After watching Ollie Watkins miss an enormous probability throughout Aston Villa's FA Cup victory over Cardiff, Roy Keane steered the striker wasn't on the degree required to star for January suitors Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta's staff noticed a bid for the striker knocked again by Villa in direction of the top of the winter window, and didn't return to satisfy their rivals' valuation. The 29-year-old scored in back-to-back video games after the window slammed shut, however has now gone three matches in all competitions with out discovering the online.
Championship aspect Cardiff saved their Premier League opponents at bay within the first half at Villa Park, staying on degree pegging for greater than an hour. Finally, although, Marco Asensio broke the Bluebirds' resolve with a match-winning brace.
Cardiff keeper Ethan Horvath was named participant of the match by broadcasters ITV, having made an enormous first-half save when Watkins ran by means of on purpose. Through the half-time break, although, Keane argued Watkins' failure to attain is an indication he's not fairly on the highest degree.
"It’s simply the choices while you’re within the field, as a result of I feel that he had sufficient time," Keane's fellow pundit Ian Wright stated. "You possibly can clip that over the trailing leg, as a result of… while you’re doing all of your soccer coaching, you understand you’ve bought to raise one thing, as a result of for those who attempt to place it you’ve bought to be so correct…”
“I like Watkins, I feel he’s a extremely good participant, I feel he’s a risk, however possibly that is his degree," Keane replied. "I do know he’s been linked with different golf equipment, however typically you go ‘possibly you’re not going to be that high, high striker'."
When requested by anchor Mark Pougatch whether or not that first-half miss was the distinction between a really goodstriker and an elite, one, Keane stated: “I feel so. I’m certain he’ll get possibilities within the second half, and he would possibly take them, however in these moments you’ve bought to money in there."
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Watkins didn't get his title on the scoresheet within the second interval, however he was in a position to arrange Asensio's second of the night. The win sees Villa change into the primary staff into the hat for the FA Cup quarter-finals, with final season's finalists Manchester United and Manchester Metropolis each in motion later within the weekend.
"Now we concentrate on the Champions League," Villa boss Unai Emery stated as his aspect prepares for a visit to Belgium on Tuesday to face Membership Brugge. "We’re there and we now have to take pleasure in it and compete. We’re going to play Brentford subsequent week. It's a troublesome week however excited for us and supporters.
"We’re not thought of favourites to win this trophy," he added after Villa reached the final eight of the FA Cup for the primary time in a decade. "We’re contenders however not favourites."
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