Why Danny Welbeck Is the Arsenal Man to Watch in International Action This Week

Arsenal fans will be watching Danny Welbeck keenly this week. After an erratic display against Newcastle, Gunners supporters will hope England duty can help provide an upturn in his confidence and form. 

His performance at St. James’ Park could be categorised as the quintessential Welbeck outing. He worked incredibly hard, his movement was excellent, but he let himself down with some wayward finishing.

First, he volleyed wide after a cut-back from Alexis Sanchez. Later, the Chilean set him free on goal, but his first touch was unusually heavy and the ball ran through to Newcastle keeper Tim Krul.  

Welbeck has just one goal to his name in 2015, albeit a significant one. His match-winning strike at Old Trafford will live long in the memory, but he needs to push on and score more frequently if he is secure a regular place in the Arsenal side. 

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His finishing seems to have less conviction than it did at the outset of his Arsenal career. When you think back to his emphatic hat-trick against Galatasaray, he had a bravado in front of goal that has since evaporated.

Perhaps it stemmed from believing he was Arsenal’s main man. With Olivier Giroud sidelined, Welbeck was the Gunners’ undisputed centre-forward. He seemed to thrive on that responsibility. However, in recent months Giroud has returned and Welbeck has been confined to the flank. It’s not just Welbeck who’s been displaced—his confidence seems to have been set aside too. 

England tends to be good for Welbeck’s self-esteem. Immediately after signing for Arsenal, he scored an impressive brace in Switzerland to announce himself as an international force. This season, he has arguably fared better in an England shirt than he has at club level.

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Per Jason Burt of The Telegraph, Roy Hodgson recently confirmed his tremendous faith in Welbeck and stated that he actually recommended him to Arsene Wenger at the end of the summer transfer window:

"

We spoke of course before he signed him [Welbeck] and I was singing Danny's praises, so I'm delighted Arsene has seen that my judgment wasn't wrong and that he shares that judgment. We [England] like Danny very much. We've always shown faith in Danny.

And what he really needs now is the faith of his manager, which he's obviously got from Arsene, to get more games and then I think we'll see more and more performances from him that we've been lucky enough to see with England.

"

However, Welbeck now faces a fight for his England place. Although Daniel Sturridge’s withdrawal from the squad with a hip injury is a boost, a rival has appeared from the other side of north London. Welbeck must see off the challenge of Harry Kane if he is to retain his place as Wayne Rooney’s preferred strike partner.

Arsenal fans will hope he can perform well enough to keep the Spurs man on the fringes of the England setup, before returning and showing that form regularly at the Emirates Stadium.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.