Arsenal

Arsenal: How good is Welbeck? A Manchester United view

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Controversial

The sale of Danny Welbeck to Arsenal has left many Manchester United fans dismayed. But while the player was a popular figure amongst the United faithful, he has always drawn polemic opinions.

We get a view from one of our respected Manchester United sources. How good is Danny Welbeck and will he make Arsenal a better side?

Geoff says:

Danny Welbeck will be a good addition to the Arsenal squad – he’s one of the best athletes in The Premier League. He’s quick, powerful and never stops running. He also delighted the Manchester United fans with some unexpectedly silky, flair touches during his time at the club. For such a big lad he likes intricate passing moves.

But there are two words which I want to pick out from that paragraph – ‘squad’ and ‘athlete’.

The reason why many fans were sad to see Welbeck leave was because he was a home grown player and a Manchester lad. They were emotionally attached. He is a marvellous athlete, but perhaps not quite as good a footballer. He is the sort of player who regularly threatens to make things happen but can lack end product. And, if he had cemented a place in the team at Manchester United that may have represented the continued decline in standards at the club rather than him taking United into the next successful era.

He was a squad player at Manchester United and when Olivier Giroud is fit he could be a squad player at Arsenal – unless Arsenal start playing with 2 up top or Welbeck decides that he’s happy to play out wide.

Welbeck is a wonderfully committed player, who is becoming a very powerful footballer. But it’s hard to put your finger on his best position. He scores great goals but he’s not a great goal scorer. And unless he becomes twice as good at finishing then we can’t see him being Arsenal’s first choice number 9 – unless they are happy to use him mainly as a target man who brings others into play but doesn’t score that many goals himself.

He’s a good player – two goals against Switzerland proves it – but is he a match winner in a tight Champions League quarter final? Not yet convinced.

That’s why we think that he will improve the Arsenal squad but perhaps not the Arsenal team, when everyone is fit.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Rico

    Sep 9, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    He’s a top player and you are lucky to have him; whenever he got a run in the United team in the right position he scored goals he just didn’t get the run he deserved enough. Example – Rooney was injured early last season, Welbeck scored 8 in 8 starts?

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