‘He’s had a torrid time… but he’s come out well’

Slowly but surely, Danny Welbeck is starting to regain faith in his own body.

The England international played 83 minutes of last week’s 3-0 win over Ostersunds and, despite the testing conditions and artificial pitch, he came through the game unscathed.

 

Welbeck has been unlucky with injuries since joining us back in 2014 but, ahead of his 24th appearance this season, Arsène Wenger says the 27-year-old is learning to trust his own body again.

 

“He had knee problems on both sides,” the manager said. “When you are a football player it is very difficult to accept.

 

“When we played in Ostersund it was a good test for him because you would think the player you don’t want to pick on an artificial pitch would be him because of his history. He came through well and I think for him, in his head, it was very important that he came out of that game without having any problems.

“Even with a muscular injury you lose faith in your body quickly. One of the advantages of being young is that you feel undestroyable. It gives you an arrogance. But as soon as your arrogance is hit, you are lost.

 

“Sometimes the players are very confident, very arrogant but as soon as they lose that belief in their body, suddenly you are lost and you don’t know any more what is going on.

 

“I believe he has gone through a torrid time but he has come out well. I see signs in training now that are positive. If he can stay on the pitch and not be injured, I want him to stay here.”