How can Wenger fit Welbeck into the Arsenal starting line-up?

There is no doubt that Danny Welbeck started the season well, scoring 3 goals in Arsenal’s first four games, but then Alexandre Lacazette was made our first-choice striker and Welbeck missed some game time through injury.

Wenger was careful with Danny after that and he was only given some playing time off the bench until the Christmas congestion period when he was used in rotation, and for Cup and Europa League games but his confidence seemed to have disappeared by then, especially when Aubameyang was bought in January to relegate him even further down the pecking order.

But the Boss had no choice but to recall him for the two games against Milan and he seemed much more lively and capped it with two goals at the Emirates. Wenger was impressed with his performance and said afterwards: “Every game he plays makes him stronger and that is very good for Danny, for his confidence, for the fact that he did fight very hard. He scored a penalty that was a vital one, an important one, and he had the mental strength to have a clean finish.”

Welbeck will now go off with England in the break, but when he returns we will have Lacazette back to play in the Europa League and to be backup to Aubameyang in the EPL, so where will that leave Danny? Even if Wenger tries to fit him in on the wing or midfield he would have to compete with Mhki, Ramsey, Ozil, Wilshere and Iwobi. So, barring more injuries, can you see Welbeck getting more game time this season other than as a late substitution?

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22 Comments

    1. Totally Agree TMJW-Wellbeck is only a stop gap and fill in striker and no more.A good player for the bench and squad if we can keep him happy but he will not feature ahead of either Auba or Laca when they are fit.

  1. Robin Vanpayslip V2.1 (now with cojones - firmware update to increase cojones to Chuck Norris levels) says:

    He’s third choice so the only way to accommodate him in the first team is to move the training ground and emirates stadium and not tell PEA and Laca the new postcode.

  2. This is a non issue …wellbeck is back up …the question for the fossil is can he find a way to have laca aubemayang ozil and miki playing together .. I think a quality manager could make this combo a very dangerous attacking force … Sadly we don’t have that manager

    1. The only way it works is if there are three behind a striker, and the other striker must be then one of the three. I’ts not an easy fix to me, you’d have to disrupt at least one player. Or if you went with two strikers, firstly we don’t even know yet if there’s a compatibility. Then what of Ozil Mkhit, we’d have to disrupt one of those if not both. Formation we have now makes the best use of the type of players we have, it helps Xhaka Jack Rambo Ozil and Mkhit looks good with it. I don’t think it’s the easy fix you think it is. Tell us, what do you imagine the answer is.

  3. Welbeck is just not good enough, the weakest part of his game is getting goals and for a striker that not good. When was the last time he hit a shot clean and true he always shuffs his strikes. I do think Wenger as to play two strikers otherwise he will have a 50 million man on the bench.

    1. Robin Vanpayslip V2.1 (now with cojones - firmware update to increase cojones to Chuck Norris levels) says:

      Irrelevant because Barca are making a big money move for Iwobi in the summer

    1. Robin Vanpayslip V2.1 (now with cojones - firmware update to increase cojones to Chuck Norris levels) says:

      Cash plus Suarez this way

  4. I originally had great hopes for Danny because he was Man U trained and had pace. No more, he lacks the main ingredient of top strikers i.e. he’s goal-shy like Iwobi.

    1. Iwobi in my honest opinion is definitely one of those players who does not deserve to wear the shirt. We are one of the biggest teams on the planet, we’re in the top ten worldwide. His efforts are pitiful, I see little determination, I see him drop his head and shrug, I see a weak minded player. He has the ability to be very good with ball control whilst capable of knowing his next pass before he receives the ball. He should have the ability to strike a ball cleanly almost every-time by now, but he’s letting his endorphins get the better of him. I’d love to see a concentrated & angry playing Iwobi, for every three or four jogging strides you make just push it, do it in two or three instead ..every time. If you move quicker the mind will start catch up, just push yourself Iwobi and stop with the premature goalscoring/butterfly high before you’ve even taken the shot.

      1. Interesting enough he used to be a striker?………so what did Wenger do to change him into this?……….Arsenal players do not like to shoot………may have something to do with fear of losing the ball and counter attacks……..

  5. I’d bring him on in those games were everyone seems to be passing the ball along, swap him out for a midfielder and tell him to keep looking for runs and to chase every shot towards the goal. That’s all I’d ask of him unless we have injuries. And when we rest our two big hitters, I think Danny knows his place, no3 in pecking order at least until Perez returns or Nkeitiah/Mavididi/Nelson matures, because after two seasons time I can’t see Danny getting any game-time.

  6. I was never a fan of Welbroke, to me he has never lost the UTD feel, I can still picture him in a UTD shirt too easily.

    Best way to fit him in the starting lineup is to not have him in it.

    We have young Eddie Nketiah who is banging in goals and waiting to step up into the 1st team, he has earnt the 3rd choice CF role IMO. We can not rely on Welbroke to score so it is no different to not being able to rely on a kid to score, difference is though is that kid can get game time and prove his doubters wrong, prove he is ready. Maybe even prove to be our Mbappe… That is being taken away by Bambi on Ice. Bahh!!

    For the times Welbroke plays AM, we have Nelson who is performing alongside Nketiah with the kids but not getting game time when Welbroke has been given the nod to play AM.

    That is 2 kids who would benefit from Welbroke going and although he did save us against Milan, I don’t want players who dive like he did… Oh there was minimal contact but… Bambi on Ice!

    We do have some exciting talent that needs some space to grow, while we are signing top players for roles, we should be looking to try and keep some space for their development.

    AFC play with 1 CF and once Laca is fit we will have 2 deadly hitmen and a kid who doesn’t know how not to score as our 3 options. 3 options for 1 spot should be enough!

    If we stick to a 433 formation then the 2 AM spots will be covered by Ozil, Mkhi, Nelson and Iwobi. Iwobi being the weak link and potential player to replace if he doesn’t perform at his best whenever called upon. Nelson will be hungry and eager to step ahead of Iwobi…

    What space is there for Welbeck?

  7. every arsenal player in the field should send themselves in the field to win all the remaining games
    epl/ Europa league by all determination
    they should utilize every chance in & out the box with alot focus.
    the easy player ball losers /back passes should be discouraged at all costs

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