Is Wenger right about Walcott?

[fakeyank]

I wouldnt depend on Walcott to walk 10 meters without getting injured. It was wrong to depend on Walcott, just like it was wrong to depend on the Rosicky's and Diaby's of Arsenal.

Btw, I do agree (for a change) that Wenger did the best with a decimated squad yesterday.

[IBK]

I wouldnt depend on Walcott to walk 10 meters without getting injured. It was wrong to depend on Walcott, just like it was wrong to depend on the Rosicky's and Diaby's of Arsenal.

Btw, I do agree (for a change) that Wenger did the best with a decimated squad yesterday.

Yes - I think its fair to mention Rosicky and Diaby - not to mention Wilshere. I suppose the difference, though, is that Walcott is an even bigger risk because of Wenger's obsession with collecting midfield players - but shortage of strikers. I'm really torn on this one, because I think Wenger's teams have always relied on understanding and 'telepathy' because of the technical nature of our passing game. So this requires consistency of personnel and I can see why players like Walcott are long-term projects. What I honestly can't understand though is the manager's pernennial gamble taking with fragile players.

[Globalgunner]

Anybody who relies on Walcott for anything, walk run, score goals, needs his head examined. Only at Arsenal will an anaemic, goal shy, striker, even be considered an option. He will most likely retire on the treatment table before 30.

[Power n Glory]

I think the reaction to Wenger over the Bayern and Spurs games are a bit over the top. Injuries have hampered us and I think if he's to be taken to task, it's for the lack of signings, preparation and it seems like he hasn't done enough to get a firm grasp on the constant injuries we have. Way too much finger pointing instead of looking at what he's doing in training and match day.

But on to Walcott. He's been missed and I've said for a long time on here that he should be playing as striker. It's his best position and even when not scoring you can see the positive effect he adds to our game compared to when he's stuck on the right. You only have to compare the two Bayern games to see how he's been missed. Against Spurs, before the game, I felt like Sanchez, Giroud and Campbell would struggle. On a counter attack, Giroud makes slow ponderous runs looking for a cross to the back or front post rather than helping our wingers with a quick one two and then rushing to the box. You can already see how Sanchez's form has fallen off since playing with Giroud. It feels like Giroud needs wingers that stay wide and whip in crosses rather than inverted winger because the link up play isn't working and maybe that's because he's looking to get into more goal scoring positions this season. He can't do both and that's why we need a more pacey player.

Also, I'm sure the lack of pace up front is forcing us to try and make the pitch smaller with our backline playing higher so there isn't massive gaps between the defence, midfield and strikers. With a pacey striker like Walcott, we can play deeper and not worry about the front three making up the ground. I really feel as though we should have been playing Walcott as a striker a couple of seasons ago or at least towards the end of last season. If he had doubts about Walcott then he should have at least given Sanchez more of a shot there. Giroud just isn't the type of striker that should be first team for us. Putting aside his quality and the chances he misses like we saw yesterday, he isn't the sort of striker that fits into our philosophy of attack. He'd thrive off crosses and we're not that sort of team. We don't play it long and from wide positions. He's a plan B striker for us. Not plan A. I would have thought Wenger would have figured that out but he hasn't. He either has to change our attacking philosophy or change Giroud for a more pacey striker. I don't why Wenger has moved away from Henry and Anelka type strikers but he needs to get back to it.

[Letters]

I think the reaction to Wenger over the Bayern and Spurs games are a bit over the top.

There you go again, defending Wenger at every opportunity

[Power n Glory]

There you go again, defending Wenger at every opportunity

Even I’ll admit it’s been a bit OTT over the last couple of fixtures.

[IBK]

I think the reaction to Wenger over the Bayern and Spurs games are a bit over the top. Injuries have hampered us and I think if he's to be taken to task, it's for the lack of signings, preparation and it seems like he hasn't done enough to get a firm grasp on the constant injuries we have. Way too much finger pointing instead of looking at what he's doing in training and match day.

