Arsenal: Danny Welbeck Among Masses Needing Reassessment

Arsenal had high hopes for Danny Welbeck’s return and while the effort has been as alive as ever, the end product has been as questionable as ever too.

Danny Welbeck was supposed to be Arsenal’s savior. He was supposed to come back and revolutionize the striker position, matching the effort and end product put in by Alexis Sanchez. He was supposed to achieve his full potential. All in one fell swoop.

It hasn’t happened. And, perhaps somewhat dishearteningly, he has been given every chance. Probably more of a chance than he deserved. Since his first start against Southampton, when he fueled the savior talk by scoring two silky smooth goals and adding an assist, Welbeck went two substitute appearances before taking the reigns.

It’s been five starts in a row now, with so much on the line, and Welbeck has only managed one goal. In the midst of this complete and utter destruction of the club, Welbeck has been unable to contribute much of anything. Although, to be fair, when you’re at the front of an attack that looks like they’ve just stumbled into a new dimension when they near the box, it’s hard to amount to much.

Still, the cries for a world class striker have never been answered and this summer could be a fantastic time to buck the trend of sticking with the same people and go for something that may cost a bit more but be a sure-fire bet.

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Welbeck will always have a place on just about any team, but it needs to be reassessed just how big of a role he is going to have. I have said it umpteen million times and I will say it again, he is better suited in a two striker set-up. With him and Giroud on the pitch together, Arsenal look scary.

But Wenger doesn’t like that kind of thing.

The rest of the season is a big time for the Englishman. I understand that the entire team is failing and Welbeck is coming off of an injury, but he is playing in front of the most frustrated fan base in the nation that is tired of patience and tired of waiting. If Welbeck requires more waiting to be fully operational, count me out.

That being said, completely abandoning all hope in Welbeck is obviously a stupid suggestion too. His work rate alone is reason to keep him. There is still plenty he has to offer, even if it is as a winger or a super sub. I’d like to think that competition would do him well but, unfortunately, he has had competition ever since he came to Arsenal and it hasn’t done too terribly much.

Next: Arsenal's Potential Starting XI Under Leonardo Jardim

I’m not suggesting anything drastic. But Welbeck should not be spared if the entire team is going to get reassessed. He needs it too.

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