Why Striker Is the Position Arsenal Must Use Danny Welbeck in When He Returns

Danny Welbeck could be forgiven for feeling sorry for himself. Having fought his way back from a 10-month lay-off to regain his place in the Arsenal and England teams, he was fit for a matter of a few months before injury claimed him again.

Welbeck is now facing another lengthy spell on the sidelines. If he needs something to help him keep his motivation high during his rehabilitation, he should focus on his future with the Gunners—and that should be as a centre-forward. 

Although Arsene Wenger loves versatility in his players, there is mounting evidence that being tactically accommodating can have a detrimental impact on a player’s career. Look at Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, perennially caught between being a winger and a central midfield player. The reality is that while he has potential in both positions, the uncertainty has contributed to his failure to flourish in either.

The same can be said of Theo Walcott. When the former Southampton man missed out on England’s Euro 2016 squad, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry cited his failure to nail down a regular role as a factor.

Henry told the Press Association (h/t Daily Mail): “I always have a mixed reaction, Theo Walcott has been in the game for 10 years, you should know about him. You always have something to prove, he should know what he can offer to a team. By now he should know what his position is, but it is not clear.” 

The same accusation could be levelled at Welbeck. Part of the reason he would likely have made Roy Hodgson’s squad ahead of Walcott is that he can play a variety of different positions. Welbeck is a “Swiss Army Knife” type of player, capable of catering his game to a manager’s needs.

That’s partially a consequence of his selflessness. Watch Welbeck play, and his team-orientated attitude is immediately obvious. He’s made no secret of where he would prefer to play.

When he first signed for Arsenal in September of 2014, he told the Sunday Times (h/t Sky Sports): “I prefer to play as a centre-forward. We’ll see (about his scoring rate) when I get my opportunity to do that. I’ve …

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