Danny Welbeck in full acrobatic style taking a shot at goal in Arsenal's 3-0 win at Aston Villa last month. - Reuters pic, October 5, 2014.You've heard it all before. Everybody is talking up the same topic in football.
The emergence of a new and exciting Henry-like player in Danny Welbeck and the biggest prima donna in world football that is, none other than Mario Balotelli.
Comparisons are bound to be made between the two of them, not only because they are of a similar age, own the same centre-forward position and unwanted by their former clubs, but more importantly, both of them had arrived at their new clubs to some great expectations. That is where their similarities will end.
Arsenal have longed for a world-class striker to come in to lead their attack, and when Olivier Giroud was ruled out until January next year due to injury, Arsene Wenger dived into the transfer market and found what he deemed to be a solution in the form of Danny Welbeck.
The signing of Welbeck on deadline day didn't exactly create a lot of enthusiasm among the Arsenal faithful.
For starters, we all wanted someone like Diego Costa – a proven, lethal and instinctive striker, a "fox in the box and everywhere else".
Secondly, Welbeck hasn't got the finishing prowess demanded in every top striker, or so we thought then.
When Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez were bought, you get a sense of fear and envy from rival fans, because they acknowledge the superiority of these players. Not with Welbeck, the so-called Manchester United reject.
On the other hand, Mario Balotelli brought with him so much promise to Liverpool. He is a big name, no doubt, and Brendan Rodgers was ever so confident that he will be able to "tame" this petulant, immature, erratic and unpredictable child of a football player.
Liverpool fans jumped on the bandwagon instantly, welcoming their new hero, all hopeful that he will become their new Luis Suarez. They should have known better than to take in a player that Manchester City and Milan were so eager to offload, so much so that Milan would happily sell him at a loss.
Statistics, records and the history of both players will tip the scale in Balotelli's favour but so far, Welbeck is the one getting the plaudits for his hard work and attitude, not to mention the superb goal-scoring performance he had against Galatasaray.
Balotelli will find himself dominating the tabloids as well, albeit for the wrong reasons again.
His snub towards the travelling Liverpool fans despite under instruction from Brendan Rodgers to applaud them, his indifference towards the game and inability to score during matches were some of the criticism levelled at him.
Already, he is targeted as the scapegoat for Liverpool's failings and misfortune this season.
With Falcao still searching for his maiden goal for Manchester United and Balotelli only finding the net once this season, Welbeck has now netted four times in five games for his new club, which of course, just this week, includes his first professional hattrick.
It was the perfect gift for Arsene Wenger, who celebrated 18 years at Arsenal against Galatasaray, and the perfect response to his critics who, for much of his time at Manchester United, went on and on about his poor finishing.
One European night was all it took for Welbeck to make his former manager and his counterpart at Liverpool look like utter fools, in the best way a striker can, by scoring goals in the Champions League.
Just what might Louis Van Gaal and Brendan Rodgers be thinking at the moment?
Probably a lot of "if onlys" and plenty of "what ifs". But if the old man Van Gaal wants to blow his cash and spend a stupid amount of money on ageing strikers like Falcao (apparently he lied about his age), and in the process ridding budding stars full of potential like Welbeck and Javier "Chicarito" Hernandez, who and what's to stop him?
Brendan Rodgers, however, will be filled with regret for missing out on a player that many pundits, journalists, managers and fans around the world genuinely believe can emulate the success story of Thierry Henry.
Yes, it may be too soon to suggest that Welbeck is the stuff of great things to come. Also, drawing comparisons to the one and only King Henry on the back of some indicative evidence is a tad overboard.
But I just cannot resist a dig at Manchester United and Liverpool in the same week. Their fans have piped down, at least for the time being, and long may it continue. – October 5, 2014.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
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