Arsenal: Danny Welbeck has been and will be missed

Danny Welbeck has missed almost the whole season with a horrific ankle injury. Arsenal have felt his absence. And they will continue to for the remainder of the year and beyond.

How can you not smile when you see Danny Welbeck’s large grin? And lately, it’s been all smiles at Arsenal.

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There is an air of confidence. A slight air, more like a breeze than a gust, but still an air. Sitting alone in fourth spot in the table, quarter-finals of the Europa League, there is reason for hope. It is just a shame that Welbeck is not really a part of it. Wouldn’t it be nice to see that smiling face of Welbeck grace the pitch again?

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Prior to an ugly ankle injury that has kept him out of the remainder of the season, Welbeck was having a great start to the year. He did spearhead some inspiring games early in the Europa League competition and added a couple of goals that helped Arsenal get to where they are now. But this season will largely be seen as a black hole in the Welbeck record.

Welbeck does bring more to the game than just goals. It’s that love of being a footballer, that pace down the left side, that athletic prowess he carries in games with that ominous look that spreads fear into opponents. These are qualities and characteristics that few other players can replicate. The Gunners have missed him this season and will continue to miss him.

Another area where Welbeck’s absence will be hard felt is aerially. He may not have had the same physical dominance as Olivier Giroud, but he was a force in the air thanks to his combination of explosive power and physical size. He gave Arsenal hope in the air, and given the usual shortcomings of this team, that is a rare gift.

What happens with Welbeck after this season remains to be seen. His contract will expire and a decision must be made about his future. The primary motivation will be his recovery from injury. Will his body even allow his infectious attitude to take the pitch again? The very fact that that question is being fairly asked is concerning enough.

But for the right price, Arsenal should consider bringing Welbeck back. He is a uniquely versatile, gifted attacker who knows how to score goals and cause problems. You do not sell those players willy-nilly. Welbeck has been missed this season. He will be missed for the rest of it, with the Gunners playing five away fixtures in the Premier League and Napoli in the Europa League, the perfect type of games for an industrious Welbeck. And he will be missed for the remainder of his career if he leaves this summer.

Let’s hope, then, that we get to see that shining smile take to the Emirates pitch again.