EMERY JOLLY ABOUT OLLIE
UNAI Emery praised Ollie Watkins’ all-round game after the striker moved near the top of the scoring charts.
As well as being – with 19 – only one goal behind jointleaders Erling Haaland and Cole Palmer in the race for the Golden Boot, Watkins is also now the division’s outright leading assistmaker this season with 12.
And Villa boss Emery said of the 28-year-old England international: “Always his first objective is to win as a team, to help in everything we need tactically and then of course, when he scores it is fantastic for him, for the team. But when he doesn’t score, he plays, helping the team being brilliant.
“I think he’s adding more things tactically himself to feel comfortable playing, scoring goals, assisting and even without those circumstances, playing for the team, playing in the structure we have tactically.
“His commitment to do the work we always need has been fantastic, more than scoring assists.
“He’s increasing his level and showing us – being very demanding in himself – how he can increase the level in a lot of things, more than scoring goals.
“I appreciate him and his progress, I think other coaches and in the national team, they are of course aware about him, how he’s increasing and how he’s been important.
“I think he deserves it because he’s a really hard worker every day. Always he goals, more than wants to work more in the training session.”
There were also positive words for Watkins from Emery’s Bournemouth counterpart Andoni Iraola.
The Cherries manager said: “He is an amazing player. It’s a little bit like Dom with us. He scores a lot of goals and he gives them a lot.
“He attacks the spaces, he is very good at pressing.
“He has been amazing all season – not only looking at the numbers. It’s about what he gives the team. He’s very, very complete.”