Arsenal Vs FC Koln: Danny Welbeck a no-lose risk

Danny Welbeck is set to return to the Arsenal team against FC Koln on Thursday night. The striker, such is his injury record, is a no-lose risk that could provide an attacking spark for the Gunners against FC Koln and for the rest of the season.

In years gone by, Arsenal have tended to rely on injury prone players to fill out their starting XI. Players like Tomas Rosicky, Abou Diaby and Robin van Persie were seen, when fit, as entrenched starters. The issue was that they were never fit. So they were never starters, either. Reserves were playing in their stead.

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The problems came in the fact that they were still key components of the squad. Having them fit was almost vital to the success of the team. So when they were absent, it cut out a pivotal piece of the side. If, say, they were additions to the squad, rather than entrenched starters, then their absence would have been much more manageable.

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Thankfully, that is much more akin to the situation that Danny Welbeck is in. The versatile attacker, while often heavily involved when fit and firing, is not a player that Arsenal are dependent upon. With the numbers and quality that they have in the attacking positions without Welbeck available, when he does return, it is simply a boost to what is already a strong area of the squad.

So Welbeck’s anticipated return to the playing squad on Thursday, as the Gunners prepare to travel to Germany to take on FC Koln, is a true no-lose risk. Arsene Wenger is not in a position where he must manage Welbeck carefully because he needs him later in the season, though he will take such precautions anyway. Wenger can thrust Welbeck into the squad, knowing that whatever he offers is a bonus.

And what Welbeck does offer is significant. Although he may not be the creative force that Mesut Ozil, although he may not boast the same clinical edge as Alexandre Lacazette, although he may not offer the out-of-nothing brilliance of Alexis Sanchez, his athleticism, his work ethic, his game intelligence, and his versatility are traits that are valuable to this squad.

It will be interesting to see how sharp Welbeck looks if he returns to the fray against Koln. Wenger deemed him fit enough to make the bench for Saturday’s North London derby after returning to training just the week prior. So there must at least be an element of cutting-edge that he has returned with.

Next: Arsenal Vs FC Koln: Predicted starting XI

The good thing for Arsenal, though, is that they have absolutely nothing to lose. Welbeck is a free-hit, a risk that they can only win on. How much they win on him is yet to be determined. But his return can only be a good thing.