ARSENAL STRIKER DANNY Welbeck has aimed a barb at former employers Manchester United by suggesting they hampered his development by playing him out of position on the wing.
A succession of United managers — Alex Ferguson, David Moyes and Louis van Gaal — opted to use Welbeck as a wide forward, with Van Gaal explaining recently that he did not score enough goals.
But Welbeck has hit form since his €20.2 million (£16 million) switch to Arsenal and has now scored four goals in five games after his hat-trick against Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“Nobody can really criticise my finishing because they don’t really see me playing in a forward position too often,” said Welbeck, in comments carried by several British newspapers on Friday.
“But now I am getting into these positions, I want to be sticking the ball in the back of the net. I am sure it’s the same with every other striker.
Obviously people can say I have not scored enough goals, but you stick the best strikers on the wing in a four-man midfield and see if they score goals.”
Welbeck’s team-mate Aaron Ramsey likened the England striker to Arsenal great Thierry Henry following his hat-trick against Galatasaray, telling talkSPORT radio that one of his goals had been “very Thierry Henry-esque”.
Similarly to Welbeck, Henry began his career as a winger before being converted into a prolific centre-forward, but Welbeck said comparisons with the former France international were premature.
“You can’t start making comparisons like that,” said the 23-year-old. “Obviously Thierry Henry is someone I have looked up to ever since I started playing football.”
