Sorry, but you have misunderstood. My comment about Rodgers and Wenger was following you saying 'judged based on more than a handful of games', to which I said, 'so how do you think Rodgers and Wenger judge players ?' I think you jumped to the wrong conclusion thinking that I was insinuating that they base their opinion on a few games, when what I meant was that they do the opposite. I'm afraid that you're making incorrect assumptions about what you think I believe. I've watched Balotelli for a number of seasons, so I don't need to base it on a handful of games for Liverpool to know that he is lazy, petulant and not a team player. I've also seen enough of Welbeck at Utd and England and now Arsenal to form an opinion that he is a very mobile and quick striker who, now is playing in his prefered role, is starting to score more goals.
There's a good interview with Welbeck about how being played out of position at Utd meant that he was being incorrectly judged on his scoring record http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29473438
This is my main problem with him - the amount of times in the Liverpool-Everton game he wasted all the hard work and build up play from the rest of the team by just shooting wildly from 30 yards out was ridiculous. He's lucky to hit the target from there, let alone trouble the keeper.
I didn't misunderstand your point, I just didn't understand it full stop and I still don't really get the point you're making. Your thread insinuates you've made your mind up about Welbeck vs Balotelli after a few games at their new respective clubs where they're settling in with new teammates... I said you should give it longer... you then said, "how do you think Rodgers and Wenger judge players?" suggesting you think the managers base their opinions over a longer period of time... which is what I said you should do. So is your point just to show that our managers think like I do and not like you do? I partially agree with you but you're still basing your judgement on Balotelli from his time at City (and maybe Milan), not the Balotelli as he is now at Liverpool. He could turn out amazing. You're writing him off already based on previous club form. Imagine if we did that with Henry and Bergkamp when they arrived. Mobile and quick?... yes. The ability to be good enough and score the quantity of goals (in the games that matter) that our club deserve from a top striker?... far too early to tell.
But you're making assumptions and then trying to construct view based on what you think I have said, you just need to take a few steps back and not assume that this thread is judging Welbeck and Balotelli on a few games. The question 'Does anybody still wish we'd signed Balotelli ?' is open ended, it doesn't suggest any time frame. Most people viewing this thread will have watched them both over a number of seasons. Let's not labour this point, just put it down to a misunderstanding as you said Anyway, I agree it's too early to tell whether Welbeck will score the quantity of goals needed, but the early signs are good and that is based on him being played in his preferred position. One of his goals and some of his play on Weds night was very Henry-ish, quick, mobile and astute finishing. He's proved that he's got the skill, speed and technique to go on to score a lot of goals for us, let's hope that becomes the case. As for Balotelli, already Rodgers is moaning about his goal scoring record after his 1 in 7 for Liverpool.
I'm intrigued to see how he turns out when we play ugly games against the 10 men defences of your Stokes, Palace, Hull and..Chelsea. The teams that sit back all game and hit you on the break are a very different prospect. I have every confidence in him, and Arsenal in general, when we play teams who play attacking football with a high defensive line. For years we've struggled against these sides so I'm hoping he can be what we need in these games.
Meh... you and I both know you created this thread because you believe Welbeck's hat-trick on Wednesday night settled the debate about who was a better signing. It was not a neutral poll to see what people thought. It was a leading question with your motivations clear. If you're going to try and claim otherwise then whatever. The bit in bold is the bit I fundamentally disagree with. Scoring a hat-trick in one game does not prove he will score a lot of goals in the slightest in my opinion. But it's just that I suppose... my opinion. Anyway... skill? Just type 'welbeck tekkers' into google and watch the video
You think you know, but you are making assumptions, that's the difference. That's for you to deal with, but don't ever let me catch you again pulling people up because they've tried to tell somebody else 'this is what you think' Again, I'm not basing my opinion based on one hat-trick or even a few games for Arsenal or saying it's settled any debate. I asked an open ended question 'Does anybody still wish we'd signed Balotelli' ? what you read into that is your own responsibility. It is my opinion, that we dodged a bullet with Balotelli and yes, I might be proved wrong, but my feeling is that Welbeck will go on to prove that he was a great acquistion. He's already shown what he can do for Arsenal, the test will be whether he can do it consistently.
Urgh. There's never any progression to threads on this forum any more, just boring oneupmanship every damn time. I think that's me done now, I was a much happier Gooner when I avoided this place!
Let's get back to talking about Welbeck and Balotelli which was the very straight forward opening question on this thread.
There's no doubt Balotelli has 'World Class' ability. When i first watched him for Inter I thought he was going to emerge as one of the World greatest talents. These days he does'nt look any better than he did at 18 years of age. Every now and then you see glimpses of his real potential but.. I genuinely think he is unhinged. It's highly unlikely Balotelli can make the most of ability because he is frankly a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic. Wellbeck doesn't quite have the technical skill of Balotelli but he's younger, quicker, stronger, has a better work ethic and seems determined to achieve his goals.
To me it seems like Balotelli has bought into his own hype and not bothered to consistently prove that he is a world class player. So much so that his actual talent is only ever seen in glimpses. There's no doubt that he has tremendous skill and a lethal finish, but he actually offers little else to the team and does next to no work for his team mates.
I think Welbeck will excel in games where there is space behind the back four. For me Giroud is the player to act as a target man for teams that sit back, as he can hold the ball up and bring runners from MF into attacking positions. If we had Balotelli, he would shoot from wherever he receives the ball, regardless of what's going on around him.
Spot on. To prove you are work class, you have to work bloody hard for it. Two of the best players in the world - Messi and Ronaldo work bloody hard to get where they've got to and remain at the top. Balo has great attributes but football is so competitive and played at such a level now that you need to be that one step ahead to be the best. Liverpool took a gamble and it looks like Balo isn't going the way they want. Saying that, he was well worth the risk and if he comes good they will reap big rewards, if not then they can always sell him for around the same money.
Let's hope so. There was more than a shade of Thierry the other night against Galatasaray. Are you really in Rockaway ? or is that just a Ramones reference ? If you are there give my regards to the girls at Rockaway beach surf shop on 116th, just down from the subway station.
We will know a lot about Welbeck over the next few league games: Chelsea Hull Sunderland Burnley Swansea United it's a mix of big games United-Chelski, and against teams you expect your striker to be scoring against, these 6 games will give us a good indication of his level.
Not really because for me he's still a 'work in progress'. I think he will take time to hit any real consistency. The guy has never had a prolonged run as a centre forward.
