by Mark Bassey

Danny Welbeck must be wondering what he needs to do, before he can be considered the main man.

The England striker left Manchester United for Arsenal last summer and one of the reasons he gave for quitting, was a desire to play through the middle more frequently.

When he arrived at the Emirates, he was afforded the opportunity. And that is because Olivier Giroud had injured his ankle and was ruled out for three months. After the Frenchman returned, Welbeck has been shifted wide, especially when Giroud started.

Wenger explained why yesterday, after the Gunners strolled to a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough in their FA Cup tie.

“If you look at the history of my strikers, most of them have been able to play in different forward positions over the year,” he said. “The only one who hasn’t and probably has to play up front is Giroud, but the rest have been able to play wide if necessary.”

Although Welbeck is a victim of his own versatility, his finishing has not been top notch. He was compared by a few Gooners to the legendary Thierry Henry. But for all his pace and endeavour, Welbeck lacks Henry’s finesse in front of goal.

The 24-year-old has age on his side and has enough time to improve. That should be his focus for now.

ifreke

Ifreke Inyang is a public commentator and social media critic who has worked with a number of high profile publications across the country.