The Danny Welbeck signing for Chelsea will make him the only player to play for Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea. However, the Danny Welbeck signing does not ensure him a place in the playing XI by any means. Chelsea started with Welbeck in the starting XI in a recent club friendly against Juventus, but it remains to be seen whether Welbeck, who turns 36 in November, gets enough game time in the upcoming season.
Danny Welbeck Signing: Will Chelsea Play Him As The Starter Or As The Back-Up?
Chelsea already have Joao Pedro in their team, who played as a striker last season and scored 20 goals for them. Now, Joao Pedro has played as the number at his former club, Brighton & Hove Albion, in the past, with Welbeck playing as the striker in front of him. Xabi Alonso tried the same combination in the match against Juventus. However, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers in the squad, it seems unlikely that the Brazilian will start as the number 10 and Welbeck as the Chelsea striker.
Welbeck has scored 61 goals in 268 combined appearances for Manchester United and Arsenal. He also scored 51 goals in 201 matches for Brighton. Those are not the kind of numbers that make one an automatic choice for the position of number nine of a top club. Besides, Joao Pedro has already shown that he can score at a good rate as a striker. Hence, it seems unlikely that Alonso will start with Welbeck as the Chelsea striker instead of the Brazilian forward.
However, Welbeck can always be used as a substitute to create an impact by coming in from the bench. The former English international is still very fit physically and can be trusted to trouble the opposition defence with his swift movement. Still, should Alonso want to play Welbeck as the Chelsea striker, he will have the option of playing Palmer on the right and Rogers on the left. Both of these players have played on the flanks in the past, though it can be argued that they prefer playing as the number 10.
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The Danny Welbeck signing was supposed to give the Blues more options upfront. It is also likely to benefit them by offering them a lot of experience in the form of the 35-year-old. However, as of now, it seems that the Blues are likely to start with Rogers on the left, Palmer as the number 10, Estevao on the right and Joao Pedro as the striker in their opening match of the season. Welbeck should be starting on the bench if everyone in the Chelsea squad is fit on August 22.
The Blues finished in a regrettable 10th position last season and will not be playing European football next season. That gives them enough scope to shine in domestic football and improve their position in the league table. Welbeck should be ready to play his part in the new Chelsea set-up under Xabi Alonso. At his age, even playing in 30-odd matches for a top club in a season can be termed a success, and he should be in a great position to do that.
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