranteed goals.
Fans are already starting to draw comparisons between Watkins and Harry Kane, they have spotted that he tends to go into wider and deeper areas across the pitch. He is a striker with real physical strength and has incredible determination to hold of defenders, resulting in most of his goals coming from close range.
The youngster so far has made a huge impact to this Villa side in this seasons encounter scoring five goals in six in all competitions making him the top goal scorer in England since last season. Three of those goals came in the record breaking 7-2 victory against Liverpool.
The Aston Villa forward was just the second player to ever score a first-half hattrick in Premier League history and the tenth player to score a Premier League hattrick against the red half of Merseyside.
When Watkins signed from Brentford I never doubted Ollie Watkins and the presence he holds, but I have been surprised to how well he has done so far.
With fellow team mates Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings being called up to the England squad, it gives Watkins something to aspire towards.
The route ahead could be tough for Watkins with the likes of Tammy Abraham, Harry Kane, Danny Ings and Dominic Calvert- Lewin already ahead of him, if he continues his current run of form, it would be disappointing not to see him enter Gareth Southgate's thinking.
It seems that momentum is building for the 24-year-old as his performances have helped Steve Smiths Villa get off to a flying start. They now sit respectably in second-place behind Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton.
The next chapter promises to be one worth watching.
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