Danny Welbeck says Arsenal must match Chelsea’s consistency if they are to mount a serious title challenge next season.
Jose Mourinho’s side coasted to the Premier League title with three games to spare last campaign, never looking back after racing to the top of the table in the early weeks of the season.
Noting that the Gunners form after Christmas is evidence that they can handle the weekly grind, Welbeck underlined the importance of making a fast start when they kick off against West Ham in August.
“Chelsea won the league and credit to them,” reflected the 24-year-old in Rabona Magazine.
“They were very consistent last season with their performances and results.
“There have been times when they might not have played that well but they’ve still got the results. They’ve got a winning mentality, they just move onto the next game and get those three points.
“With Arsenal, at the start of the season we weren’t getting as many points as we should have and that’s obviously held us back further down the line.
“We don’t want to set our aims low, we want to be the best we can be. After the run we went on, it shows that we can handle it in the Premier League and keep racking up wins and three points after three points.
“That’s something we want to do and I think that’s something we can look to do again next season. We’re determined to keep on improving and are determined to come back stronger next season.”
Improvement on the pitch is something that Welbeck also sees as a personal aim after a steady, if unspectacular, debut season at the Emirates.
“My first season was transitional because you’re still getting to know your team mates,” he continued.
“The way of playing and just finding your feet at the club. I feel really comfortable at Arsenal, everyone has been really welcoming.
“There’s a great camaraderie around the place, it’s a lovely environment. That’s from the kitchen staff, the cleaning staff, right the way through to the players, backroom staff and the manager.”
“I am getting used to the different systems and the way the team plays,” he added. “You’ll get more touches on the ball if you’re out wide left or right than you would as a striker.
“But the team has to adapt to the different players in different positions but it’s about finding the right balance, seeing how you can get the players right to get the victory that day.”
I have to say, if the likes of Welbeck, Chambo, Walcott etc can stay injury free and start delivering consistent end product, I feel like our attack will be massively stronger next season even if we don’t make any signings. I would indeed love an Alexis type purchase, but I definitely think there’s a lot more to come just from the players currently at the club. Bring on next season!
I had the very same thought. Coyg
Me too. Walcott with Özil behind him, Chambos season was great even with all the injuries, Welbz who I like to see as a striker and also Gnabry who’s probably going on loan and I think all of these 4 are going to be greats
COYG!
Spot on mate. Welbeck is getting settled in, and Chambo has had his share of niggles. I have real high hopes for these 2, and Welbz should definitely be good enough for 15+ goals next season. As for Chambo, we’ve barely scratched the surface… he’s shown glimpses of his ability, but inconsistency and injuries have hindered his progress. With age and experience, he should become consistent, and he’s going to be a force to reckon with. Walcott of course can only get sharper (plus, it is contract time- when players play best!), Ozil 2.0 is what we expected of our… Read more »
Özil, Ox, Cazorla, Welbeck, Wilshere ALL need to contribute more this season. If they as a while contribute 50-60 goals next season, we wouldn’t really need another striker
Okay, they don’t.
Bring on !! COYG !!
It’s true that we dropped far too many point at the start of the season while Giroud was out injured. Hopefully #BigSexy stays fit and we don’t have to rely on Welbeck for long periods again.
Think you may have confused Giroud for Koscielny
Giroud WAS out for an extended period. When he came back he missed tons of goals, especiially against Monaco.
He missed tons because he was in position to do so. He also scored a some lovely and important goals and won us a few points and our win ratio increased.
He also won aerial duels, made those little flicks and those runs that pull defenders out of position allowing his team mates to score goals.
I hope; and if he is on target more often next season and he will be a legend
Bendtner always used to get in “the position to miss tons of goals” as well; doesn’t mean we miss him.
Stop overhyping Giroud…with the midfielders he has beind him, he should be doing WAY better than he has for the last 2 seasons.
Just how long is a piece of WAY?
The thing with giroud is he thrives on crosses not tippy tappy through the middle so its up to wenger to get it right tactically.
Not true, see team goals against Norwich, West Ham, Sunderland off the top of my head, Giroud was a key part in all of those.
Yes he is a target man and holds the ball well and links with others but to score he loves crosses.
Giroud, run? ha ha ha
What about a classic 4-4-2 sometimes….?
