Danny Welbeck’s arrival in North London sparked a hugely mixed reaction within the Arsenal faithful. ‘If he’s not good enough for Man United then he’s not good enough for us’ on one hand. On the other ‘He’s miles better than Sanogo!’ Despite the split in opinion, so far Welbeck has proved his critics wrong (and given clear evidence he’s an upgrade from Sanogo).
He’s a perfect fit in Arsene Wenger’s side.
The 23-year-old didn’t quite fit in in Manchester, he was thrown between left midfield and up front on the rare occasions he made an appearance. The fact is, the Englishmen suits neither of these positions. Some Arsenal supporters see him taking up the ‘Henry role’ as he begins his movement from the left side into a more central area to attack the centre-backs. This poses a far greater threat to the opposition back line. His pace and ability to read the game makes his movement near impossible to trace. Mesut Ozil’s goal at Villa Park on Saturday perfectly displays Welbeck’s movement. He collects the ball while darting from the flank into the middle to play a neat ball through to the German. This short rapid run allows him to find space in the central areas.
His movement is hugely diverse throughout the match. This is vital to Arsenal’s offence, which often lacks a plan B. Welbeck is constantly willing to utilise his pace to make darting runs behind the defence and play off the last defender. The former Red Devil’s versatility in his movement and role has allowed him to fit perfectly in Arsene’s side. He is an ideal replacement for Olivier Giroud who faces a long spell out with injury. If Arsenal are to secure Champions League football for an 18th consecutive year they will need to keep their new man fit and firing.
Certainly Van Gaal’s loss is Wenger’s gain in more areas than one. Welbeck’s work ethic is phenomenal and unlike many forwards, he relishes the chance to get back and help his defence. With Arsenals midfield lacking steel, his defensive contribution will be greatly welcomed. The forward’s style clashes with that of Louis Van Gaal’s as his new look United’s team is set up to work with an emphasis on the central players. The new United boss refused to give the 16 million pound man a chance, and its looking increasingly likely the transfer could come back to haunt him as United slip to a lowly 12th place.
Manchester-born Welbeck has found it seemingly easy to settle in North London. This can partly be credited to the manager, who has clearly instilled a new confidence in the forward. Furthermore, playing in central areas has allowed him to exploit the passing ability of Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil behind him. Having two world-class midfielders to feed off can only have helped his settling in process. As shown with his goal at the weekend and his 39 at United, it is clear he knows where the goal is. Once Walcott returns from injury and Sanchez starts firing on all cylinders, The Gunners will have a fearsome attack lead by Welbeck – who will no doubt score plenty more goals in an Arsenal shirt.
