Q&A: Danny Welbeck on 'healthy' rivalry with Theo Walcott

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  • Danny Welbeck hopes to be playing again around the New Year.

    When Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck looks back on the 2015/16 season, he will not cherish the start.

    The 24-year-old underwent surgery in August after being unable to step up his recovery from a knee cartilage problem picked up in April. From his position in the stands, he has seen Arsene Wenger’s men ride a rollercoaster.

    Criticism reached a crescendo after they began their Champions League-campaign with two shock defeats, this being assuaged by the 3-0 Premier League-mauling of Manchester United – the boyhood club he joined the Gunners from in September 2014 – on October 4.

    In absentia, team-mate Theo Walcott has excelled given a chance up top for club and country by scoring seven goals in his last nine appearances. With Euro 2016 approaching, the pressure is building for the England man.

    Speaking yesterday before he took in an Arsenal Soccer School Dubai training session at The Sevens, Welbeck discussed his fitness frustrations, budding rivalries and role models.

    How is your rehabilitation going and when will you be back on the pitch?

    It’s difficult to put an exact date on it, around the New Year. After I had the operation, I was in a leg brace for about four weeks – which wasn’t easy. I had to do a lot of machine work, about six hours a day. 

    Sleeping in a leg brace isn’t good. At night it’s not comfortable, it’s the first time I’ve slept on my back in years. 

    It’s good to finally be out of the brace now and walking. It feels like I’m getting that little bit closer to getting back out on the pitch.

    You missed the 3-0 win over Man U, but what did you make of the match?

    The way we started the game was obviously crucial for the result, in the end. It was a great team performance, I thought the mentality was spot on with the way we started the match and went about things. 

    Theo Walcott has been banging the goals in for Arsenal and England. Does that add to the pressure to get back?

    No, we’ve got players throughout England and the Arsenal squad who can do the business on the pitch and Theo’s been doing the business. 

    It’s obviously something he’s been working towards. He had a lengthy injury beforehand and now that he’s back he’s obviously trying to kick on and improve and that’s what he’s been doing.

    Is it a good thing to have a rivalry like that developing?

    It’s good to have the healthy rivalry. It gives the manager a selection problem. 

    It’s a good headache for him to have and to have that competition in the squad, it’s healthy.

     Gary Neville said last month he is still angry about you being sold to Arsenal. What did you make of that?

    I know Gary Neville very well from being at United and the England set-up [Neville is first team coach]. What’s happened’s happened and that’s something in the past.

    Arsene Wenger has been critisised after losses to Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos. Is he still the right man for the job?

    I can only speak for myself, and I’ve not been there as long as some of the other players. Obviously, Arsene’s done a great job at Arsenal and you can’t really fault what he’s done. 

    When I’ve been there, he’s been great with me and great with the other lads as well from what I’ve seen. People are entitled to their own opinion, but it doesn’t mean what they say is right.

    England finished with a perfect record in Euro 2016 qualifying. Does that show this team can improve a lot on a World Cup group-stage exit?

    Obviously, the World Cup was disappointing. We had to qualify for the Euros and we’ve done that.

    Winning every game has been good for the squad. There have been new players coming in and others retiring from the international game.

    We have built up a good squad, full of youth. It is an exciting period for the England team.

    Last month Wayne Rooney broke the England scoring record. Where would he rank in the strikers you have played with?

    He is right up there, obviously. Growing up at United and training with him day in, day out you learn a lot from him.

    ‘Wazza’ is always there and you can talk to him. He has been through a lot of experiences in his life and he is always happy to pass that experience down the younger players.

    It is a great achievement to pass Sir Bobby [Charlton]. Everybody is over the moon for him and it is a great achievement for him.

    What kind of impact has Alexis Sanchez made at the club? 

    He has been great for Arsenal since he joined the club. He didn’t get much rest during the summer by going away with Chile to win the Copa America, but he’s come back and he is back at it again.

    He has got that infectious desire for the game and wanting to train hard every day. It reverberates throughout the team.

    How frustrating was the timing of the injury with Euro 2016 coming up?

    It is never good to get injured at any point. It is frustrating.

    I missed the back end of last season, then came back into pre-season training and you got through it all again with the rehab. It is frustrating.

    But it is something which is part and parcel of the game. It is something i have to deal with.

    I am not looking ahead to the Euros at the moment. I need to get back for Arsenal first, then see what happens.

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