Could this be the season that Danny Welbeck comes good for Arsenal?

This is Danny Welbeck’s 4th season at Arsenal in 2014, and he has started in explosive style with one goal against Leicester on the opening day and following it up with another two in Saturday’s win over Bournemouth. Compared to last season, when he scored just twice in 16 League appearances this is amazing!

So why has this change come about? Welbeck has been plagued by injuries since his arrival and made only 52 appearances in three full seasons, and Danny himself thinks that the fact that he has been involved in the pre-season preparations for the first time with Arsenal has made a big difference. As he said on Saturday: “The past two years I didn’t have a pre-season and that made it a bit difficult for me, so I’m pleased to have a pre-season. With some of the games that we’ve played at the start of the season it’s not gone too well, but I’m pleased to be on the scoresheet and long may it continue.”

Surely he has made a case for himself to be a regular starter in the first XI for now, but with players like Alexis, Walcott, Iwobi and Giroud also pushing for a starting spot it won’t be easy, but danny is used to fighting for his place. “There’s always competition when you’re at a club like Arsenal.” he said. “There’s always going to be competition, not just with the players here but players worldwide. Everyone would love to get the opportunity to play here so there’s always competition and I think that makes it better for you as a player. It makes you want to improve and just keep on doing your best.”

So what does Wenger think about Welbeck’s goals? “Yep, I’m pleased with his performance, I kept faith in him and overall I think he is getting stronger and stronger and more confident. Confidence plays a big part in his game and I loved his finishing on his second goal.

“Of course he has all the physical qualities to play at that level. If he can add the finishing, he’s a team player as well, he is loved by his partners, so that’s a lot of positives.”

This is all good news for Arsenal, and if Welbeck can keep scoring we will have a formidable line-up of strikers to keep our opponents guessing. But the MOST important thing for Welbeck is to stay fit for the whole season and stay in contention….

41 Comments

  1. Yes, as long as Welbeck keeps playing as a starter, not injured and play behind Lacazette. I think he could avoid injuries by playing in that position and be more threatening with his runs.

    He is excellent physically and a hardworking team player, but he could sit on the bench again if Lacazette, Ozil and Sanchez are fit. I hope Wenger will not ruin his confidence by asking him to play as a wingback.

    1. Disagree-

      If I were Wenger would definitely test Wellbeck in LWB – allow us to put Sead in defensive midfield role – he could be awesome.

      At least Test in training.

      For me, he will never be a natural goal scorer – happy if he proves me wrong though

    2. Welbeck was a far better player for manu under fergie. It doesnt really make a difference if he comes good or doesnt. If he does really well, he could always move to a bigger club as a squad player and I think he would be very happy doing so. Similar to a bellamy/benayoun. I think liverpool could do well with him, so could tottenham. We need the fans to protest against stan and make it hard to own the club. Show usmanov support I’m sure he will come to buy. You must understand that people like usmanov love to get there egos fed and the moment you glorify him as a saviour he will come with the coveted 2billion bid and get kroenke out. If you go through calculations then a 2billion valuation is a very very handsome ROI for kroenke.

    1. Wenger is like all other
      Managers and players.
      When things are going badly
      they keep interviews short.
      When things are going well you can’t get the mike off them 🙂

      1. Yes, why would he even give them an acknowledgement of any kind. There is nothing in that for Arsene.

        The Neville showdown looked like a bunch of amateur’s, the way they all faced Neville trying to be intimidating, esp the old fart who raises his voice before pointing his finger in stabbing motion and coming over the top motion. They should have all sat down together with Robbie being the one facing them all, seeing as he fancies himself as a bit of an interviewer/host and all. It looked shambolic, has he not put any thought going into it, other than we’ll hit him with this and we’ll hit him with that ..ha! ha! ha! hah.

        1. It made me embarrassed to support the same club as them, they asked the same question over and over… Yet they moan at a manager for making a mistake over and over… Comical, if they was spuds we would have been joking about that and poking fun at them.

        2. How was the Neville interview shambolic break on through . It was never meant to be a show down the guys from AFTV respect Garry Neville as a player and a pundit . They may not agree with him but there is respect there. I don’t get why you hate on AFTV so much over there. Maybe people are jealous that Robbie came up with the idea 1st and now it’s a world wide phenomenon and he is making a killing . break-on-through I don’t want to start an argument here cause I usually like what you have to say Arsenal wise but your comment it uncalled for

      2. Really AFTV hate Wenger do they. Get your facts right ADMIN. Some off the regulars on AFTV don’t think Wenger is the man to take the club forward but nobody hates him ESPECIALLY ROBBIE. He disagrees with the banners and all that crap. Things like Arsenal Fan TV are what keeps fans like me from Australia in the know on what the fans are feeling in the UK. This a good forum for it to but AFTV is the 1st thing I go to watch after watching a game . And I watch every game live and if you understand the time difference you know what sort off commitment that is for a guy like me who works 6 days . Disappointing admin

    1. Debuchy cost 16 mill 3 years ago.
      He has played 13 Premier Lge games.
      Debuch is on 70 k per week so
      it works out that Debuchy has been paid
      840 thousand pounds per league game played!!!
      Yet people say Wenger is wise with money. Really?

        1. No but I am blaming him for buying Debuchy, who has never been that good.

          I can recall myself saying “this transfer doesn’t make any sense” when we bought him. I wrote about it right here on JustArsenal.

          1. When we bought him it was to replace Sagna. Debuchy had already taken Sagna s place in the France team. He can’t have been that bad!

