Ollie Watkins (30), known as the 'fixed stone,' did not hide his dissatisfaction as he found himself sitting on the bench more often due to Marcus Rashford (28, both Aston Villa), known as the 'rolling stone.'
Aston Villa acquired Manchester United (Man U) forward Rashford during the winter transfer market in January. Rashford decided to live on loan at Aston Villa for the remainder of the season amid dissatisfaction with manager Ruben Amorim's regime. The contract includes a full transfer option.
With Rashford's addition, manager Unai Emery expressed satisfaction with the additional attacking option. However, it was not good news for Watkins, who had been the starting striker.
Initially, manager Emery utilized both Watkins and Rashford together. He placed Watkins at the forefront and inserted Rashford as a winger. However, recently, Emery has opted to place Rashford at the front, leaving Watkins on the bench for substitution.
In particular, in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), which ended in a 1-3 loss, Emery started Rashford instead of Watkins. Watkins was substituted in for Rashford only at the 34th minute of the second half.
In this situation, Watkins scored the opening goal in the league away match against Southampton, which ended in a 3-0 victory on the 12th. It was a goal scored after being substituted in for Rashford at the 21st minute of the second half. Although there was a missed penalty by Asensio earlier, it was Watkins who earned the penalty.
On the 15th, according to the British 'Manchester Evening News,' Watkins noted in an interview ahead of the second leg against PSG in the quarter-finals that "this is probably the best Aston Villa squad in terms of player's depth and quality," adding that "the manager must have a lot to think about."
Watkins continued, "If everyone is healthy, even an incredible player like Ross Barkley isn't able to play. That shows how good our team's depth is."
However, Watkins expressed, "I am not satisfied sitting on the bench," stating, "It is disappointing every time I am on the bench, but ultimately, the decision is up to the manager." He added, "When I enter the field, all I can do is try to make an impact, and then it depends on the situation." It raises curiosity about what Emery's choice will be.
Watkins has recorded 15 goals and 12 assists in total, including 14 goals and 6 assists in 32 league matches this season. Since joining Aston Villa, Rashford has accumulated 3 goals and 5 assists in a total of 14 matches, including 1 goal and 3 assists in 8 league matches. It is intriguing to see what Emery's choice will be regarding the fixed stone and the rolling stone.
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