Wenger was right not to buy a new striker for Arsenal?

There were thousands of Arsenal transfer rumour stories linking us with Karim Benzema in the summer, with lesser rumours saying that Arsene Wenger wanted to bring in other frontmen like Aleksandr Kokorin or Jackson Martinez, but Le Prof stayed aloof from all the fans and pundits alike who kept imploring him to buy another striker to challenge Olivier Giroud for our centre-forward slot.

Wenger now says that he was correct to keep the money in the bank, as he always knew that Theo Walcott would come good and become our main central striker. He told the BBC: “Theo looks always dangerous in this position. The quality of his movement is outstanding and he has found his finishing again,”

“I believe Theo can be a central striker,” added Wenger. “But at the start of the season, I faced questions from everybody: ‘why don’t you buy a central striker?’

“So sometimes you have to have strong beliefs and show the players as well that you believe in them in that position.

“I always said that he will play through the middle and he got his knee injury when he played well through the middle against Tottenham. It took him a while to come back, I must say.”

It is a bit early for Wenger to say ‘I told you so’ after just eight games, but so far it looks like his (calculated) gamble has paid off. Don’t forget that if Walcott gets his usual injury at this time of year then we are just left with a mis-firing Giroud and an injured Danny Welbeck as backup….

Tags Benzema Giroud Walcott

19 Comments

  1. Lets wait and see. Long way to go.
    It was still a very risky gamble
    He should have at least got a DM if not a top striker

    1. I had been saying……… Get a Top striker and a back-up DM (can’t think of anyone displacing Le coq at the moment)…… Or better still, Get a back-up DM and a Versatile Winger (Like Antoine greizmann) ……either way, it’s a win-win…….too much to ask?

  2. Waaaay too early to tell.. If Theo can keep playing at the intensity he showed with United, there will definitely be a strong case though.
    I still think we’re a forward short IMO. Ox and Campbell both have a lot of potential and upside. Will be interesting how they progress as the season wears on.

  3. Arsene was right in not buying the likes of Martinez, Dybala etc. But its peculiar that he didn’t make a move for Martial. Believe it or not he does have qualities which resemble Henry’s.

    1. To my recollection Martials name did not even come up till after utd bought him, we were after the next level type striker not a project. And when Martial scored for some reason because he is young quick and French people thought this lad should be playing for Arsene. Arsene inquired, they said not for sale ..then utd payed for the finished article when no other team would. It is not our devine right to have every young quick French goalscorer.

  4. If Cavani, Benzema, Lewa were not available then he was damn right not to sign a new one….. Don’t worry about Martial he is young its his first year….none of the defender knows him very well…so let him play a bit of epl football….and off course he is not the King who had the brain to assist his skills, power and experience…. let the time go defenders will figure out how to get better of him…especially when nothing comes from other Man U attacking players…

  5. players need a chance to play not changing them like robots.no matter how much you change them one day it will backfire on you look at chelsea.if the strikers fail wenger then there will be no complains if we get a new striker.

  6. As I understand the reasons of too expensive, dressing room atmosphere, cohesion etc. I don’t understand much why didn’t he go for a less expensive less known striker and dm.
    Just as backups.
    I mean not the sanogo type but I am almost sure that a wiltord was around somewhere right?

  7. I smell a summer window- this that just past to be one in a year and years to come would be remembered as wenger’s greatest transfer window. Remember these names- donyell malen, adelaide, yassin fortune. Faith in walcott, coquelin and the likes of bielik in mind.

  8. I don’t think it is too early to tell, Theo has always been a massive threat from wing and now he looks just as dangerous running from anywhere across the front three. His movement is better than ever, his pace will always scare defenders and he has a terrific shot accuracy for many years. The only down side is that he cannot hold men off with his back to goal or win it aerially but we know how some fans hate those traits so some will not care or else maybe they’ll remark about bringing on Oli if that is whats needed. Back to Theo, we needed to see if he could transform his wide right form over to the centre and I believe that he has done, he is liking up with better players now as he can receive a ball from any or all of our best players. I just love when Arsene pulls the covers from over peoples eyes.

  9. Off topic

    I really don’t understand why theo walcott feels the need to always big up himself and the team constantly, for goodness sake Do ur talking on the pitch. A few good games and he starts thinking he’s Thiery Henry, Massive game today a game where everyone expects us to falter being “typical arsenal” Win n win comfortable would be a very good statement.

    COYG #S.O.S#

    3 musketeers 🙂

  10. Although I believe the Boss is right now not in the transfer mode. But since this Arsenal transfer saga has refused to be quiet, let me chip in a word or two on it. For security reasons, the Boss could sign 1 or 2 new Gunners during the winter window. And I believe those 2 will be a top striker and a top CB. But those 2 signings will only be done on the condition of none of the Arsenal’s loanees are recalled to anchor in as security cover for the 2 positions.

  11. Wenger has not been vindicated by Walcott yet this season as a striker so I think Wenger is premature to make this statement. TWO goals in the league and we are in the second half of October. Very premature Wenger. What is gauranteed is that Walcott would have scored more goals from the Wing.

