Arsenal: Did Danny Welbeck change anything with his goal?

Arsenal did something unexpected and handed Danny Welbeck a substitute opportunity against West Ham. He made it count. But has anything changed?

I really did not expect to see Danny Welbeck in the Premier League at all this season at Arsenal. I was shocked enough that he wasn’t sold, and with Two world class strikers ahead of him, it just didn’t seem likely that he’d see much time among the choice first-teamers.

As such, I was actually very surprised by his cameo against West Ham. When his number came up next to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s, I was a bit baffled. They play very similar styles, with Welbeck boasting more physical strength, but Aubameyang boasting more of everything else.

That said, the one thing you can never fault Welbeck for is his effort. The man works harder than anyone out there and injuries have been his primary obstacle thus far. Even as we have pretty much given hope in him reaching the levels his young potential hinted at, there is still value to be found in him.

That value looked to be limited to side competitions. He could seemingly rely on consistent appearances in the FA and League Cup, as well as the Europa League, depending on Eddie Nketiah’s senior viability.

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And then Welbeck scored a goal – the first Arsenal striker to do so this season – and I have to sit here and scratch my head. Has that goal changed anything?

It seems like an easy answer. Of course it hasn’t. With Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette trading off the striker spot, Welbeck is going to get chump-change for game time. At least at striker he is. I mean, hell, Lacazette can’t even get a start.

But what if Welbeck’s pronouncement makes him stand out in another way?

It’s not like our “creative attackers” have been all that good at creating or attacking, barring Mkhitaryan’s brief return to relevance against Chelsea. Why couldn’t we field a front three of Welbeck, Aubameyang and Lacazette? It may sound crazy, but with the right three midfielders in behind them, the fire power may be overwhelming, when used correctly.

I don’t actually expect this to happen, but I don’t think it’s the worst idea ever. Welbeck can change things in a game, and he should be seeing more time than what we might have originally expected. I don’t think the goal changed anything, but maybe it can help us realize what a resource he still is.