Ollie Watkins’ World Cup hopes in danger after what Wayne Rooney saw in Aston Villa vs Leeds
Wayne Rooney expects more from Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
After the Villans drew 1-1 with Leeds at Villa Park on Saturday, Watkins was criticised for an ineffective display up front.
He had a goal disallowed for offside, and he snatched at a couple of opportunities, showing that he is someone who is clearly low on confidence.
In even worse news for Watkins, Tammy Abraham scored his second goal in two games for Unai Emery’s side, and it never looked as though the former Brentford man was going to become the hero in B6.
As seen in the Sofascore graphic below, the 30-year-old striker had a very bad afternoon, and his poor performance levels could cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad.
- Read more: It’s time for Ollie Watkins to pass the torch; he might be finally finished at Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins at risk of losing England place after latest Aston Villa performance
This is not the first time Watkins’ place in Villa’s starting side and England’s squad has been questioned this season.
After a slow start to the campaign, he came under a lot of scrutiny for his lack of goals, but a strong run of games in December saw him win his place in the starting line-up again.
However, he has now gone five games in all competitions without a goal, and it doesn’t help that Abraham’s return to Villa is going very well.
| Stat | Watkins |
| Appearances | 26 |
| Goals | 8 |
| Assists | 1 |
| xG | 9.41 |
| Shots | 53 |
| Pass accuracy | 71.1% |
Speaking on Match of the Day on 21 February, Rooney believes that Watkins needs to adapt to the competition he faces, and that he could miss out on a place in the World Cup squad if he doesn’t improve soon.
“I think Watkins is lacking confidence, and he’s had a difficult season. With Abraham coming in, he’s obviously feeling a bit of pressure.
“In football, you have competition, and Abraham is settling in very quickly. What we don’t see now is clubs with many strikers, and he has to respond.
“If Watkins wants to go to the World Cup, he needs to perform a little better.”
If Abraham leapfrogs Watkins in the pecking order at Villa, then Thomas Tuchel might be convinced to take him to North America instead in June.
Who is Watkins competing with for a place in the England squad?
However, he isn’t the only English striker who has his eyes set on the summer.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is thriving at Leeds, and he currently has the most goals of any English player in the top flight.
Although he was unable to find a way past Emi Martinez on Saturday, the 28-year-old was a thorn in Villa’s side all game long.
Brighton’s Danny Welbeck is also an option, and Tuchel may value a goalscorer with added experience to deputise Harry Kane.
What’s clear is that Watkins faces tough competition, and it’s all on him to retain his spot in the starting lineup for both club and country.
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