Welbeck looking to be the main man for Arsenal as they hunt for the title by Robert Ford
In Basle on Monday night, new £16 million Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck displayed the talents that Arsene Wenger saw reason to pay such a substantial fee for. After leaving Manchester United on deadline day for the Gunners after many seasons of inconsistent form and a lack of regular first team football, the England forward will now be looking to eliminate any doubts in the mind of Arsenal fans whilst aiming to become the main man to spearhead their attack in the absence of new teammate Olivier Giroud.
Welbeck hit a brace in England’s 2-0 victory over Switzerland, and showed how he would function as part of a front 3, which in a sense somewhat replicates how Arsenal’s new front 3 may function this season. He played down the middle for the most part, but he also interchanged with Raheem Sterling and Wayne Rooney, which caused major problems for the Swiss defence.
With Welbeck expected to dislodge Yaya Sanogo upfront for the game against Manchester City this weekend, he is more than likely to play in a similar system, due to fellow new signing Alexis Sanchez’s sharing a similar versatility in his attacking play to Welbeck. When Theo Walcott is fit then perhaps Arsene Wenger would look to utilise the pace and versatility of the 3 forwards, as it would possess a unique attacking outlet that would certainly be different to any frontline within the Premier League at the moment.
However, the unexpected signing has seemed to split opinion amongst the Gunners faithful due to the fact that the England forward hasn’t really had the opportunity to be the main man up top for club and country. His strike rate is another reason for fans to be sceptical, as they were hoping for a world class forward with a fantastic scoring record to come into the club during the transfer window.
It is believed Welbeck was second choice behind new Chelsea forward Loic Remy on Arsene Wenger’s wish list, but there is no doubt that the Manchester born forward has the potential and raw talent to be a major success at Arsenal.
With a consistent run in the team, he is sure to have a greater opportunity to improve on his scoring record as he has always been a player who can get himself into the right positions, but what has always let him down has been his composure in front of goal. This being said, perhaps all Welbeck needs is more minutes of the pitch for him to gain the confidence necessary to make it at a top club like Arsenal. If Wenger can get him firing, then it would be hard to disagree with the fact that the Gunners could have the squad to mount a serious challenge until the bitter end in this season’s title race.
Robert Ford (from footyspeak.com)
I think he’ll be brilliant for us, but lets not get carried away. Our defence in big games cost us the title, not a striker. We just need to be more organised in the big games.
Agree with you here…
Man City is his test…this article should be saved for if we win.
Say he scores 2 but we concede 2 as well…people will be saying it’s our lack of a dm.
This is a test for Arsenal as a club, are we top team beaters this season?
We must past this test before we get carried away.
I must say I’m excited too though. CoYG.
Our defence cost us because the big teams sent out the calvary against us, with Giroud alone upfront, there were no consequences for going gung ho on us, u wouldn’t go gung ho on Barcelona with Messi and Suarez, U wouldn’t do that against Madrid either even if they sat back because it only takes one break away attack and ur one goal down already
Three observations: 1. Substantial fee? Not really for a striker. 2. Did wenger choose to buy him? I have still not heard much from aw to suggest he wanted him. 3. Welbesk fire us to the title? I like your positivity but lets keep grounded and not pile too much pressure on him. He’s at a new club, has not played much and is relatively young still. I’m sure he’ll turn out a great signing and do really well, but let’s offer him patience if it doesn’t click straight away, (here’s hoping it does) coyg!!
I have a feeling gazidis took control of this one and pushed it through.
It was fergi that told wenger to buy him when wenger said they bumped into eachother twice, otherwise he’d be at home and he wout of signwed him due to not coincidently bumping into him so it wouldnt of happened can you not read between the lines i nthe conference ? which is why wenger said he will tell us that story another day aka when hes retired.
Wenger said he bumped into fergi on tuesday or wednesday. Thats 2 days ago. That transfer window has been closed for longer than 2 days unless you’re talking about one of the possible endless universes physicists say could exist where we signed welbeck yesterday. He bumped into him and fergi probably told him if he was in charge welbeck would not have left.
Nonsense.
Exactly it’s behind the midfield that worries me!
Dear Lord!!! You people will kill this young man (Welbeck) with pressure.
Arsenal are like the Boxer Amir Khan. Easily takes care of weaker opposition, but when up against a big puncher the glass jaw is exposed and he get knocked the Fu*k out! That glass jaw for us is the DM position.
Thinking we could sign Mascherano in January. He has clearly lost out on the CB position with the additions of our boy Vermaelen and Mathiei. He is not there first choice DM because of Busquets. He has premier league experience, has praised Arsenal in the past, and Jacky said he wanted to learn his playing style, what better way to train Wilshere than with his mentor.
I know KJ is working on an article he will entitle: Welbeck– Our first Ballon de’Or hopeful
Let him start first by firing us over man city! Coyg!
