Bolton manager Neil Lennon says that on-loan Arsenal winger Wellington Silva hasn’t been playing regularly in recent times because his displays have been under-par.
Furthermore, he questioned his ability to perform on the road, as The Trotters get sucked ever closer to relegation to League One.
Currently 10 points adrift of safety, and in a catastrophic financial situation, Lennon’s beleaguered side look doomed, and Wellington has found himself sidelined.
His last start was on February 13th and Lennon demoted him to the ‘development squad’ last week, ostensibly to gain match sharpness, but more likely a reflection his performances.
“He has not been playing well enough to warrant a place in the team,” Lennon told The Bolton News. “His recent performances haven’t been anywhere near good enough.
“He is a decent player at home but away from home he is a bit lightweight.”
Wellington has 2 goals in 22 appearances this season, and while he’s showed flashes of ability, hasn’t been able to produce consistently at Championship level.
Pizza anyone?
I’d take him over the OX right now
That, in a nutshell, is the death knell on his Arsenal career. He is already 22 and we have Ox, Campbell and Gnabry ahead of him. If he can’t cut it at Bolton, then he won’t at Arsenal where the standard is even higher.
One more prospect bites the dust.
Bit early to call time isn’t it? got a decade of potential playing time left.
I’m 100% sure you said the same for Campbell and Coquelin too.
Imo, this was another poor loan move like Gnabry to West Bram. Bolton are in a dogfight and don’t have time or space for a flair player like Silva. It’s all about grit, physicality and route one now, for their survival. Wellington doesn’t fit into that like Gnabry.
Should’ve been loaned to higher up Championship teams like Hull or any team with better style of playing.
Bit hard to be sure who will be in a dogfight at the beginning of a season.
Considering their financial situation was well known along with the selling of their players. It was known. I think it was probably more a case of championship players not knowing who he was so only Bolton were interested.
It should and has given him chances to play as they dont have the quality of player to keep him out of the team. Whats worrying is his performances havent been good enough to keep him in the team.
That said loan spells are more about experience than actual quality of performance. Playing 22 games at the second tier of english football should have helped him in the long term. Its also much harder to impress as aflair player in a struggling side.
I can’t remember if I said that about them but am still convinced Wellington has no future. If Coquelin and Campbell were still on the fringes, they too would be doomed. If Arsene is still the manager next season (stranger things have happened), and we fail to win the league this season (we need a miracle now), I expect him to be very ruthless on the playing staff. The pressure to perform in his last season would make the presence of players like Wellington an unwanted distraction. Many are saying this is our last chance to win the league, but… Read more »
If Wenger wants to be ruthless, maybe he should start closer to his favourites such as £140k Walcott than a player who is still only 22.
That man, my friend, is an English man. Does he warrant such obscene amount for what he puts in? Not at all; but he is an English man. Will Wenger have the balls? Who will take him on such a wage? I guess he may just have to go on a free.
Bit harsh, Theo was on a very good run before his last two contract extensions and was injured most of the time in between. While I’m disappointed with him currently, without the benefit of hindsight it was a right thing to keep him. Finally, although he will never be Aguero, he absolutely lacks confidence now and when that come back, he might be very well very useful CF option again when playing on the break.
He spent a few years on loan in Spain too, and didn’t do anything there. Less than likely he’d even get a chance in our first team, never mind take a chance if it was given
Ironically, he did more in his last spain loan (on a number of occasions featured that famous spanish newspapers “team of the week”. Considering it’s usually filled with Barca and Madrid players and he was playing for a relegation-fighting team) than Joel Campbell, who is currently outperforming Ox and Theo, I wouldn’t go jumping the gun.
Honestly, it’s really annoying when people pass judgements based on zero first-hand knowledge whatsoever.
Valid points and as a fellow Nas fan I salute you on your username.
But surely grit and physicality is needed in the PL, especially with our squad that as a collective seem to lack the balls on too many occasions?
Haha, thank you for the Nas appreciation.
I don’t disagree at all, grit and physicality are needed, but Theo shows neither of those, yet has been given 10 years and a £140k a week contract.