            1. Actually if we factor in Debuchy’s
              16 mill transfer fee he is
              actually being paid 2 million
              quid per premier league game.
              He gets more per league game than Ronaldo
              Messi Suarez Bale and Benzema combined.
              Debuchy had a big falling out with Wenger
              over game time nothing to do with injury.
              And you know it or you should if you follow Arsenal at all.

              1. Hahaha “If I follow Arsenal at all” I’ve only been writing around 10 articles a day about them for 8 years and been a supporter for 52 years…..
                How about you?

                1. Thats the point I’m making.
                  According to yourself
                  you have written 29,000 articles
                  and supported the club for 52 years
                  yet you are still blind to the facts.
                  Debuchy has cost the club 26 milion quid
                  through a 16 mill transfer fee and 10 mill
                  from 3 seasons salaries
                  10 and 16 =26.
                  He has played just 13 PL games.
                  Divide 26 million by 13 and you get 2 million.
                  Now all you need do is provide copies of each
                  of each of your 29,000 articles.

      1. I don’t think we can seriously blame Wenger for Debuchy injury and Bellerin’s surprise rise to glory. When we bought Debuchy there were not many alternatives and he came of a good season. I was not a sexy buy but definitely not an unwise one.

  2. Wel beck seems a lovely lad and always gives 100% but to pin hopes on his seems silly when technically he is what he is. Average. Thumb me down but it’s true I like Danny but he’s never going score 20 a season
    I actually think I was wrong about Laccazette he’s improved us going forward. Now if we only bought a quality DM we could have made top 4

        1. Lacazette does look a quality player, I love how cleanly he strikes the ball, one of the tidiest players Ive seen arriving in England and not just Arsenal. Pity we didn’t get him in sooner, thus making the most of our Alexis years.

          We need a domineering CB, at least two CM players, that’s what we need now. Next season wingers could become a bigger deal, no Alexis and we may need two, then Ozil is quietly sneaking about, but I don’t mind him so much and Arsene is usually good at finding midfielders for in and around that area.

    1. theres a danger with bringing strikers in at arsenal it is when they find their rythm their agents get in their head and encourage them to go elsewhere. we dont have this kind of worry with welbz he has no ulterior motive if he was he could have moved to everton.
      he not such hard work and in management terms i guess he be a coaches dream. i hope he continues to find his scoring boots he should given he stands to feature in the world cup if he stays fit. ask is he a threat? at domestic and international level its “Yes”.

    2. @John0711 – You cant like him if you cant trust he can deliver. im thinking its our first time to have him fit. hes no sanchez, costa, kane or aguero. but can he give as good as morata, lukaku, jesus, loriente or sane, i see no reason why a fit welbz could not keep up with these. truth is we’re yet to see what he does when kept fit. trust he’l score now and make assists

    3. @John0711 – enough of the pleasantries hes a nice lad an all that you cant like him if you dont trust him and if he hasn’t 20 goals in him as a fit athelete how many would you guesstimate he can score?

  3. Play Alexis at No 10 and spread out Welbeck or Giroud plus Laca at the front. That is the strongest we can get up front.

  4. welback is a great athlete, a good fighter, but other than that is average. poor technic and finishing. one game with 2 goals doesn’t mean he is a clinical finisher, get real.
    he is a good squad player, that should start for now because we don’t have anyone better. i think he should start ahead of ozil, away at chelsea for shore, but wenger will play ozil, sanchez and either laca or welback up front.

  5. Welbeck/Giroud Laca

    Alexis

    Sead Elneny Xhaka Nelson/Bellerin

    Monreal Kos Mustafi

    Goalkeeper!

    Our strongest??????!!!!!!

  6. In his pressure situations ‘Bambi on ice’ is still a liability in front of goal. However, his work rate/tenacity, tackling and pace is unmatched – especially for a forward player. Keep him behind Lacazette. Also, his unpredictability must be a nightmare for defenders.

  7. Arsene wenger cannot build team with a good defence, during his first 10 years he inherited a famous back four upon which he succeeded on by buying some offensive player along with viera. Since those inherited back four retire, it had been difficult for him to build a team with good defence unlike sir alex ferguson.

    Every good defender or defensive midfielder who had played under wenger always loose their defensive flair after a season or two of playing under wenger. The basic truth is that a team who doesnt have stealth, who cannot defend when needs arises, and that cannot grind result when need arises can never win premier league.

    An an arsenal fans, I am not carried away by the match they play against bounemouth. The invinsible team have stealth, back bone, and knows when and how to defend on their own without wenger telling. wenger inherited defensive aspect of that team and it helped him in his first ten years.

    Wenger doesnt know how to organize and build the defensive aspect of a team unlike mourinho, fergusson, ancelloti so that result can be grinded when needed and you woudnt be supprise to see that arsenal players doesnt want to defend.

    The bitter truth is that arsen wenger cannot build a premier league winning team even if you give him the whole money on the planet base on the diffensive aspect of team.

  8. Welbeck has never improved……….he does not score consistently as a striker……..yes he works hard…….but he needs to do his job………..that is score goals……….he is never going to get any better…….

  9. the invinsible defence had been their since the time of George Graham and Ben rioch as arsenal manager. so the defensive flair of that team had been their. Wenger only work on the attacking flair and win trophy. talking of Steve bould, tony Adams, Lee Dixon, martin keon. Wenger met those quality and experience defenders their. recently tony Adams said he did not learn any defending tactics from Wenger. which means they learn the defensive aspect of their games from George graham and Ben rioch

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