Danny Welbeck says the opportunity to take part in pre-season training from the off bodes well for his chances of making an impact in the upcoming season.
The England international has had to sit out the previous two summers due to successive serious knee injuries but has held up well to the rigours of regular football since returning in January.
Welbeck, who earned praise from Arsene Wenger for his performance in the Gunners 2-0 win over Sydney FC yesterday, told the Mirror that despite his fitness frustrations he’s optimistic about the coming months.
“It’s been frustrating,” said the 26-year-old. “I’ve spoken about it in the past and it’s not nice.
“Obviously you’ve got to deal with the injuries but that’s behind me now and I’ve got to kick on. I’ve got to build a base for pre-season and hopefully stay injury-free for the season.
“I haven’t had the best of luck with injuries, it’s hindered my progression and where I want to be but hopefully I can stay injury-free and really show what I can do.
“It’s been a couple of years [since I took part in pre-season], it’s obviously nice to be fit for pre-season. I’m fit, not match fit, but going into it injury-free is good for me. Build a base, I can build on that for the rest of the season.
“I got fit last season but you also have to take your time with it and build up steadily through the levels and to be back out here in a pre-season, my first pre-season for three years.”
Welbeck also touched on the competition for places at Arsenal with the likes of Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and new boy Alexandre Lacazette all on Arsene Wenger’s striker roster.
“I think from when I was a little boy playing in the academy, you’ve always got competition wherever you may be and it’s something you learn to deal with and you just want to keep on improving. It makes you hungrier.
“I think it’s going to be an exciting season. There’s a lot of strong teams, a lot of teams making great additions to their squads. It’s one that will be an exciting season, one that we’re ready for and one we’re looking forward to.”
Good on ya Welbz, so glad for you that you have a fit pre-season, at last. I truly hope that you will be able to build on that and proceed from there to reach your full potential. Best of luck from me..GOYG..
Ps; And keep on, keeping on creating mayhem for the opposition.
He is good at instigating the opponents with his chasing.
I just think he needs to relax in front of goal because he has missed a number of sitters.
It may be that wenger will also be relying on Lacazette to help Welbeck sharpen up and be less forgiving.
Hope this is Danny’s year – he really deserves it. If he stays injury free I’m sure he’ll score goals.
After Alexis he must be the most be most hard-working player in the team.
Hard-work Ranking
1. Alexis
2. Mesut
3. Monreal
4. Ramsey
5. Le Coq
May have turned a few heads having ozil 2nd, but please watch ozil without commentary or punditry
Is this based on stats or personal perception? Is Cech not hard working because of his relative lack of running or are you basing this on mental focus/concentration and training/lifestyle commitment too? (Not having a go, just interested!)
Hope is not a good thing to rely on.
Better to hold Giroud and have Welbeck deliver before letting the Frenchman leave.
Hard work running around and no efficiency is also not good.
Elneny is a hard working player and we can rely on him for his lungs but he isn’t particularly effective.
Guys if sanchez leaves,I hope not but if he does, I think welbeck will be best cadidate for his position,he wont have the pressure of a striker and he can pop up with the goals. Even if lemar arrives he is a creator like ozil ,not a scorer like sanchez,theo,welbz.
So Welbz is a scorer but Lemar isn’t?
Lemar scored 14 goals last season and made 14 assists. Pretty sure Welbeck didn’t score 14
Ozil does work hard. He is so excellent with outwitting defenders with slow movements it looks like he doesn’t work hard. But imagine how good he would be if he is taught to dribble with quick movements.
I don’t know about you guys but I am liking the positivity around Arsenal lol so much so I am thumbing up all comments including the ridiculous ones!!!
Good to see him back and if he can stay injury free, will have a big part to play in a very crucial season i.e. must get back into CL and challenge for league or else gunnersaurus gets it!
Is it me or do English players tend to be injury prone. I mean lierally all our English player have had injury troubles in their career.
Walcott, Ox, Wilshere, Gibbs, Welbeck
And it’s not just at Arsenal. Almost all the other top clubs have an injury prone Englishman too
Sturridge, Henderson
Luke Shaw, Jones
Delph
Even Kane at Sp*rs has begun to look shaky.
Looking at this list it Would seem Chelsea are the fittest of the top clubs.
I don’t know what to make of it. Just an observation that always bothered me
Hopefully there’s plenty more meme celebrations from the Welbz this season.
If anything, Lacazette and Giroud are first choice. Welbeck needs to sharpen up in front of goal. He has all the requisites to succeed Giroud but flatters to deceive. OTOH, we have seen as well in pre-season Wenger is willing to play BOTH Giroud and Lacazette together. In this case Lacazette plays from left side tucked in (Alexi’s position hint)…and at no detriment to his scoring potential. So it will not be too far out to suggest that BOTH welbeck and Giroud can be options up top (With Giroud likely ahead of Welbeck bc of efficiency). Lacazette is also an… Read more »