Ollie Watkins' England Omission Could Spark Aston Villa Revival
Ollie Watkins must harness his disappointment after being left out of the England squad, with Unai Emery hoping this setback acts as a catalyst for a strong finish to his season at Aston Villa. The 30-year-old striker faces dwindling opportunities to feature in a World Cup, yet his recent form has placed his international position under significant pressure, managing only two goals in his last 15 matches.
Increased Competition and Tuchel's Rationale
Watkins is acutely aware that three other strikers were selected ahead of him for the March internationals, with Harry Kane as an automatic choice. While Dominic Calvert-Lewin's inclusion is understandable, Dominic Solanke's call-up came as a surprise, intensifying the competition. England manager Thomas Tuchel explained his decision to exclude the Villa forward, stating he wanted to assess Calvert-Lewin and Solanke more closely in training, whereas he already knows Watkins' capabilities well.
Tuchel emphasized, "Ollie Watkins is not with us but this is more down to the fact that I know what Ollie Watkins can bring to the group – I know him very well. We will provide the level of training and the level of care so that they can be the best version of themselves." This suggests Watkins remains in contention, but must prove his worth on the pitch.
Watkins' Career Highlight and Current Challenges
Arguably the pinnacle of Watkins' career occurred while wearing the Three Lions, as he scored a late winner against the Netherlands in Dortmund to send England into the Euro 2024 final. This moment should bolster his chances for a World Cup recall, yet his performance in the coming weeks will be crucial in influencing Tuchel's final decision.
A World Cup spot remains within Watkins' control, potentially benefiting Aston Villa, as their main striker knows he must score goals and perform consistently to secure that position. Emery advised, "Keep going collectively and individually. Everything that comes like this issue, he must be strong and his mentality is as a fighter. Keep going to try to get own way, with us his numbers and getting progressively better like yesterday, and also back to his national team."
Season Struggles and Injury Concerns
This campaign has been testing for Watkins, who has scored in only seven of the 42 matches he has featured in for Villa. He entered the season after an excellent pre-season but did not find the net until the eighth game. After 11 more appearances without a second goal, he struck twice at Brighton, with Emery later revealing Watkins had been managing knee pain for over a year.
Watkins also missed selection for the November internationals, with Tuchel noting he was playing through discomfort. Tuchel said, "We could observe it when we watched Ollie closely that he is playing through discomfort at the moment. It simply didn't make too much sense to bring him into camp in this condition. We then opted for the option to give him this break to get treatment and to be back in full physical capacity and in best shape, and then fight for the place again in March."
Recent Form and Team Dynamics
Four goals in three matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Nottingham Forest briefly elevated Watkins among the league's top scorers, but he has managed just one more league goal since Villa's win over Nottingham Forest in January. His overall output has declined, with only 11 goal involvements this season compared to 56 across the previous two, including just one assist in the league.
Villa need to involve Watkins more effectively, as his intelligent runs often go unnoticed, exacerbated by recent absences of key players like John McGinn and Youri Tielemans. With both now recovered from injuries, Watkins should have increased opportunities to boost his numbers. Tielemans, despite missing two months, ranks second in Villa's squad for assists and chances created this season.
Personal Accountability and Future Prospects
Watkins shoulders much of the responsibility for his form, admitting his performance has not met expectations. In the league this season, he has missed 13 big chances, a statistic shared by top scorers like Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago, highlighting the fine margins in finishing.
As the season concludes, Watkins' response to his England snub could define his and Villa's fortunes, with every match a chance to impress Tuchel and secure a coveted World Cup place.
