It took Henry 9 games. It took Bergkamp 6
games. Anelka was also a slow settler. But despite these faltering starts, all
three went on to become important sources of goals for Arsenal. What was it
that made them great? It certainly wasn’t their debut performance.
By Matthew Hurlow (follow him on twitter: @ArsenalZA)
We have a new striker at Arsenal now, “dat
guy” Danny Welbeck. Of course, everyone would love for him to kick-start his
Arsenal career by banging one or two (or three or four) in against his old Manchester rival. Some fans might even be angry with anything less than a goal, feeling
that Wenger’s gamble on Danny-boy is really the last straw, pointing out that
we probably should have signed a solid defensive midfielder instead. In that
respect, it’s debut goal or bust for Welbeck.
But in a broader, more rational view of
things, Danny’s debut performance shouldn’t matter. I’m sure a large section of
the Arsenal faithful started to think of Henry as a flop after his eighth game
without a goal, and look how wrong they turned out to be. In a game of so many
variables, a goal on debut doesn’t guarantee future success, and a poor debut
does not guarantee failure in the future. Heck, nothing is guaranteed. But –
does that logic still apply?
I mean, if we’re honest with ourselves, a
good striker should score as often as possible. With a wealth of options to
assist Welbz, he should have no excuse. He will no longer have the “I’m being
played on the wing” excuse. When Sanchez sends a delicious cross in from the
right wing on Saturday, and Welbeck rises above Kompany, everyone will be
expecting to see his header hit the back of the net. And it will. Unless
Danny’s not all he’s cracked up to be. This is the fear of sceptical and
sanguine fans alike.
In the modern game, a goal on debut is often a mark of a striker set for
success. Diego Costa proved that he was not a “one-club-wonder” by scoring in
his first three league games for Chelsea. Prolific scorers with lower-table teams (both of whom have been linked to Arsenal countless times), Wilfried Bony
and Christian Benteke, scored on debut. Recently, the legendary, proven goal
scorer Samuel Eto’o scored on his Everton debut. It looks like scoring on debut
does indeed bode well for the future.
Enter Demba Ba and Mario Ballotelli...
Demba Ba, a solid performer and regular goal
scorer for Hoffenheim, West Ham United and Newcastle United, scored on his
Chelsea debut. Not once, but TWICE. His first game was a 5-1 rout of
Southampton in the FA Cup. His next few games also yielded good returns. And
then, out of nowhere, the fairy dust ran out, the magic stopped flowing through
his boot, the goals dried up. Mario Ballotelli began his Man City career by
coming on as a substitute to score an important Europa League goal, making him
a fan favourite. Unfortunately, his overall form from then on was not quite as
explosive as the fireworks in his bathroom. Eventually sold to AC Milan, he
looked to have regained his panache, but his form soon turned sour there too.
Just how far his star has fallen was evident in his dismal performance for
Liverpool two weeks ago. Aha, scoring on debut is not always an indication of
future success.
In my opinion, Danny Welbeck possesses a
quality lacking in both Ba and Ballotelli. Work rate. The only reason why he
put up with playing on the wing for so long at United was his intense
commitment and work ethic. He has proved his ability as a work-horse for both
United and England, sometimes playing as a false-nine for his country. And,
even so, he did get two goals for England the other night, and Switzerland are
not a bad side. So even if Welbeck’s goals don’t come at first, or they dry up
after an early burst, or he scores and then (touch wood) gets injured
immediately afterwards, his hunger and desire should see him through.
Finally, I’d like to compare Welbeck to the
man I’d most like for him to emulate: Daniel Sturridge. A few months ago, I
wrote an article for Arsenal Corner in which I said that Daniel Sturridge is
the player I’d most like us to sign. I hadn’t even thought of Welbeck. Arsenal
signing a player from a big rival? Preposterous! But it’s happened and now I
believe that Danny Welbeck is actually a better fit. For one thing, he has many
of the same qualities as Sturridge: pace, power, skill and finishing ability.
Yes, finishing ability. He hasn’t scored as many goals as Welbeck, but if you
watch the way he has taken the ones he has scored you can’t help but be
impressed with the calmness, precision, and crispness of those shots. And
although Sturridge trumps Ba and Ballotelli in terms of work rate, Welbeck
trumps him in that department.
At the beginning of this piece I asked what
it was that turned Henry, Bergkamp and Anelka from stuttering starters to scintillating
scorers. Now I have the answer: the ability, the pace and most importantly, the
hunger. Welbeck is hungrier than a bunch of adolescent boys (and much better
looking too).
Score or miss, embarrass or dazzle, Welbeck
will be a success for Arsenal.
By Matthew Hurlow (@ArsenalZA)
