Aston Villa's Directors of Football Operations delved into the coexistence between the team's strikers Danny Ince and Ollie Watkins in a recent interview, particularly the competition and cooperation between newly promoted signing Leon Bailey and Watkins. Bailey's confidence in his own strengths and desire for a chance to play was understood, and his belief that he can outplay Watkins is a common psychological phenomenon among professional players.
Director Monchi has made it clear that manager Emery has the utmost confidence in Bailly, believing that he is expected to be among the top strikers in the world within the next 12 months. However, this optimistic prediction also poses a management challenge as the team also boasts an equally impressive striker in Watkins. Monchi emphasized that while managing these two excellent strikers is no easy task, their presence certainly gives the team a huge advantage, with the double striker setup giving Villa more options and threats in the attacking end.
It's worth noting that Watkins has yet to score for Villa so far this season, whereas Bailey has already shown his efficiency and potential by contributing two key goals in his limited playing time. This stark contrast has undoubtedly intensified Bailey's desire for more playing time, but Monchi has also pointed out that the competition is positive and has helped push both men to improve together.
Damian Verdagani, another Director of Operations who works with Monchi, further emphasized the importance of the striker position. According to him, goalkeeper and striker are two of the most crucial positions in soccer, and Watkins is highly recognized for his ability and value as the team's number one striker. Vidaghani revealed that despite Bailey's thoughts of leaving the team, which was due to his desire for more playing opportunities, the interest in the market was very strong, with at least 40 clubs showing interest in him, which was proof of his strength and potential.