I for one am extremely glad we got welbeck over remy
League title?which one?BPL?..impossible
Welbeck is a great signing. I do believe he was an “accidental” signing. Wenger wanted him on loan but board members signed him on a permanent 5 year deal and they did the deal. If he stays fit, I’m sure that not only will he score goals, but Alexis, Campbell, Poldi and Theo will all score goals off him. I reckon that had we of signed William Carvalho we would have protected our defense and may have won the league. If we do the same as last year and stay close to the top, a fresh Giroud returning could just keep us closer than last years collapse. Maybe we will sign William Carvalho in January. What excites me is that we could have for some matches a completely new forward line of Welbeck, Campbell and Alexis. Sounds bloody formidable. Welbeck, Alexis and Walcott would bring a speed not seen since Henry’s days. Very exciting. We do have a thin squad defensively and I hope that, that does not count against us at the end of the season. Exciting days and if we can beat City we are on our way. COYG.
Wenger just said in the interview that he did not wanted him on loan. You talk $hit. I suggest you go over to arsenal.com and watch the interview. He wanted him only as permanent or on loan with option to buy.
Arsenal fighting for the title? Forget it guys, stop dreaming..
As long as we have these players that don’t want to fight when times get tough the title hopes are delusional, some players hate defending, they hate tackling, tracking back etc.. When we come up against any team that has any fight be it a lower, middle or top team our soft players get ruffled quickly..
If you want to win major trophies you have got to fight hard as a team, defensively and offensively, and as long as we still have players that are beyond criticism even if they are one of the reasons we get mashed by the other big teams, then we aint got a chance at all..
I keep reading comment after comment from 98% of Gooners on here saying how some players are not good at tracking back or defending so they should be moved into midfield where you have Ramsey, Flamini and Arteta to do all the running and grafting for them. Seriously are you for real?
Why should the likes of Sanchez, The Ox, Walcott, Ramsey, Rosicky, Wilshere, Campbell etc all run their balls off up and down the pitch from minute 1 to 90 while other players are excused?
Do the likes of The Ox, Ramsey, Wilshere, Campbell, Sanchez, Walcott, Rosicky etc get paid more wages and that’s why they run their lung off for the team?
Look at Mata, he is amazing, but now that football has moved on, it’s to do with pace, fight, tracking back, closing down etc.. Mata is suffering due to being limited, he can only play the #10 role, he does not track back, tackle and is easily bullied off the ball, so Chelsea got rid and now Man United look like they want to get rid of him too..
Each Player has got to be able to fight for their team mates, not being the princes who expect everyone to fight for them.
I don’t like this attitude that some players should not fight, instead they should just wait for their team mates to do the hard work for them..
Mata is world class… heaps of fans here were shouting for his signing…
Go back like a year ago and see how many were crying about not getting Fellaini.
It was only a couple seasons back that he was hopeless at putting the ball in the back of the net. And now he is going to win us the title.
2 International goals don’t automatically make you an RVP/Suarez/Shearer/Henry goal scoring machine.
Give him at least half a season.
Welbeck is another key ingredient to our attack, it should be an interesting couple weeks , i honestly think arsenal will win this game saturday, this game actually will show we are contenders for the title/
I think we have enough to deal with a city squad not up to speed, even with out deficiencies in DM and CB. If we keep their backs busy with playing pacey wide players we should win this match comfortably
Yeahhhhh!!!!!! i am back again…just looking how we can see Arsenal player gel together in the harmony team…lets check for player…
Defender-bellerin is good enough as backup for RB, and hopefully hayden can immediately slot into arsenal first team…and just to say, gibbs must less his moving forward to avoid injury….its better than to lose becoz of injury
Midfielder – is the best enough for this sason, we can achieve more with our mid now…just for ozil, now we lift very high hope on him…this season he must do all his best to assist our forward, please show me more beautiful through ball for our stiker….
Forward – Welbeck is the nearest style to henry, and just want him to play freely with henry style, just replicate as much as can to henry becoz for sure he will be the next to henry….
Sanchez play is based on quickness, we just analyse that he is the ghost inside the peanlty box, the more we reach inside penalty, the more chance we will get from sanchez….sanogo must fight hard for his place with welbeck…try smart as he can to get first score, then we will have great striker on sanogo and welbeck….
Yeahhh, like i said earlier this season, we are concentrate as much on winning EPL…we are now same standard like chelsea and man city, so we will fight them with honour….
So, Mr.Wenger, just doing like you think is the best because this is the best team i ever see since my support for Arsenal….
Lets being the next EPL champion…..
Your title is what I call, “putting a young man under instant pressure”! Please let’s give the poor guy time to settle before expecting him to fire us into the EPL title.
Wanna bet Saonogo will start ahead of welbeck against Man city? If that’s the case Wenger will really have to go…
I hope AW will do that but I believe Welbeck will get the nod. Leave Welbeck build that hunger on the bench and throw him in to show his worth. That doesn’t mean Sanogo will lead the line. For what we know we could play 4-3-3 with Sanchez , Ox on flanks and Podolski up. We have to wait and see.