Isn’t best to at least…..judge him playing for us first? You know? Like we did Campbell and Coquelin (neither of whom featured much in preseason games, as Wenger does tend to have his favourites).
That’s my bad I think i slightly misinterpreted what you said I think yes grit and determination are needed. I don’t know to be honest how Bolton play, but I would imagine Wellington Silva like any loan player could benefit mentally from a dogfight and if he’s not mentally up for it, it doesn’t bode well for playing for Arsenal who need a bit of spine. If they play route-one football then that’s obviously not conducive to WS’ development. I agree, let’s see how he does first with us. Walcott to be sold (I’m not for jumping on the he’s… Read more »
Absolute nonsense!….should never have been sent there in the first place. its actually more like a round peg being sent to a very very square hole, how can it fit?…same problem Gnabry had, difference is we already know serge IS an exciting talent, so pulis can Fuck Off!! I have seen this boy play, and i will ask anybody to watch him play at least once, before you write him off. Wellington is a flair player, in the mold of neymar, bit like Jeff but without jeff’s physical presence…….a pure attacking talent with bags of pace and tricks, the type… Read more »
Ox is 22; Campbell is 23; Gnabry is 21. We have Jeff at 18, Iwobi at 19. How many prospects can we afford to clutter the first team with. We have spent years nurturing the Denilsons of this world; what have we to show for it? Years of heartache and near misses. Wilshere went to Bolton at 17 and was an instant hit, yet a man at 22 is demoted to the developmental squad! Friend, the epl is getting more competitive every passing year – more so next season. If we retain any ambition to compete with the elite clubs,… Read more »
…to add to that; to think that a man who could not cut it at a lowly champoinship club will suddenly make it at a club chasing local and continental trophies beggars belief.
You completely miss my point…..Bolton operates a totally different type of footballing philosophy, you might even say they are on the other end of the footballing philosophy spectrum to arsenal…… and so even if you send Ozil, who the whole world know is a magician there, or even a messi?..he wouldn’t ‘cut it’ in their eyes…..they would always lack the robustness and doggedness, “the engine” to play ‘their way’….that’s why he referred to him as being a bit ‘light weight’ All I am saying is, at least, see him play in his ‘natural environment’ before you make your judgement…….dosent have… Read more »
That “natural environment” means games against Stoke, West Ham, Chelsea – teams that like to go physical on Arsenal. I doubt if the physical exertions of the Championship is anything compared to that of the Premiership.
A ‘lightweight’ in Bolton won’t suddenly become a heavyweight in Arsenal.
We need more proven players next season. Enough of average players.
Its not always that simple though. Not all players follow the same development curve. Some are ready at 17 like cesc or rooney whereas some arent top level till much later in their career. Where were say koscielny or giroud at 21 for example. Look at mahrez of leicester or even that mouth breather who scored a wonder goal against us at the weekend (who during his many loan spells could barely buy a goal). This seasons loan was probably all about getting him experience in first team football in england so in that way its mission accomplished.
“to think that a man who could not cut it at a lowly champoinship club will suddenly make it at a club chasing local and continental trophies beggars belief.”
Oh? You mean like our current first team right back and arguably one of the best RBs in the league (deffo the best young RB in the league)? Who was returned back from Watford on loan early after not featuring much as they didn’t deem him good enough for the time?
Ok.
This man is 22! Bellerin was 18! Spot the difference.
It’s funny you mentioned how much more competitive the EPL is that we don’t have time to develop and depend on youth. Yet we are behind Sp*rs, a club that chose to completely build their first team squad on the energy and “automatism” of their youth. Heck one could even argue we possibly haven’t give more academy prospects a chance (guys like Denilson are not academy prospects). I’d really find it hard to believe Kristian Beilik would do worse than Flamini, or Afobe, who in 18 months quadripled his value and has already scored more than Theo, wouldn’t have been… Read more »
You got me wrong there. I never said we should not develop talent. It is one thing to have a Bellerin in your team, it is a another to have a Sanogo. There is no point cluttering our space with every Tom, Dick and Harry.
