- Ollie Watkins scored another brace on Sunday afternoon in a 4-3 win over Sunderland
- He’s now scored six goals in his last five games
- He was recently left out of the most recent England squad
After being omitted from England’s most recent squad at the end of March, Ollie Watkins has been in superb form for Aston Villa. Six goals in his last five games in all competitions put him back in contention for his place on the plane to the World Cup this summer.
Ahead of the squad announcement, Watkins had only scored two goals in his last fifteen appearances and looked completely short on confidence. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke were called up instead of the 30-year-old, leaving a big task to earn his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
Immediately after his omission, Watkins scored in a 2-0 win over West Ham, then followed up with two goals in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Bologna.
Despite a golden chance to get the winner against Nottingham Forest, he was unable to get on the scoresheet before scoring three goals in his last two games.
His confidence is now sky high, and he looks like the dangerous version of himself that he has shown in the last couple of seasons. This is the Watkins Villa has needed, and he’s now coming into form at the perfect time.
| Statistics since squad announcement (20th March) | Ollie Watkins | Dominic Calvert-Lewin | Dominic Solanke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Assists | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Appearances | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Minutes played | 408 | 320 | 180 |
Danny Murphy believes Watkins is “back in contention”
On Match of the Day, Danny Murphy believes that Watkins’ recent form has put himself back in contention for England’s World Cup squad.
“There’s one thing you can never accuse Ollie Watkins of, and that’s effort, commitment and dedication to the role. He always makes the runs. Yes, sometimes his finishing is hot and sometimes it’s cold.
“But that there in the last five games is a phenomenal return, and really puts him back in contention to be one of the understudies to Harry Kane. Who else is really scoring goals and in form?”
Wayne Rooney suggests the arrival of Tammy Abraham has helped Watkins “up his game.”
“It’s amazing what competition for places does. A lot of teams have one forward, and I think Tammy Abraham coming in will put a little bit more pressure on him. It’s upped his game a little bit
“That’s (the) Ollie Watkins we’ve seen over the last few years, and it’s nice to see him back scoring goals. He’s given himself a great chance for England.”
There is no doubt that if he continues his goalscoring form, then he will be picked by Tuchel for England’s World Cup squad. When he’s in the mindset he’s currently in, Watkins is one of the most dangerous strikers in the league.
For Villa, the phrase “peak at the right time” couldn’t be more fitting for the No 11’s recent performances. They are now in a very strong position to secure Champions League football, with two wins from their last five games needed to mathematically confirm it.