    At best it’s a Wenger bluff, something he does after the fact. Most recently seen after the unusual display at Man Utd with Wenger making out his tactical skill was the reason. At the moment we are in a good position because of goals coming from other players, but it must be stressed Walcott is missing tons of chances and getting endless off side decisions before getting each goal … with no sign of improvement.

    Wenger has always forced players to try new positions and when they shine, it’s all down to Wenger’s amazing coaching, for example Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Petit, Lauren, Alex Song, Ljungberg, Van Persie and a couple of others at most … but it’s kept quiet about the 100+ players he failed to make shine in a new position. Walcott so far is being such a failure.

    It’s like Adebayor who scored something like 30+ goals in all competitions in the season Edurado was crocked by Taylor and he looked like a superstar on paper, but to score those goals he missed 350 chances. Wenger likewise has several successes which make him look like a great coach unless you look at the ratio of 100+ failures.

    There is no way Walcott is going to score 30+ goals with 350 missed chances like Adebayor did. The son of an Elephant washer had bodyweight, strength, height and could play with his back to the goal, hold of centre-halves and muscle his way onto goal. Walcott is depending on one thing, running onto great passes and using his pace. He gets the great passes time and again and miss times the runs or he is off target. His predictable style of play as centre-forward will get us maybe 14 goals this season, and most of them might be consolation goals in games we lose or equalising goals for a draw. Many of his missed chances we will think Giroud would have scored. Welbeck as striker has more of a chance to score than Walcott, something he proved by this time last season.

    Wenger was not right (at this time) to not buy a striker and besides, further proof Walcott is playing up front because of no option (as opposed to Wenger claiming he “saw” Walcott is ready) … Wenger tried hard to buy Benzema in the Summer and other strikers, plus loan Kokorin for this season. Walcott is centre-forward because Wenger failed to get a striker by deadline day because of his nauseating incompetence at haggling or paying what teams ask for … and so far Walcott is proving what I have said for seasons now, he is not a centre-forward at the standard required for Top 4 clubs with high ambitions, pots of cash, high capacity stadiums. He would do ok at Everton, Crystal Palace, etc … but come January we will see if Wenger buys a striker – then what will be the excuse for putting Walcott back on the wing? Pehaps, “Errrr … I think heeeee needs a little mare confeedonse and he will be riddy.”

    Cue sulking Walcott to be injured until May.

    I am glad Walcott is getting this extended opportunity to finally show everybody else he is not a good striker. I am glad Wenger has started to talk about his retirement.

    1. By the time I was done with your lengthy negative post, i’d forgotten your name…….smh

      Up Gunners!!!!

  12. “What is gauranteed is that Walcott would have scored more goals from the Wing.”
    How can that possibly be guaranteed?

    “it’s kept quiet about the 100+ players he failed to make shine in a new position”
    100+? Care to list them? If you could list a quarter of that number, that would be a very small number given how long he’s been at the club and how he’s had to be flexible in the face of financial adversity.

    “It’s like Adebayor who scored something like 30+ goals in all competitions in the season Edurado was crocked by Taylor and he looked like a superstar on paper, but to score those goals he missed 350 chances.”
    All strikers miss chances. To complain about a striker scoring 30+ goals in a season is idiocy.

    “His predictable style of play as centre-forward will get us maybe 14 goals this season, and most of them might be consolation goals in games we lose or equalising goals for a draw.”
    Crystal ball negativity, based on nothing.

    “Welbeck as striker has more of a chance to score than Walcott, something he proved by this time last season.”
    Welbeck = 4 goals in 25 games, or a ratio of 1:6.25
    Walcott = 52 goals in 214 games, or a ratio of 1:4.12

    “Wenger tried hard to buy Benzema in the Summer and other strikers, plus loan Kokorin for this season.”
    Any proof of that besides tabloid reports? Anything at all from the club?

    “Wenger failed to get a striker by deadline day because of his nauseating incompetence at haggling or paying what teams ask for”
    Managers are not directly involved in purchase negotiations and you have no evidence he was after anyone in particular.

    ““Errrr … I think heeeee needs a little mare confeedonse and he will be riddy.””
    People from other countries often have noticeable accents. Well observed.

    “Cue sulking Walcott to be injured until May.”
    Ah, the crystal ball negativity again. This time a miserable secondary prediction that is based on another of your imaginings coming true.

    “I am glad Walcott is getting this extended opportunity to finally show everybody else he is not a good striker.”
    Then you’re not an Arsenal supporter.

    “I am glad Wenger has started to talk about his retirement.”
    Yes, it should be on his own terms after everything he’s done for the club. I’m glad the club weren’t stupid enough to bow to the fickle demands and cretinous opinions of sections of the fanbase and make the decision for him.

  13. WENGER will only vindicate to ARSENAL fans when he wins the EPL…..buying a striker made a big difference going from a good team to a great one capable of great things. Buying players is always a gamble you can have flops or Henry’s but you need to buy specially when you need them

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