It’s been a theme all week. A player discarded by a top-level coach returning to haunt him with the stakes at their highest.
David Luiz inflicted fatal damage to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in almost comic-book fashion and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar gave Carlo Ancelotti an almighty scare on his return to the Bernabeu .
In both cases though, the suffering manager can still claim some silverware at the end of the campaign. Louis Van Gaal certainly cannot. The man who started the trend against him on Monday night, Danny Welbeck, just might.
Welbeck’s transfer to Arsenal from Van Gaal’s Manchester United last summer raised a few eyebrows. The reasons were debated, the feewas discussed but ultimately no clear-cut verdict was reached. It was thought Arsene Wenger had secured a possible bargain but also that United had better options and ultimately everybody won.
Now with the season three quarters run, is it possible to tell if the man himself has benefited from the move?
The England man began his time in North London well, with goals for club and country. This fruitful start for the Gunners had pundits enthusing over the perpetual shrewdness of Wenger and his knack of polishing a rough diamond.
The Premier League though is an awfully tough nut to crack and the player will no doubt be disappointed with his total of four league goals. Incidentally this is the same amount as the much-maligned Radamel Falcao, who has started five fewer games back up in Manchester.
There is a misconception that United allowed Welbeck to leave despite never deploying him in his favoured forward role. Yes, David Moyes used him wide, as his work-rate offered safety at a time when the Scot was failing to get any form from the established wingers in the squad. He did though offer him the occasional outing in the centre.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the man responsible for the player’s development, also afforded him plenty of chances as the number nine. Ultimately during his time in Manchester he scored less than once in every four appearances for a team that enjoyed success for much of that period.
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Many forget that the Longsight-born man has also represented Sunderland in the Premier League. The spell was viewed as a success but he netted just six times in 26 outings for the Black Cats.
It was these very stats that compelled LVG to cut the 24-year-old loose. The Dutch supremo claimed that, when compared to others in United’s stable of strikers, he simply didn’t score enough goals.
The under-fire boss has since criticised the strikers he retained but ultimately he seems to have been proved right on his theory. Welbeck is one of those rare beasts in the English game; a striker who saves his best form for the national side.
His hot run in England’s colours has continued since his switch to North London and some of his international strikes have come despite being used in the wide left position by Roy Hodgson. These goals though have come against arguably inferior opposition to that which he will face week-in, week-out in the red of Arsenal.
The forward could also now be shunted wide permanently at the Emirates Stadium by Wenger. Alexis Sanchez seems the type of player that will outscore him from any position and the return to form of Olivier Giroud provides further competition.
Despite Welbeck now being faced with with familiar challenges to those he encountered at his old club, the transfer can ultimately be classed as beneficial.
The switch at the start of the season helped him cement his England place. His new side are currently creating more chances than the one he left behind which gives him the chance to find the goals if they are in his locker.
Champions League football too, looks a much surer prospect in the capital.
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