Danny Welbeck moved closer to a comeback after being out since April with a knee injury by playing an hour of the Gunners’ recent reserves match against Brighton.
Having struggled for goals over the past few weeks – prior to their 2-0 victory at Bournemouth, Arsenal had failed to score in three successive Premier League outings – the Gunners need all the firepower they can muster as they bid to end a title drought that now stretches back to the 2003-04 campaign.
But just how much goalscoring support will Welbeck provide for the club’s only genuine out-and-out striker, Olivier Giroud?
The major criticism of the former Manchester United forward throughout his career has been that he doesn’t find the back of the net often enough – a record his detractors would claim is borne out by his statistics of 20 goals in 92 appearances for the Red Devils and just four in 25 outings for the Gunners.
Even at United, Welbeck was a player who divided opinion, with boss Louis van Gaal eventually discarding the striker – who had been with the Red Devils since the age of nine – claiming he was below the standard required for Old Trafford.
Supporters of the England international will point – and quite rightly so – to his outstanding workrate and all the tireless running he does for the team and his efforts without the ball, although you get the feeling Arsenal fans have yet to be convinced.
What those that follow the Gunners are certain about is that their club needed to sign a top quality proven goalscorer in the January transfer window, particularly with Welbeck out with a long-term injury. It’s been a common theme (or from Arsenal supporters’ point of view, a common complaint) for at least the last three or four transfer windows, but, despite being linked with such illustrious names as Edinson Cavani, Karim Bezema and Gonzalo Higauin – to name but three – manager Arsene Wenger has steadfastly refused to sanction a signing, insisting he already has enough firepower in his ranks.
It’s a decision and stubborn attitude that has arguably prevented the club sustaining a genuine title challenge in recent years, as well as hindering their chances of success in Europe.
And should they blow this season what is clearly their best chance of ending their title drought, there is no doubt who the finger of blame will be pointed at.
Despite his incredible record since taking charge of Arsenal as a relative unknown back in 1996, Wenger’s future at the club may hinge on the next three months.
Welbeck will provide a welcome boost if he does return before the end of the campaign but anything other than being crowned Premier League champions in May and Wenger’s refusal to bring in a striker in January could end up being his final big decision as Arsenal boss.
What do Gunners fans feel? Is it time for a change, should Wenger pay the ultimate price for continually neglecting to strengthen his strikeforce?
Hashim
Feb 11, 2016 at 6:06 am
I feel that Welbeck was not really required at Arsenal when he was signed a couple of years ago. Arsenal had in their ranks the young and promising striker in Benik Afobe. But Arsene Wenger somehow decided that he was not good enough and let him go while he bought Welback. And the rest is history. While Welbeck has scored only 4 for Arsenal in the league and has struggled for fitness, Afobe went on to score heaps of goals in all the clubs he played for. And now he is doing the same for Bournemouth. It just shows that the answer is not always in big money buys. There is an academy where the club invests its time and money to develop young players. These players should be given an opportunity before they are let go like Afobe, Nordtveit, Barazite, Vela, Bartley, Eisfeld, and the list can go on and on.