Arsenal scored three goals in as many minutes including a goal from Danny Welbeck, to rout Aston Villa 3-0.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger side-stepped suggestions that new signing Danny Welbeck has the potential to become ‘his new Thierry Henry’ after he scored his first goal for the the club in their 3-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Welbeck’s maiden goal since his move from Manchester United means he is now a mere 227 strikes behind the club record haul Henry achieved in his historic career at Arsenal.
Still, Wenger was asked by reporters whether he believes his new goal scorer could become as prolific as the Frenchman who broke so many records during his time as a Gunner.
“Look, give me some time, it is a bit early to say that when you look at the number of goals Thierry Henry scored,” said Wenger. “I think Danny has an interesting potential and let’s see how he develops. He has a good mentality, good physical potential, technical potential and he contributes to our team play because he doesn’t lose the ball and those are important qualities. Thierry is a good act to follow. I have nothing against it.”
Wenger believes Welbeck missed some chances in his first two games for Arsenal because he was anxious to get off the mark at his new club, but he is hopeful the confidence will now flow for the 23-year-old forward.
“He rushed a bit his finishing until now because he didn’t score,” continued Wenger. “It is more a nervous problem maybe. In training he scores goals like a real striker.
“He is a good finisher. I think as well he has played at Manchester United in the position wide the last two or three years, never through the middle.
“Then you lose a little bit that instinct to score and you lose that pressure which is animalistic. You need to always be in the middle and wait for your chance to kill the opponent. On the flank you have less of that responsibility.”
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Wenger was encouraged by the link-up play between Welbeck and Mesut Ozil at Villa Park, as he suggested the duo could become a potent attacking duo for Arsenal this season.
“When they played close to each other, they combined well, with pace, and that was very interesting for us,” added Wenger of his English-German attacking combination.
“[Ozil] had a good performance. The performance is not necessarily linked with the position he played. It was the plan of the day to play him there, but that can change game by game.
“The whole team played better as well and he’s a guy who depends a little bit on the quality of our game.”
