Arsenal and England forward Danny Welbeck spoke to Arsenal Player to discuss his career thus far and the early setbacks that have helped develop him into the player he is today.
Welbeck initially struggled early in his career with Osgood-Schlatter disease, an inflammation of the patellar ligament at the tibial tuberosity, but is now a fully-fit, quick, agile, strong frontman who is currently second in the European Championship qualifier top goalscorer charts, only bettered by Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.
“It’s not always going to be a clean sail through,” the 24-year-old said. “Getting injured is a massive setback. When you look back at it, it makes you a better and a stronger person today but at the time it’s hard to deal with.
“I started growing late so I was a late developer. I got Osgood-Schlatter disease in my knees because my bones were growing quicker than my muscles and it’s hard to get out on the training pitch, then afterwards you’re in agony every single time you play football.
“You’ve just got to take it as a positive and see what you can do to make yourself better. Looking back at it now it helped me develop into a man mentally as well as physically because you’ve got to rest your body and learn the game from a different perspective.”
With increased competition for places within the team, Welbeck will have to start the season in fine form, but has quickly established himself as a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium and he believes it is further incentive to continue playing well: “It’s great and it gives you even more of an incentive to do well.
You want to get on to the pitch, do well for yourself, the team and the whole club in general. The fans are very special in this game and it’s great that the Arsenal fans have taken to me so well.”
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