Pre-Season Form Guide: Manchester United's Danny Welbeck

There comes a point in every footballer's career when it's time to graduate from promising prospect to experienced pro.

For some it happens and at 18, others at 21. Some players never live up to the hype, instead finding their level lower down the pyramid.

Being branded a future star or wonder kid, to put it in Football Manager speak, brings it's own pressure. The expectation can be crushing to the point where football stops being fun. It's too often forgotten, but it's still a game, even if it is a very lucrative one.

Danny Welbeck has done the first bit. 

He's moved on from prolific academy striker to become a fully-fledged member of Manchester United's first-team squad. More than that, he's become a regular in Roy Hodgson's England squads and has experience at a major championship under his belt.

Over the course of this season, his third as a full member of the squad, Welbeck will turn 23. But with age and experience come added responsibility and because of that, he'll be held to higher standards than he was last season.

He scored just twice for United last season, although one of those was in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid. 

He was a surprise choice to start the Champions League last-16 tie in the Spanish capital, but Welbeck shone, both with the ball and with his discipline without it.

He started the second leg at Old Trafford too, given the task of harrying and hassling Xabi Alonso, a tactic that was working until Nani was harshly sent off.

But despite his Champions League highlights, Welbeck still came in for criticism due to his lack of goals.

His composure in front of goal is one area he needs to improve, but his critics failed to take into consideration that he didn't start as a central striker very often.

Last season, he got the dreaded utility man tag, the handy man used to plug gaps wherever he was needed. It's a compliment in a way because not everyone can do it, but ask Welbeck himself and he'll tell you he would rather play up front.

But competing against Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez at United, he can't be picky about where he plays.

He looked bright in the hole behind Van Persie against Wigan at Wembley and even better on the left of a front three playing for England against Scotland.

But three months shy of his 23rd birthday, he's at a level now where those kind of performances have to be the norm.

Welbeck will find there's more expected of him this season—even if it is in unfamiliar positions.

THERE comes a point in every footballer's career when it's time to graduate from promising prospect to experienced pro.

For some it happens and at 18, others at 21. Some players never live up to the hype, instead finding their level lower down the pyramid.

Being branded a future star or wonderkid to put it in Football Manager speak, brings it's own pressure. The expectation can be crushing to the point where football stops being fun. It's too often forgotten, but it's still a game, even if it is a very lucrative one.

Danny Welbeck has done the first bit. 

He's moved on from prolific academy striker to become a fully-fledged member of Manchester United's first-team squad. More than that, he's become a regular in Roy Hodgson's England squads and has an appearance at a major championship under his belt.

Over the course of this season, his third as a full member of the squad, Welbeck will turn 23. But with age and experience comes added responsibility and because of that he'll be held to higher standards than he was when he made his first-team debut as a raw 18-year-old in 2008.

He scored just twice for United last season, although one of those was in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid. 

He was a surprise choice to start the Champions League last-16 tie in the Spanish capital, but Welbeck shone, both with the ball and with his discipline without it.

He started the second leg at Old Trafford too, given the task of harrying and hassling Xabi Alonso and the decision was working until Nani was harshly sent off.

Despite his Champions League highlights, Welbeck still came in for criticism last season due to his lack of goals.

His composure in front of goal is one area he could improve but his critics failed to take into consideration that he didn't start as a central striker very often.

Last season he got the dreaded utility man tag, the handy man used to plug gaps wherever he's needed. It's a compliment in a way because not everyone can do it, but ask Welbeck himself and he'll tell you his best position is up front.

But competing against Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez at United, he can't by picky about where he plays.

He looked bright in the hole behind Van Persie against Wigan at Wembley and even better on the left of a front three playing for England against Scotland.

But three months shy of his 23rd birthday, he's at a level now where those kind of performances have to be the norm.

Welbeck will find there's more expected of him this season - even if it is in unfamiliar positions.

 

END