When Danny Welbeck joined Arsenal for £16m in a surprise deadline day swoop, no one quite knew what to expect. The talented Englishman had both wowed and infuriated onlookers during his 3 full seasons at Manchester United, cementing himself as one of the primary enigmas of English football. A major portion of the mystery surrounding him is his most effective position, and where on the pitch he can be fielded to best exploit his talents. Welbeck started his Arsenal career as a striker, where his wide spectrum of contributions were as evident as ever. However with the return of Olivier Giroud from injury, he has mainly found himself playing as winger, the role he experienced most often for his former club. Having displayed promise in both positions, Arsene Wenger has a dilemma on his hands. Where does Danny Welbeck’s future lie?
At the start of the season, injuries to Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott meant Welbeck was primarily fielded as a striker. His position of choice, Welbeck spent a good portion of the first half of the season in the center forward role, to mixed results. At his best he was a devastating blend of pace, power and goal scoring, which culminated with a glorious Champions League hat-trick against Galatasaray. However, he did still display some of the traits that lead to Louis Van Gaal deeming him subpar to requirements. His finishing ability remained as sporadic as ever, and his lack of technical ability and tactical awareness were often exposed. As a striker, Welbeck still remains a “potential player.” He possesses all the skill and athleticism to develop into a top class center forward, and could rise straight to the top of the Premier League pecking order in the future. Whether he achieves that potential, and whether Arsene Wenger remains patient with him in a central role, is another matter entirely.
When Olivier Giroud returned from injury against Manchester United in November, the question was raised over who would act as Arsenal’s first choice striker. While Welbeck’s performances as a center forward weren’t entirely convincing, Giroud also possessed the same sporadicalness that both delighted and frustrated the Arsenal fan-base to no end. The Frenchman however, seemingly transformed into an entirely different player during his spell on the sidelines. With drastically improved finishing, skill and movement, Giroud managed to lock up the main strikers role within a month of returning, leaving Welbeck to act primarily as a winger. While his preference appears to be away from the wide position he knew so well at Manchester United, the argument can be made that Welbeck is actually better suited for it. For starters, his main shortcomings aren’t nearly as evident on the wing. His lack of ruthlessness and finishing ability aren’t as amplified out wide, leaving him with more freedom to play to his strengths without any unnecessary pressure. His blinding pace is perfectly suited for the more spacious wide areas, and his direct dribbling style allows him to create havoc among opposing defenses. With the seemingly imminent exit of Theo Walcott, and the injury problems of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck may be able to carve a niche for himself out wide in the coming seasons.
Danny Welbeck is a player of immense talent, but Arsene Wenger must brace himself for the scenario that the Englishman may never achieve the heights he’s expected to reach. While he possesses the necessary traits to star in the Arsenal setup, his current lack of ability to put them all together may hinder him from ever fulfilling his potential. If such an outcome occurs, Welbeck would still make an immensely useful squad player. With the versatility to play either out wide or up front and the perfect attributes to act as a game changer off the bench, the Englishman could still pose as an incredibly useful commodity. Think Sylvain Wiltord and Nwankwo Kanu during the early 2000’s Invincibles era. Neither of them were ever first choice strikers in the side, however both managed to find a way to make themselves necessary parts of Arsene Wenger’s dominant system. While much is expected from Welbeck, we can take comfort in knowing that his practicality as a player does not hinge on him achieving his tremendous potential. As a squad player, Welbeck will still be able to table a telling contribution to the Gunners setup in the years to come.
Overall, Welbeck’s future position and squad importance is entirely down to him. If he manages to put his enviable footballing traits together and reach his high ceiling, the sky is the limit for the young Englishman. If he fails to do so and his development hits a wall, he can still take heart in knowing that he has a role to play in the Arsenal setup. Welbeck’s knack for both the amazing and infuriating is indicative of the two paths his footballing career can take. Whichever road he goes down, whether it be as a star or a squad player, Welbeck should manage to become a quality asset for the Gunners in the foreseeable future.