Jeff, Iwobi, Bellerin, Akpom, Toral, Gnabry etc are okay. We need to invest in quality talent. That is the secret of Barcelona, Madrid and Bayern.
Send him to Charlton
My thoughts exactly.
Not long ago, I read here that he had been doing great with Bolton and deserved a chance with Arsenal. Was it his mother who made that comment?
I remember too, think it was even in the last couple of weeks.
Im doing the same now as when I read that, taking a crap at work.
http://news.arseblog.com/2016/02/will-wellington-get-a-chance-at-arsenal-after-impressive-loan-spell/
My housemate is a Bolton fan and this is an unfair reflection of what Wellington has performed like in what is, a very poor team. Lennon has been quick to shift the blame on finances and inexperience, whilst taking on a huge wage packet himself for a club in their situation. Wellington hasn’t been that consistent, but for my housemate, he’s provided a few bright sparks in a horrendously gloomy season for them.
Outside of his 10 week hamstring tear, he’s been one of their few entertaining brightspark in what is turning out to be a dreary and nightmarish season for the fans.
In their last game he came on in the 91st minute and won them the penalty which earned them a draw. Lennon is just using him to ‘gee-up’ the rest of the squad.
Tottenh*m have a better scouting policy than us I swear, it sucks.
I know right we really missed the boat on Soldado omg
I wish we’d spunked £72m on Lamela, Soldado and Paulinho.
For all the things you can criticise us for in recent years, and there’s quite an extensive list, I don’t think scouting is really one of them (transfer policy maybe, scouting not so much)
bet you’ll get a zillion thumb downs for that….why?…..in gooner world, nothing of those fuckers is EVER better than ours, even if it (temporarily) feels like!
Thought i read an article on arseblog a few weeks ago saying he had proved he could cut it in englands lower tear and deserved a chance with us?
Im confused, yet not at all fussed. Plenty of options out wide. Would prefer to give jon toral his chance instead.
Let’s not judge him yet sanogo couldn’t cut it at Crystal palace or Ajax but the Charlton fans can’t get enough of him
Too lightweight for Bolton? As though this is some kind of revelation? We knew exactly what sort of player Wellington was – talented but flimsy and completely unsuited to the English Championship – from his performances over the years in Spain. Yet we still sent him to the worst possible manager/club where it was obvious he’d not get many games and could easily have picked up a career-ending injury since he’s a pacey dangerous winger who’d be particularly vulnerable to Championship tackles. Fortunately all that happened was that he tore something – hamstring? ligament? – and was only out for… Read more »
“Sanogo, a gangling, uncoordinated, street-fighter”. What a description.! Sounds cruel but I’ve not been able to hold back the laughter.
After reading the many varied opinions here on why Wellington shouldn’t be at loan at Bolton or in the championship just a quick thought. How can any player hope to succeed at the top level without the willingness to fight more, work harder and win. I keep seeing words like philosophy and natural environment almost used as excuses and think to myself we’re pretending that the championship is some parallel sport played by mercenary ninja thugs who count score by bones broken. Kinda roller ball style (remember that movie?) Seriously you need to actually watch lower tier football it, it’s… Read more »
If he can’t get stuck in and battle on the wings, he’s just another “shit Theo Walcott” and we already have a couple of those.
Winger position now is one of the more physically demanding roles and you need to track back and defend as well as push up to give width to the attack.
“Too lightweight”. What a British evaluation of a player. I’m guessing that Neil Lennon’s coaching advice includes brilliant insights like “get stuck in”, go in hard, he doesn’t fancy it”, “stop mucking about and just get the ball in the box”, and “run about a bit.”
Genius ^^
“shit Theo Walcott” and we already have a couple of those.”
Hahahaha
IMO, every successful team needs graceful, elegant, skilful play-makers – and it may well be that Wellington is one of these. As mentioned in an earlier blog, I’m fairly sure Ozil would be as much value as a chocolate teapot at Bolton. However, every successful team also needs some work-horses and – more importantly – leaders, who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. My concern is that we are not cultivating any of these. I’m not worried that Wellington isn’t a soaraway success at Bolton – and I also don’t think we should write him off because of this.… Read more »