England has a plethora of attacking talent heading into the 2021 European Championships.
In terms of centre-forward options, it seems as if Gareth Southgate is opting for three traditional strikers in his 23-man squads.
In the latest round of international fixtures, the third striker slot went to Ollie Watkins if we assume that Harry Kane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are ahead of him in the pecking order.
In this scout report, we will be looking at Ollie Watkins’ season with Aston Villa so far, but we will also be compiling an analysis of some of England’s other centre-forward options that could be considered for the squad, namely Patrick Bamford and Callum Wilson.
These two are the closest members to making the collective, since Vardy is retired from international duties, and Michail Antonio has selected Jamaica as his nation.
In this tactical analysis, we will cover Watkins’ role in Dean Smith’s system, how well this translates to Southgate’s current setup, and finally conclude why Watkins is the best option of the three.
Ollie Watkins Player Profile
Born in Torquay, Devon, Watkins would begin his footballing career a short move away from the seaside resort town with Exeter City, of whom he would join in 2004 and stay with until 2017, following his move to Brentford, who had spotted him as a 20-year-old impressing in League Two as a wide-forward.
It was his move to the side that would propel his career into the limelight, and saw him tracked by several clubs after his performances for Brentford.
It took him a few years to get into gear, but once he did, he was fantastic.
Dean Smith purchased the player from Brentford, and it would be the same manager to bring him to the Premier League at Aston Villa.
An initial £28 million fee, which would rise to £33 million with add-ons, made him the 3rd most expensive export out of the Championship (only beaten by Nathan Aké’s transfer to Man City and Moussa Sissoko to Spurs).
Despite a history of playing out wide, Watkins was brought into the West Midlands club as an out-and-out #9, and that is what he has been so far for the club.
Standing at 5’11” / 180cm, Watkins is more dynamic than most typical #9s who act as a poacher.
He carries a triple-threat, as a capable dribbler, good creator, and proficient goal scorer, the 25-year-old adds a lot more to the team than just goals.
As the attacking centre-piece in Smith’s 4-2-3-1, Watkins does a lot to create space for star man Jack Grealish in the final third with his diverging runs, but he also exploits the space in behind created by Grealish’s presence in the attacking third to earn himself a handful of quality chances per match.
Ollie Watkins player profile, created by the wonderful Sathish Prasad (@SathishPrasadVT on Twitter).
Movement And Finishing
As a centre-forward, clever movement in and around the penalty area is key.
