Breaking News: I feel sorry… Ollie Watkins unveil the horrifying truth after Phil Foden “Heartfelt” message Due to…
Pre-season is underway for Aston Villa, but many will still be feeling raw about what happened at Euro 2024.
From Villa’s perspective, Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa did the club proud during the limited time they were on the pitch.
Ezri Konsa’s only start against Switzerland was outstanding, with only two other appearances from the bench.
And everyone is going to remember Ollie Watkins’ incredible winner against the Netherlands to send England to the final, it’s just a shame the final itself ended in the way it did.
In the aftermath of it all, many are questioning if Aston Villa’s Player of the Season should have earned more minutes and even started more matches.
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Watkins should be fuming with Southgate because it has now been confirmed that Harry Kane, who looked slower and stiffer than ever, wasn’t fit enough.
In the final itself, Paul Merson shared how Watkins coming onto the pitch after an hour put fear into the eyes of the opposition backline.
As everyone saw, he likes to stretch play and run in behind, which then allowed the England players, especially those in midfield, to have more time on the ball.
But Merson admitted that he felt ‘sorry’ for Manchester City’s Phil Foden because that playmaker is ‘so reliant’ on the striker and his movement, as he told Football’s Greatest.
Kane wasn’t providing anything for him, but when the man who could do that came onto the pitch, Foden was hauled off by Southgate and Merson dropped some truth bombs regarding all of that.
Ollie Watkins and Phil Foden at Euro 2024 with England
“I felt sorry for Phil Foden,” said Merson. “We have seen it with Phil, he can play. But when he plays where he plays, you are so reliant on the centre forward and their movement.
“When Watkins come on, for the next ten minutes as he came on, everybody started getting the ball and people started going ‘oh, we are playing now’. We weren’t just playing. They were more worried, Laporte and people like that, about Watkins going that way (behind them), so they stretched the game. Then we started getting on the ball.
“Then he takes Foden off. You don’t take Foden off. Keep Foden on.”
Ollie Watkins in the Champions League
Unai Emery is preparing for the new Premier League season, but he won’t have the services of the likes of Watkins and Konsa until the end of pre-season.
It shouldn’t be too much of a worry because both players are usually reliable from a fitness perspective and they need that rest.
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Villa will be returning to the Champions League next season and it’s a great opportunity for Watkins to take his game to even higher heights.
If Watkins continues to score goals at a high level, especially in the Champions League, then his England place won’t be touched.
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