Arsenal: Danny Welbeck shames the old and beckons the new

Danny Welbeck unlocked Arsenal’s attacking potency in the win over Manchester United, shaming the old way with Olivier Giroud, and beckoning the new.

It was a far more accomplished Arsenal performance than ones of weeks past. While the new 3-4-3 system had brought wins against Middlesbrough, Manchester City and Leicester City, none of those displays had been particularly convincing, and in the win over Leicester and the subsequent North London derby loss, Arsene Wenger was quick to revert to a back-four when searching for a late goal.

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And that is why Sunday’s 2-0 win over Manchester United is so significant and influential: there is a growing comfort, understanding and assimilation with the new system that is beginning to take effect on the pitch. It was, though, not an easy adaptation, and Wenger himself had to make drastic changes in order for his side to maximise the success the new system offers.

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The most striking and important alteration he made was to drop Olivier Giroud, starting Danny Welbeck in the centre-forward role instead. Wenger has, on numerous occasions, professed the improved defensive focus that this new formation brings, suggesting that he is wanting a more counter-attacking style in the final third.

However, Giroud, while a player of many qualities, is geared towards a certain style of play; the team must be tailored to him. Otherwise, his utility is significantly diminished. And that style of play is far from a fluid, dynamic, free-flowing, fast-paced counter-attacking one, where the onus is on winning possession and moving the ball forwards, with purpose, direction and speed.

Welbeck, on the other hand, does possess the athletic qualities to excel as the spearhead of such an approach, and it was evident on Sunday. The interchangeable movement of himself, Alexis Sanchez and even Aaron Ramsey from deep was difficult for United to deal with. He was willing to run in behind, not always playing with his back to goal, looking for passes to his feet.

Welbeck, individually at least, may not be a better player than Giroud. While they both play the same position, they do so with very different purposes and principles. One is a bruising, bullying centre-forward, who battles his way to success. The other is an athlete, a player who relies on his speed and his movement to engineer opportunities for himself.

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There is no right or wrong way of playing the position. Both can bring success to the team in their own different ways. But for right now, Welbeck’s pace and dynamism, in contrast to Giroud’s sluggishness and lethargy is far more beneficial, and Arsenal would be better served persevering with the former.