———————– Walcott —————–
—————– Alexis ————————-
Welbeck ——————————–The Ox
————Wilshere——–Ramsey———–
A starting eleven without Özil is just stupid
M.City vs. Arsenal (0-2)
Sun, 18-Jan-15
——————— Giroud ——————–
Alexis ———————————–The Ox
————Cazorla——–Ramsey———–
—————–— Coquelin ——————–
And drop Coq who was completely instrumental to our improved form since January? Seems harsh….
And Ozil who for my money is possibly the best player to put on an arsenal shirt since Bergkamp left… Just no.
1. If everybody stays fit – there will be quality on the bench anyway…
We have a lot of great players in the middle fortunately but it also means that it is much easier to say why it is bad to leave somebody out.
By the way… I would really like to see how you fellow gunners would combine the starting 11
2. “…sometimes…”
I would bench Welbeck, put Alexis, left and Ozil behind Wally.
I’d like to see me starting in that game, is it against Middlesbrough or what?
I would go with: Cech (Szcz) – Bellerin (Debuchy) Mertesacker (Chambers) Koscielny (Gabriel) Nacho (Gibbs) – Coquelin (signing) Ramsey (Wilshere) Ozil (Cazorla/Rosicky) – Walcott (Ox) Giroud (Welbeck) Alexis (Gnabry) – maybe a top quality striker if someone whos really better than Giroud is on the market. I doubt that the likes of Benzema or Higuain are such an impimprovement. But thats a team with a hell of depth so we will challenge next season. I strongly believe.
Would love to see Welbz bag 15 goals next season. He just needs to be a little calmer on the ball and he’ll get there.
C’mon Danny, you can be dat guy.
If there is someone who can help a player find his groove. It is Wenger. Welbeck just needs to work hard & from the looks of it, he seems to get that, so let’s hope he does well.
Wenger loves a good old fashioned winger to potential cf/striker project.
He has got all the skills. With games, his finishing will improve too.
http://arsenalist.com/f/2014-15/arsenal-vs-galatasaray/that-great-flick-and-run-by-welbeck.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZKobXZ6d1s (jump to 0:34)
Those flicks.. when Suarez did , people talked about it. This guy does it very well too..and importantly, it looks so effortless for him. Looks natural!
I couldn’t agree more, in fact I wrote as much the other day:
https://tremendarse.wordpress.com/2015/06/24/24th-june-2015/
Will probably be a bit divisive to say this, but this next season is Wele’s make-or-break for me. Loads of potential, but if he doesn’t offer an upgrade over Theo or HFB in terms of actual goals, it’s hard to convince myself he’ll make an impact in a title-challenge. Here’s hoping he can take a Coq-esque rise to fame & fortune in the red & white!
Especially when people were saying how he’ll make the same impact as sturridge and how he’ll be the new henry.
Regardless, i like him. He’s got underrated technique and works hard for the team.
One thing is for sure that we need more goals whether it comes from a new signing or players like welbeck, Walcott or the ox.
I would love it if the above three can step up, all of them are talented and promising in their own way so if even two of them realize their potential we would be in a good place next season.
Welbeck, Rambo, Walcott: Lovely blokes who give lovely, anodyne interviews!
If he can improve his finishing and decision making in front of goal he would become unstoppable,his pace height and strength would terrify defenders if he was more clinical,still young and has shown at times for us and manure how good he can be,if he can perform to his best ability consistently every week he can score 20+ goals a season no problem
Al this talk about being stronger next season will only come about if we improve the squad.
If Cech arrives and we bring in Vidal and Higuain or players of that calibre then we are real serious contenders!
We have a really good squad at the moment but lacks the additional world class players to compete with the big spenders.
Unfortunately the “positive” fans will thumb you down for being too negative.
ST, DM and GK and this squad will challenge, anything less and it’s 3rd place and FA cup again.
John Terry is a cunt!
If you go and watch some replays from the games he was in you will quickly notice that some of the saves opposing keepers made on his shots were just ridiculous. I truly believe he can be a 15+ a season player.
Danny is great at taking a man on, linking up with Alexis/Ox (Especially Ox), and getting into very very dangerous positions.
Out of all the players are Arsenal right now I feel as if he can easily be top 1 or 2 in impact on our performances next season.
He’s the main reason why I think Cech will be the only signing this summer. Giroud, Welbeck, Walcott (Akpom) don’t all go into one spot as it is, let alone another body. I think Welbeck has it in him to make it his own spot.
