Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is juggling an unhappy Ollie Watkins with the requirements of the squad at a key time of the season.
Watkins brushed off opposition from Jhon Duran in the first part of the campaign but Villa and Emery jumped on the opportunity to seal a loan deal for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford in January.
With Emery’s tactical style and Villa’s relative strength in numbers when it comes to players capable of functioning off or outside a central striker, Rashford’s place in a Villa shirt has moved from the left to the middle.
Watkins, consistently out of the team for the first time since he joined Villa in 2020, has talked honestly about his dissatisfaction.
He started the season cautiously following a summer with England and the lack of a full pre-season.
Despite the fact that he has just discovered some form in front of the net, a player who was unstoppable for such a long period of time is discovering that his position is under significant threat.
In recent weeks, Rashford has been responsible for removing Watkins from his position in both the Premier League and the Champions League. There is mounting speculation that there is a gap between Villa’s manager and the player who is tied for the most goals in the Premier League.
Has Ollie Watkins made any statements?
During his time at Villa, Watkins has frequently maintained his silence, answering questions in an open and honest manner. However, he has been hesitant to advocate for a transfer, even while Villa was experiencing difficulties and he was in high demand.
The point at which he clearly draws the line is when he does not play. After guiding Villa through a number of challenging years, Watkins was dissatisfied that he did not receive the recognition that was due to him for his efforts.
“Champions League, we’ve put in a lot of hard graft in the last few years to get to that position,” he mentioned to Sky Sports after scoring a goal in the Premier League match against Newcastle United.
In both of the games, I played twenty minutes against Paris Saint-Germain, so I’m not going to lie; I was irritated that I wasn’t playing.
[Emery] was informed of that by me. Last but not least, he is the manager of the company. His choice is one that I respect. On the other hand, I am not one of the players who enjoys sitting on the bench.
“It is something that I have never experienced before, and then being unable to play on the most important stage, which is something that you always want to do, especially in the Champions League.”
“Me and a few others are disappointed we didn’t start the game but like I said, it’s the manager’s decision.”
What is Marcus Rashford’s latest statement?
Since joining Villa on loan in January, Rashford has allowed his football to speak for itself because he has allowed it to do so.
His performance in their victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg was outstanding, and he has already transformed the assists he has received in his first few games into a consistent source of goals.
After scoring another goal in Villa’s loss to Manchester City, Rashford stated that “losing a game in the last minutes was tough, but we have to stay focused and be ready for the next game.” Rashford’s statement was made after the game.
Rashford, who is now on loan and starting the most important games, has the luxury of putting his head down and speaking generally about how delighted he is to play football and how determined he is to compete for a spot. Watkins, on the other hand, has been rotated in recent games.
What utterances has Unai Emery made?
Considering that the striker has made it plain that he is irritated, the manager of Villa has been questioned about Watkins at each and every press conference and in each and every post-match interview.
His attention is now again focused on the competition for a spot in the Champions League as well as the FA Cup semi-final match against Crystal Palace.
Pundits like as Roy Keane and Gary Neville have made the obvious argument for Emery, which is that ensuring that Watkins is content is only a tiny part of his job, and Villa must be the first focus.
Following Villa’s victory over Newcastle, the manager made the following statement: “[Watkins] played fantastic today.” Always putting up a high level of devotion to achieve his full potential, he is committed.
When Emery was asked about how tough it is to choose between Rashford and Watkins, he responded by saying, “I needed time to decide.”
Before and after the match against Manchester City, Emery made another statement in which he categorically dismissed the notion of a rivalry between the two teams.
“It was a conversation, like he told it was a good conversation between us,” he disclosed to the news media. “But it was last week and now we keep going, keep training and keep playing.”
Which player, Marcus Rashford or Ollie Watkins, would be better for Aston Villa?
For players at teams that are struggling on several fronts, competition for spots is not merely a source of aggravation; rather, it is an integral component of the situation.
The fact that Villa have two strikers who are capable of causing damage at the top level continues to be beneficial to the club.
Over the course of this season, Watkins has scored 15 goals in the Premier League, averaging 0.60 goals per 90 minutes. Additionally, he has provided a little less than 0.28 assists per 90 minutes.
Ever since he joined Villa, Rashford has seen a little improvement in his goals per 90, which now stands at 0.41. This is the same as his rate of assists.
Watkins has the advantage when it comes to the total number of goals that he has contributed during the whole season.
After taking into consideration the league matches that Rashford has played for Manchester United, it can be said that he has been somewhat more effective in front of the net and more prolific when it comes to actions that create shots.
The key to understanding Emery’s objectives, however, rests in what occurs beyond the box. Both Rashford and Watkins put in a lot of effort off the ball, but Rashford is the more capable player when it comes to taking on defenders, while Watkins is the more dependable passer.
The strengths of his players, as well as those of his opponents, are well known to Emery. There is a possibility that individuals underestimate the significance of style.
In the past, has Unai Emery been known to bench players?
On a few instances, Emery has been involved in conflicts with players.
During his time at Arsenal, his relationship with Mesut Ozil became strained, and the German was one of the players whom Emery lambasted for their attitudes after he left the Emirates. Granit Xhaka was another player that caused him some mental anguish during a challenging period for the Swiss midfielder.
It is Hatem. Ben Arfa, who came to be disliked by Emery while he was at Paris Saint-Germain, is also not a fan.
Despite the fact that the manager’s fiery personality is legendary, disagreements are not always irreparable.
It was in the year 2023 when rumours began to circulate that Villa pair Emi Martinez and Youri Tielemans were having problems. They are both important players for the Villans, with Tielemans being in what could be considered the best form of his career.
Whether Ollie Watkins will leave Aston Villa or not?
Yes, that is feasible. Over the years, Villa have had to fend off interest from teams such as Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, among others, in order to acquire Watkins. Watkins is the subject of admiration throughout the Premier League.
In the event that he does decide to leave Villa Park, the Gunners are the most likely candidates to become his new club, as stated by OLBG. Additionally, a potential trade with Manchester United for Rashford has been discussed.
It is likely that Watkins will be moved during the summer transfer window since, in the end, player dissatisfaction does not disappear once it has been brought to the attention of the public.
At Villa, Watkins has a great amount of appeal. The concept of upsetting him for the sake of a loan player is not something that all Villa fans are in agreement with, and a sale would be received with a great deal of criticism.
Although it is commendable that the striker responded truthfully to questions that were directed directly towards him, the scenario is revealing a bit too much of Villa’s inner workings at a time when they should be concentrating on the game.
Who will start at Wembley Stadium on Saturday is the most important issue at the moment.
