Dean Smith has addressed the potential of using Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins in a wide role as he prepares to host West Ham United on Sunday, via quotes by Birmingham Live.
The Hammers travel to Villa Park this weekend seeking to cement their place in the Premier League top-four. David Moyes’ side have started the season in strong style with five wins in their opening nine matches.
Aston Villa, in contrast, are on a three-game losing run after defeats to Tottenham, Wolves and Arsenal. Slipping to 13th in the standings and facing questions over their system, given how they performed at the Emirates Stadium.
Watkins started the Arsenal affair alongside Smith’s £25m summer signing Danny Ings in Aston Villa’s attack. But the striker started to drift into wider positions during the second-half as the Villans sought a route back.
Smith believes Watkins has shown that playing wider with the chance to cut in from the left suits his style. Noting how the 25-year-old performed during his debut year in Birmingham last season following a £28m move from Brentford.
“It suited him at Brentford and it suited him at Aston Villa last season, even though he was up front on his own,” Smith said. “If you look back at his second goal against Liverpool, cutting in from the left and sticking it into the top corner.
“It’s something that he does naturally and very well. As I’ve said, personnel has probably dictated the way we play over the last four or five games, and we’ll see if it continues.”
Should Smith deploy Watkins out wide for Aston Villa?
Smith is yet to start Watkins in a designated wide role during a Premier League fixture since joining Aston Villa. All 44 of his top-flight outings so far have come either as an out-an-out centre-forward (43) or shadow striker (1).
The £75k-a-week forward clearly thrives when playing centrally, but with the freedom to drift wide and influence games. Impacting the areas of the pitch that Smith ideally wants Aston Villa to utilise in an attempt to overturn their losing streak.
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