But on to Walcott. He's been missed and I've said for a long time on here that he should be playing as striker. It's his best position and even when not scoring you can see the positive effect he adds to our game compared to when he's stuck on the right. You only have to compare the two Bayern games to see how he's been missed. Against Spurs, before the game, I felt like Sanchez, Giroud and Campbell would struggle. On a counter attack, Giroud makes slow ponderous runs looking for a cross to the back or front post rather than helping our wingers with a quick one two and then rushing to the box. You can already see how Sanchez's form has fallen off since playing with Giroud. It feels like Giroud needs wingers that stay wide and whip in crosses rather than inverted winger because the link up play isn't working and maybe that's because he's looking to get into more goal scoring positions this season. He can't do both and that's why we need a more pacey player.

Also, I'm sure the lack of pace up front is forcing us to try and make the pitch smaller with our backline playing higher so there isn't massive gaps between the defence, midfield and strikers. With a pacey striker like Walcott, we can play deeper and not worry about the front three making up the ground. I really feel as though we should have been playing Walcott as a striker a couple of seasons ago or at least towards the end of last season. If he had doubts about Walcott then he should have at least given Sanchez more of a shot there. Giroud just isn't the type of striker that should be first team for us. Putting aside his quality and the chances he misses like we saw yesterday, he isn't the sort of striker that fits into our philosophy of attack. He'd thrive off crosses and we're not that sort of team. We don't play it long and from wide positions. He's a plan B striker for us. Not plan A. I would have thought Wenger would have figured that out but he hasn't. He either has to change our attacking philosophy or change Giroud for a more pacey striker. I don't why Wenger has moved away from Henry and Anelka type strikers but he needs to get back to it.

My thoughts exactly - and I like the point re the higher backline.

The problem is that while I think Wenger's tactics have evolved with Walcott - his risk taking/blind spot re depending on players' injuries haven't.

Do you think that we should be looking to buy an attacking player with pace in January? I'm beginning to think so - even if another injury prone player - Welbeck - might be back by then. Because IMO its not even Walcott's goals that are the most important - its the spaces that direct pace provides. I'm fond of Giroud, but its too easy for well-organised physical pressing teams to nullify us when he is our starting striker.

[Power n Glory]

My thoughts exactly - and I like the point re the higher backline.

The problem is that while I think Wenger's tactics have evolved with Walcott - his risk taking/blind spot re depending on players' injuries haven't.

Do you think that we should be looking to buy an attacking player with pace in January? I'm beginning to think so - even if another injury prone player - Welbeck - might be back by then. Because IMO its not even Walcott's goals that are the most important - its the spaces that direct pace provides. I'm fond of Giroud, but its too easy for well-organised physical pressing teams to nullify us when he is our starting striker.

I think we need to buy in January. The injuries are racking up. I forgot Welbeck will be back fit but I have no faith in him as striker. Was very disappointed with his run up front when he first signed. The lack of goals is one thing but he didn't change the way we attacked either. Ponderous runs like Giroud but without the end product. He wasn't a threat and he really struggled. He has pace but it's not explosive enough to really change how we play. If we can't find a striker, we need to at least find a winger.

[Letters]

I think we need to buy in January. The injuries are racking up. I forgot Welbeck will be back fit but I have no faith in him as striker. Was very disappointed with his run up front when he first signed. The lack of goals is one thing but he didn't change the way we attacked either. Ponderous runs like Giroud but without the end product. He wasn't a threat and he really struggled. He has pace but it's not explosive enough to really change how we play. If we can't find a striker, we need to at least find a winger.

Agree. IMO we've got a great chance of the title this year but the squad is already getting stretched thin, drop into the Europa league and it'll be very difficult to sustain a challenge.
I don't think we will sign anyone of note in January but if we do it could spur us on to the title this season.

[Bumble]

Decimated???? From a first choice team we were missing Bellerin and Ramsey. That was it. Otherwise the rest have started most or a lot of games. We are missing a lot of players from one position so hardly a crisis in the bigger scheme of things. Did we do well to get a point from Spurs. Of course not. With are regular involved in the CL we probably have a budget twice the size of Spurs.

We didn't play well and Spurs did. They are a decent side but we were home. We got lucky to get a point. We have a great opportunity to win the league. There are no excuses. We have to push on, City aren't as dominating when they win the league as Chelsea or United were, where is just seemed inevitable they would win. City can get sloppy at times and drop stupid points. We can buy players like City buy them, just choose not to. We also have players on the bench earning 10,000s so we have the squad. City only have two strikers after all and we have 3.

Can we do it?

Yes we can. No excuses.