[Albion] Underrated Welbeck

[Fiskmås]

Not just poor.

poor is Dunk giving away a goal with a shit, but honest, mistake.

Welbeck’s horrific selfish greed in not squaring the ball for Fati to tap in, at the end of the first half, is far far worse. Should have been hauled off there and then.

Fati was coming back from an offside position, wasn't he? I have to look at it again, but when it happened my reaction was "Oh, what a pro that Welbeck, that didn't fall for the temptation to pass offside Ansu."

 

[Bakero]

The only thing I’d say is maybe he wasn’t aware and didn’t get head up plus was on stretch. Just playing devils advocate - was he just concentrating on the ball and getting there in time…?

I think that's it. If he'd known Fati was there, surely he'd have squared it.

Easy to play the pass when you're watching but these things happen quickly.

 

[Sheebo]

No chance. Not a chance he didn’t know Fati was alongside him.

Only he will know that - didn’t seem to look up

 

[Frutos]

Fati was coming back from an offside position, wasn't he? I have to look at it again, but when it happened my reaction was "Oh, what a pro that Welbeck, that didn't fall for the temptation to pass offside Ansu."

I thought the same re: offside

 

[trueblue]

I think that's it. If he'd known Fati was there, surely he'd have squared it.

Easy to play the pass when you're watching but these things happen quickly.

You’re right. If he’d squared it and Fati was offside/missed/didn’t get to it, everyone would slate Welbeck for not having a shot. Poor finish but that happens all the time for all sorts of players. People watch too many highlights.

 

[albionalex]

I don't believe Fati would have been offside as it would have been the 2nd phase of play.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Fati was coming back from an offside position, wasn't he? I have to look at it again, but when it happened my reaction was "Oh, what a pro that Welbeck, that didn't fall for the temptation to pass offside Ansu."

I thought the same re: offside

You’re right. If he’d squared it and Fati was offside/missed/didn’t get to it, everyone would slate Welbeck for not having a shot. Poor finish but that happens all the time for all sorts of players. People watch too many highlights.

Fati wasn’t even close to being offside (at the point that Welbeck shot) - he was well behind the ball.

Whether he was or wasn’t offside when the ball was passed to Welbeck is completely irrelevant

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I don't believe Fati would have been offside as it would have been the 2nd phase of play.

He wouldn’t have been, really poor by Welbeck.

 

[chickens]

It wasn’t Welbeck’s greatest night, but he didn’t have the benefit of watching a slowed down replay several times.

He was busting a lung taking the ball toward the opposition goal, and clearly thought he had the angle he needed.

I don’t want to go back to the Potter days of everyone passing it around among themselves and declining to take a shot.

 

[trueblue]

Fati wasn’t even close to being offside (at the point that Welbeck shot) - he was well behind the ball.

Whether he was or wasn’t offside when the ball was passed to Welbeck is completely irrelevant

Didn’t clock an offside. Just reacting to what others had said - doesn’t really change the point about the Welbeck pile on.

 

[albionalex]

It wasn’t Welbeck’s greatest night, but he didn’t have the benefit of watching a slowed down replay several times.

He was busting a lung taking the ball toward the opposition goal, and clearly thought he had the angle he needed.

I don’t want to go back to the Potter days of everyone passing it around among themselves and declining to take a shot.

FWIW, even without that chance, I think he was poor.

 

[mile oak]

World Class

 

[Vin]

Only he will know that - didn’t seem to look up

Strikers instinct. He wanted the goal and maybe new Fati was off side

 

[andys320]

Good player - not world beater, but needs to be played where he's effective, he wasn't tonight or at Villa.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Welbeck knew Fati was there. He just decided he wanted the chance. If you do that, you simply must score. He didn't, he played pretty poorly all night and must surely pay with his place

 

[chickens]

FWIW, even without that chance, I think he was poor.

The thing is, it’s Sliding Doors isn’t it?

Perhaps Ferguson would have scored twice, perhaps he’d have got injured in the first ten minutes.

The coach knows what he’s asked of each player, we don’t.

I’m of the opinion our attacking players barely got a sniff until about five/ten minutes before half-time, I don’t think it really mattered who was up top for the first 40 minutes, they didn’t get the ball.

I’m not convinced Welbeck is our best attacking option any more, but I’m not going to criticize him for having a pop at goal given our lack of opportunities before that point.

If it had gone in, we’d be lauding his brilliance, he wasn’t far away. All we can do is support the team that’s out there.

 

[Icy Gull]

Welbeck is not a natural goalscorer imo. Two good chances screwed up tonight. His strike statistics must be no more than 25% on good chances imo. He is a useful squad player though and brings other things to the team.

 

[nwgull]

Fati was coming back from an offside position, wasn't he? I have to look at it again, but when it happened my reaction was "Oh, what a pro that Welbeck, that didn't fall for the temptation to pass offside Ansu."

This is what I thought, but when is he then back in play? Does he have to retreat behind the 2nd last defender again, or is it play on once Welbeck is past him? I genuinely don’t know the rule here!

 

[goldstone]

FWIW, even without that chance, I think he was poor.

Poor?? Welbeck was awful this evening.

 

[Bodian]

This is what I thought, but when is he then back in play? Does he have to retreat behind the 2nd last defender again, or is it play on once Welbeck is past him? I genuinely don’t know the rule here!

Surely he is 'back in play' as soon as he is behind the ball. He is onside at the moment the ball is (or should have been) played to him.

An analogy would be if he was in an offside position when the ball was played to Welbeck - then a defender stepped between him and the keeper. He would then be onside. There's no difference.