Aston Villa are fighting to maintain momentum in the Premier League and continue their progress in the Europa League
Tammy Abraham is substituted on for Ollie Watkins during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)
When Tammy Abraham returned to Aston Villa in the transfer window it seemed to make sense on every level.
Unai Emery needed depth up front, Ollie Watkins needed support and competition and Aston Villa needed a kick-start. Abraham’s history in Claret and Blue suggested he’d fit right in.
Certainly that’s what Wayne Rooney thought, speaking on Match of the Day after Abraham kneed home a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Leeds United, the former striker suggested the misfiring Watkins was struggling with the competition.
“Ollie Watkins has really been the standout and the only centre forward. Now with Tammy Abraham coming in, it’s the pressure that football brings,” Rooney said.
“He has to deal with it. He has to respond and certainly if he wants to go to the World Cup, he needs to perform a little bit better I think.”
Everyone’s waiting. Not just for Watkins to respond but for Abraham to apply the pressure in the first place.
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The former loanee has been a permanent Villa player for nine games now during which time Unai Emery’s side have scored seven goals in all competitions.
Abraham has two, Watkins just one. Morgan Rogers, Douglas Luiz, Ross Barkley and a Jack Hinselwood own goal are all Villa have managed in a month-and-a-half.
No player has played more for Villa under Emery than Watkins – and yet it feels as the returns diminish so too the clamour to give Abraham more opportunities grows.
Abraham has started just two games, while Watkins started two in three days, both in Lille on Thursday and at Manchester United on Sunday. He did not play well at Old Trafford.
Yet, neither when Abraham came on to the field did he. The 28-year-old had two big openings to change the game, first when Leon Bailey crossed from the left and he couldn’t sort out his feet and what should have been a shooting chance ended up as a spooned pass for Andres Garcia and Douglas Luiz to impede each other.
OPINION
OPINION
Then when Bailey centred from the right, once again Abraham was leaden footed and failed to shoot. Twice the door was ajar, twice Abraham failed to kick it in.
The truth is that Emery trusts Watkins more and Abraham hasn’t done enough to change his mind.
The statistics aren’t particularly helpful either, Abraham’s sample size isn’t big enough to draw meaningful conclusions, although his two goals have come at an average of one every 134 minutes. Watkins’ nine in 41 games average out at something over 300 minutes.
Watkins does fare better in terms of pass completion and aerial success – but as mentioned, Abraham has hardly had the chance to prove otherwise.
Which leaves Emery is with a bit of quandary. Abraham might come good but he looks rusty, he won’t get better unless he plays, unfortunately for him – and fortunately for Watkins – Villa don’t have much time to expedite that process.
And as regards Rooney’s comments, Watkins certainly does need to perform better, but so too does Abraham.
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