I’m inclined to agree that Cech will be the only summer signing, but I’ll offer some more detail/additional reasoning. For the DM position: If Man U get Shneiderlin, as its looking increasingly likely they will, you have to believe that thats two summers in a row that AW has opted not to move for the player. Now, since this a player we could easily sign (french, affordable, familiar) and have not, means AW has opted out. Combine that with the year extension to Arteta and the continued presence of Flamini and its ovbious AW believes we are well stocked for… Read more »
I’m really not even bothered by it either. Looking at it objectively, instead of getting panty twisted transfer nonsensed, we don’t need much. The games we do need a DM we have Coq. Not like he will need to start every game as not every game needs a DM…..Don’t know why people can’t see past that.
I think there’s still a great desire for Cl success (obviously), and people probably envision a midfield of Flamini/Wilshere being far too porous against the Barca frontline. If Coquelin is missing in big games, it could cost us but that would be quite unlucky, and we always have good luck with injuries so we should be fine, right? I’m not against us moving into next season without another DM, if Arteta is fit and Rambo stays in and around the team with Santi then we probably have enough, maybe AW wants to try out Chambers and give Bielik a chance… Read more »
My biggest worry would be an injury to Coq. I think we’re well stocked for backup elsewhere, but look at the impact the Kos injury had last year without a natural replacement. I really don’t have faith in Arteta or Flamini to do the job against top six teams.
Can’t believe someone or sometwo have thumbed you down. Incredible.
Oh danny boy
the goals, the goals
Are calling
From club to club
Thy shall go and score
For all the talk about a new DM, improving on Welbeck or Chamberlain will be key. Their output in terms of goals is too low for the front three position as compared to what le coq brings to his position.
Whether that’s done with a new signing or personal improvement, I’d take over a new DM
Wele hit the nail there when he said Ch*lsea have a winning mentality. As much as I despise the blue part of London, they do grind out a win.
That is the difference. Blackburn won the league in 95 with a young shearer amongst other (at the time) less known players. The attitude and mentality of the players can account for at least 2/3 world class stars.
Arsenal are getting that mentality as they showed by doing back to back FA Cups. Bring it to the league and the league double could well be on.
“camaraderie”
This sounds harsh, but Welbeck is a second rate player. He’d only be a starter at a team like West Ham or some other mid table nothing club. I don’t like his loyalty to Manure either. Either drop your ties or don’t come at all.
I have a problem with your rational. For the greatest manager in the history of the EPL to not only nurture DW though the youth ranks, all the way to the senior team, play him out of position 90% of the time, and trust him in some of the biggest games for the club when his go to BIG stars maybe inured, keeping him around for years and years, as he continues to buy other so called BIG players from the likes of Arsenal FC; speaks more about the obvious quality of this young player than you obviously could ever… Read more »
I understand he’s a mediocre striker who doesn’t score nearly often enough, and that’s why Manure sold him in the end. If we’re relying on Welbeck as a starting player we won’t win the league, and that’s a fact.
Well, as long as danny boy scores against manure I am happy.
No matter how well we do in a previous season I’m always a fan of 2 or 3 signings at least. Reason being that our direct rivals wouldn’t stay still particularly with the new money available to clubs now Liverpool in particular are under pressure to improve. So there is a danger that if we keep basking in the glory of last season’s performance others will catch up.
A bit of depth to the squad will always a good insurance against injuries fatigue and suspensions
Its why wenger loves players who can cover a few positions and then plays them mostly out of their best, which is fine when it works but…. ohh why the stubborness when it doesnt.
Welbeck has all but one very important characteristic to be the complete striker – FINISHING.
He has underrated technique, fast, pacy and a bit skillful; but here is the problem: you can’t rely on him to win you titles. Its all good having him as an option alongside the likes of a world class striker, but he isn’t going to get you 20 goals and will probably struggle to get you 15.
Giroud and welbeck will NOT win us the title. We NEED a world class striker.
Spot on. It’s laughable to suggest that either Welbeck or Giroud are good enough to win the league.
How dare you state the bleeding obvious. But Mr Wenger knows best: we’re all just brainless idiots. Both Giroud and Welbeck are better than Messi.
We’ll walk the league next season, just you wait and see.