Danny Welbeck has hit back at former club Manchester United as he begins to excel in his favoured centre forward role for Arsenal.
Welbeck, who scored a Champions League hat-trick for his new club on Wednesday, has accused his old club of playing him out of position and claims that was was the reason why he failed to succeed at Old Trafford.
The forward, who joined Arsenal in a £16million summer move, has flourished under new boss Arsene Wenger and believes it’s down to being deployed as an out and out striker.
“Nobody can really criticise my finishing because they didn’t really see me playing in a forward position too often,” Welbeck told reporters.
“But now I am getting into these positions I want to be sticking the ball in the back of the net. I’m sure it’s the same with every other striker.
“Obviously people can say I’ve 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 was often deployed on the flanks at United and with Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao all at the club, the 23-year-old struggled to stake a claim in his favoured role.
United boss Louis van Gaal even went as far as to say that Welbeck wasn’t up to the required standard, citing his goalscoring record compared to Rooney and Van Persie as the reason for his Old Trafford departure.
But now Welbeck is the main man at Arsenal and believes he’ll continue to develop into a top striker.
He said: “If you’re getting goals and getting a run of games in your preferred position, your confidence is going to grow and performances are going to grow as well.
“I wouldn’t say I feel different [than at United]. Maybe, beforehand, sometimes I wasn’t getting through on goal if I was coming from a four-man midfield.
“Obviously it’s difficult to leave your position and go and get goalscoring opportunities but I’m getting into these positions much more regularly now and I’m looking forward to sticking the ball in the back of the net.”
Welbeck will hope he can continue his from through to the international set up as England will soon prepare to face San Marino and Estonia in the European Championships Qualifiers next week.
In the absence of Daniel Sturridge, Welbeck is expected to lead the line and will be brimming with confidence after scoring twice for England against Switzerland last time out.
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