Unai Emery has faith in Ollie Watkins and believes that if he receives opportunities to score, he will play a key role in any success the club enjoys in the final third of the campaign
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins(Image: James Marsh/Shutterstock)
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Unai Emery insists that Ollie Watkins has proven his ability to score goals, and that the striker’s reduced output this season is largely due to chance creation and tactical factors.
Watkins has scored only eight times this season, finding the net in just six matches across 38 appearances in all competitions.
He has also recorded just one assist this term, which came against Manchester United in December, despite having tallied 21 assists over the previous two campaigns.
Watkins’ place in the side is now under pressure following the January arrival of Tammy Abraham, who rejoined the club in a £18 million deal from Besiktas.
“I have massive respect for Ollie Watkins and massive respect for Tammy Abraham, they are both fantastic strikers,” Emery said. “Tomorrow, one or another, or both together, they must perform and focus with their gameplan to achieve three points.
“Of course, our challenge is how we can help our offensive players to create better chances or more attacking options to score goals. The responsibility is not only for them.
“It is about the structure we have, how we can help them to feel comfortable and confident and creating more options in the attacking third and better ways to link with them or help them, to exploit their qualities.
“Of course, sometimes we can maybe miss some chances. Sometimes not. We are analysing it, how we can get better. How we can help our offensive players, our strikers, to be closer to score goals.
“Set-pieces are very important, how we are tactically getting the right way offensively, sometimes getting duels, sometimes in combination or individual action. We must identify everything together and understand it.
“It is not only the striker’s responsibility to score goals. Of course, Watkins showed his capacity to score goals for a long time and Tammy as well. We must help them. The responsibility is mine, how we can get better offensively.
“We are so, so happy how we are performing defensively. We are conceding fewer chances and sometimes it is enough but sometimes not.
“In the balance, we can feel good. But it is not enough. We must achieve our better way by analysing and understanding."
Asked specifically about Watkins’ form, Emery said: “There are still matches to play. I believe he will achieve his objective scoring goals and adding more assists. I believe in it.
“We have enough matches to play. Our challenges are mainly collectively and individually as well. But that is for myself and the players. They must get it, those challenges individually, adding numbers for the team.”
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