Title: Ollie Watkins Shines as West Ham Contemplates Their Attacking Potential

The Missed Opportunity: Ollie Watkins and West Ham United

Introduction

It was in January 2020 when West Ham United first expressed interest in signing Ollie Watkins. The club was looking to strengthen their striking options at the time, with Sebastien Haller struggling to adapt. However, their pursuit of Watkins was fruitless as Brentford, his then club, were reluctant to sell. West Ham eventually signed Jarrod Bowen from Hull City instead. While Bowen has developed into a valuable member of the team, Watkins’ recent performance against West Ham serves as a reminder of what they could have had.

Watkins’ Remarkable Performance

In Sunday’s match against Aston Villa, Watkins proved to be a thorn in West Ham’s side. The 27-year-old striker, who joined Aston Villa eight months after West Ham’s initial interest, has been directly involved in 27 goals across 33 Premier League appearances since then. His performance against West Ham showcased his attacking prowess, as he scored a goal and provided an assist. Watkins did not give West Ham’s defenders, Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd, a moment’s rest.

Missed Opportunity for West Ham

The regret of West Ham missing out on signing Watkins was apparent in David Moyes’ post-match comments. He admitted that Watkins was indeed a target when he was at Brentford, and his display against West Ham highlighted his quality. Moyes also acknowledged that Aston Villa is a formidable team in the Premier League, on the brink of breaking into the top four. Moyes used the match as a measuring stick to evaluate West Ham’s progress, but acknowledged that they fell below the level they should have achieved against Villa.

Antonio’s Struggles and Watkins’ Effectiveness

Moyes faces a growing concern with Michail Antonio’s recent struggles. The 33-year-old started the season in promising form but has not scored in his last five league games. Antonio was ineffective against Aston Villa, unable to test their defensive duo, Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres, consistently. This stands in stark contrast to Watkins, who demonstrated the attributes of an elite forward with his ability to run the channels effectively. Watkins had nine touches in the opposition box, most of which were central, while Antonio had only six touches, none of which were in a central position.

The Struggle to Find a Clinical Forward

One problem that West Ham has faced perennially is the lack of a clinical forward. The club has not seen a striker score 20 goals in a league campaign since Teddy Sheringham achieved the feat in 2004-2005. Similarly, the last forward to score 20 goals or more in a top-flight season for West Ham was Tony Cottee in 1986-1987. While the recent additions of Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Mohammed Kudus have boosted Moyes’ ambitions of challenging for a top-six spot, the missing piece of the puzzle remains a clinical forward.

Kudus’ Talent and Moyes’ Balancing Act

Mohammed Kudus, although not a recognized forward, has shown glimpses of his offensive skills since joining from Ajax in the summer. Despite his impact as a substitute, he is yet to receive a Premier League start. Moyes is tempted to start Kudus in every game but emphasizes the need for a balanced team. While acknowledging the team’s good performances thus far, Moyes recognizes that there is room for improvement and finding the right balance.

A Greater Realization

Aside from Antonio’s struggles, other key members of the team failed to perform against Aston Villa. Lucas Paqueta’s poor pass put Edson Alvarez under pressure and led to a penalty, while Tomas Soucek’s performance in the No. 10 position was underwhelming. Ultimately, James Ward-Prowse’s verdict summed it up best. He stated that West Ham wants to be challenging in the top six of the table but the match against Aston Villa served as a good realization of what it takes to be at that level.

Conclusion and Advice

As West Ham United reflects on their missed opportunity to sign Ollie Watkins, they must evaluate their striker options carefully. It is clear that finding a clinical forward is crucial for their ambitions of competing in the top six. While the club has made positive additions to the squad, addressing this key position remains a priority. West Ham must continue to search for the missing piece of the puzzle in order to elevate their performances and challenge the top teams in the Premier League.