Don’t Fear, Danny Welbeck Is Here!
Arsenal have managed to scrape a late deadline day signing in Manchester United’s outcast Danny Welbeck. How do I feel about this? I’ll tell you.
Underwhelmed, yes of course considering the wild rumours lately but very happy with this deal in particular.
I’m a big fan of this player and as I called Daniel Sturridge’s re-emergence ahead of a move to Liverpool (check somewhere down my long page of tweets) I think this move could do wonders for Danny.
He’s a quick player, has great attitude, a hard worker and likes to run off the shoulder, very important for our record signing Mesut Ozil. He’s a former United man who has a point to prove, that’s a great thing.
Some seem unhappy with his history dubbing him a United reject but there’s no shame in being behind Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney in the pecking order, he has potential I feel.
What does Welbeck bring to the table then? Here are the pros and cons
Pros
Workrate
Pace
Big Game Player
Young
English
Versatile
Height
Better link up play than he’s credited for
A player sensible United fans are genuinely sad to lose
Bargain
International player
Big club mentality
Ambitious
Cons
Unproven goalscorer
Clumsy
I know you may come up with many more cons but that’s it as far as I’m concerned and it’s validated by the fact that he hasn’t had the chance to play in his favoured role up front.
The clumsiness is exposed from playing out wide as a midfielder, he’s okay as a wing forward but left midfield hinders what he’s able to do.
He’s a player that takes big touches because he breaks into long strides so sometimes he might struggle in intricate situations wide players find themselves in but up front where he has space to gallop at centre backs he could be pretty effective.
To elaborate on some of those pros…
Work rate
His work rate is a priceless attribute, and the fact that he can do it with pace unlike Olivier Giroud is a bonus. Alongside Alexis Sanchez we might be able to press teams a lot higher now which is brilliant for our, at times stagnate attack.
Hope this goes someway to spelling the end of opposing teams passing it around the back 4 for ages without much pressure, so frustrating.
Big Game Player
Welbeck can be effective for us in the big games, we’ve lacked a forward with the ruthlessness to turn up in the more important matches and though ruthlessness might be slightly a exaggerated term to favourably associate Welbeck with, he does seem to turn up for a big game (Real Madrid, City).
English
We now have a solid young English core now in Calum Chambers, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Welbeck. Don’t put it past England triumphing in the 2018 World Cup!
You could throw in Carl Jenkinson if he proves good enough to have a future with us, there’s still a chance for him as it seems Chambers will be transformed into a central defender.
Bargain
Danny is certainly a bargain at £16m, I think it’s very fair money to pay. United would deniably consider themselves rivals with us so that could have bumped the price as well as the English tax that is usually attached, especially with international players. It’s great business from us!
Ambition
Well, as a fan of his I was actually quite worried of news that he was off to Spurs I think he would have been a great addition for Mauricio Pochettino’s high pressing style and maybe replicated Jay Rodriguez’s form last season. That’d have them stronger than us in the striking department but now it’s pretty debatable.
Seems like Spurs were keen but he was eager to come to the Emirates which has got to please most Arsenal fans!
He sees an opening for us in the CF role and would rather help us challenge for honours that he’s been used to competing for prior to last year.
Spurs would have been a safer choice although you wonder if Emmanuel Adebayor is harder to dislodge than Giroud/Yaya Sanogo.
United Lad
He wants this challenge and is a United lad so I’m sure he’s aware of the fact that both respective clubs do NOT like each other, this is a bigger move than it’s being touted as.
One United supporter I know who’s a fan of his is gutted about this move not just because of his affinity for the player but he also felt with Sanogo as our main man till new year it was a golden opportunity for United to finish above us, I guess now he thinks we will get by.
Welbeck will make his debut against lifetime rivals Man City, what an opportunity to leave his impression on the supporters. We’ll see what kind of mentality he can bring.
It could have better long-term benefits than Van Persie to United is seeming to have too, maybe we can call it revenge in hindsight.
I must add an observation of mine concerning the striker role at Arsenal. With Radamel Falcao, Edinson Cavani, Gonzalo Higuain and all the big names that were linked with us. We don’t seem to push for these players enough during windows and usually miss out.
I’m of the opinion that Arsene Wenger is quite sensitive about the CF role at Arsenal. People look at us now and slate our options in comparison to those of Thierry Henry, Van Persie and Adebayor previously but the one thing these players have in common is that they were all nurtured under Wenger.
Dennis Bergkamp was hardly an unknown gem but his career was revitalised at Arsenal, Wenger doesn’t seem to like the highly rated finished package, he likes to transform forwards into the type he likes.
Giroud, you could consider a finished package but I think it was a stop-gap signing in all honesty. Yes Wenger’s a big fan but it was just a solid buy after losing Van Persie, similar to what Mathieu Debuchy is for Bacary Sagna while we have a few decent RB’s to develop.
Sanogo was the next strikers project Wenger was trying to push through but he may have realised he can’t force this at the expense of our season, it seems Welbeck is closer to the player Wenger wants/wanted Sanogo to become so couldn’t turn down the opportunity.
We’ll see how far he can take him within the next few years.
Overall it’s probably been our strongest summer for at least a decade, maybe ever considering record money was spent from us. I am still disappointed that we didn’t address defensive areas which will mean our fitness coaches will have to prove our best signings this season.
The usual injury problems have surfaced already this season but of course these coaches will need time to implement their methods, we’ll need some luck on the injury front at the back at least until January.
Can they do the unthinkable and get Abou Diaby fit for half a year? He’d certainly be the powerful midfielder we need in the bigger games. On paper our squad is strong but we’ll need an awful lot of God’s favour to go all the way!
Subomi Oguntoyinbo
I am Subomi. An Arsenal supporter throughout my lifetime currently in my early 20’s. I am a graduate of West London’s Met Film School and an aspiring screenwriter. I do like to write about various topics that interest me and that tends to swing towards matters concerning Arsenal, it’s a passion of mine.
I was born and raised in North London, moved out to Essex but I am now back in North London for university of course.
Hope Welbeck is as good as many Man U fans say.
He seems to be a bit similar to Sanago but he is much more skillful for now and he can score!!! That’s very big upgrade. If Wenger likes what Sanago does, he will be loving what Welbeck can do
As for Giroud, you can say he is both stop gap or long term. He is very unique compare to any other Arsenal strikers. I think Wenger genuienly wants him in Arsenal to combat the Stoke type physical+ bus parking play. For one more tecnhical player find it difficult to deal with these teams. Secondly, they need someone strong who can deal with the abusive kicking.
I think Wenger is always after a top striker but Giround will be no.2 even when that player comes. Giroud actually improved quite significantly from his arrival. People just do not realise how much more he is doing compare to the time when he joined (think about the goal he scored in World Cup. Defending set piece at the back and run up to take the ball in counter… and he isn’t a fast player!!!)
The funny thing though, I always think the person to replace RVP was Poldolsiki… Giroud was more of a opportunistic buy to be extra safe. RVP is such a big void that Wenger wants to have more than one player.
After signing Welbeck, the front and middle are both quite good. The back is good but thin which is a bit worrying in the long run… that’s another thing though.