Wrighty Calls For Theo Through The Centre

[DaGunners]

For me, Theo should be behind RVP and Eduardo on the depth chart, partnering both players through out the season.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

fabo, I think we missed Theo badly when he got injured this season. Prior to that he was in the best form of his career so far, and probably our only threatening player. He was the only one of the midfielders who seemed interested in carrying the ball forward. I'm not sure who constituted the law saying that all midfielders should be playmakers but I don't buy it. We haven't played with real wingers for many, many years so Walcott doesn't really operate as a wide player in that respect. Neither does Arshavin or Nasri or whoever plays on the opposite wing.

A good midfield need penetration as well. The team was failing last season when Rosicky went missing due to his injury for example, despite Hleb still being there doing what he always did. We haven't had the necessary movement this season which has caused our strikers to drop deep. It's as good a reason as any to why our attack has been a bit static. It all originates from a midfield configuration where the players hadn't even played two full games together at the beginning of the season. Now if you can get a midfielder who's both a playmaker and possesses penetrative skills then good on you. Rosicky is one, Arshavin is another. Nasri looks like he's gonna be a very good one too. But out of all our midfielders, currently it's only Arshavin who offers more attacking power than Theo.

 

[DaGunners]

Theo is one of the biggest reasons our midfield has failed this season. We just cannot trust him in the build up game.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Bullshit.

 

[DaGunners]

No, not bullshit at all. As I said, Theo is a one trick pony. Get the ball, turn, run towards goal. When he comes up against a good defender, we can't use that side of the field going forward.

 

[Jameel46]

Theo doesn't have the tools needed to be a great midfielder. I've always compared him to a young Owen cos that's how he plays, and doesn't belong on the wing. Just because he's quick doesn't mean he'll be a good winger.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

No, not bullshit at all. As I said, Theo is a one trick pony. Get the ball, turn, run towards goal. When he comes up against a good defender, we can't use that side of the field going forward.

Theo's absence was rather one of the biggest reasons for our bad run of games during that time. We've played much better with him in the team than without him.

 

[DaGunners]

Of course Theo is better than Eboue/Diaby, but that doesn't mean he is a good enough wide player for a team who wants to win titles.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Our football has improved because of what Walcott's brought tot he table though, not just because we've ridden ourselves from Eboue and Diaby. We've clearly benefitted from having someone who creates a penetrative movement throughout the midfield. Now I can picture Theo being a striker in the future too, but not for the sake of it. And not with our current options in mind. And fact is that he's making himself very useful for us in midfield. He's not a winger, but he doesn't play as a winger either anyway. No one in our team does. It's just a label people are sticking on the teamsheet.

 

[fabo]

He causes our attacks to break down far too often IMO as he cannot retain the ball, has no real vision and is far too one dimensional. Utilising him best from wide seems to be a case of him running off the ball, with Cesc trying to hoof balls into his path.

Of course, there will always be individual cases which showcase his class -but his game needs much refining at this point and maybe a more sparing role between wide/attacking positions could help him and the team.

A consistent starting role out wide is as detrimental to the team as it is positive in my view. With a lightweight midfield and pub-team defence, the last thing neeeded is a player who cannot retain the ball consistently. Yet he hasn't shown enough to suggest he should play up front regularly aside from a few snippets of quality outweighed by mediocrity. Time will tell I guess.

 

[DaGunners]

The thinking of playing Walcott is not just for the 'sake' of it, its to play him to his strengths, hide his weaknesses, and get someone on the RW who can create in others ways then just running at players i a straight line at pace. Hopefully Nasri's balls drop over the summer and he can be that man.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

I think it benefits his skillset a lot to be able to run at defendes the way he does from his current position actually. He's very good at handling the ball at high speed. United were absolutely terrified for him when we played them at Emirates early in the season. He doesn't really run in straight lines. What he does is creating movement and space, and he often provides a passing option for Cesc or Nasri who often find themselves isolated otherwise. It's not a coincidence that he's racked up 6 assists this season despite very modest playing time.

 

[DaGunners]

Theo did nothing against United when we played them at home besides the clever piece of running to draw Vidic away from Nasri.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

So he did nothing except having part in the game-defining moment then? I disagree, but even so - that's hardly the same as nothing. They were relieved to see the back of him when he finally went off injured. Rooney had so much trouble keeping track of him that he almost got sent off.

 

[DaGunners]

What did Walcott create on the day?

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Well, you might forgive me for not having everything that happened in a game more than six months ago written down in in nice summaries, player by player. Walcott did a good impression on me that day though, and quite a few United fans seemed to think the same. I merely used that game as an example though. There are other games that serves as even better examples, like Villarreal at home. I just wanted to use an important one from the period before he got injured. A more purposeful question would perhaps be: "why do you think that Theo is a good midfielder?" In which case I'll refer to previous posts. You probably won't agree though, so there's that.

Really need to get some sleep now. I bid you a good night.

 

[ricky1985]

So he did nothing except having part in the game-defining moment then? I disagree, but even so - that's hardly the same as nothing. They were relieved to see the back of him when he finally went off injured. Rooney had so much trouble keeping track of him that he almost got sent off.

Now imagine Walcott upfront. No dedicated left back to stop him, no wide man to double up on him. Walcott in between the two centrebacks able to make runs right, left, or through the middle, from outwide between the fullback and centreback, or dropping deep, and spinning off the terrified centreback, who dropped deep with him. No defensive work to worry about, no attempt to get involved in our build-up play. Just sniffing for space, ready to switch on the turbos and move into it. I just see him as a completely different animal as a striker.

You can't tell me without any improvement whatsoever his strengths aren't better utilised upfront.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Now imagine Walcott upfront. No dedicated left back to stop him, no wide man to double up on him. Walcott in between the two centrebacks able to make runs right, left, or through the middle, from outwide between the fullback and centreback, or dropping deep, and spinning off the terrified centreback, who dropped deep with him. No defensive work to worry about, no attempt to get involved in our build-up play. Just sniffing for space, ready to switch on the turbos and move into it. I just see him as a completely different animal as a striker.

Football isn't that easy ricky. Otherwise every single striker with a bit of pace playing for a decent team would've scored ****loads every season. It's a simplified image made to support the argument of Walcott up front by people who fancy their strikers to be runners and nothing else.

A good night to you too!

 

[DaGunners]

Just sniffing for space, ready to switch on the turbos and move into it. I just see him as a completely different animal as a striker.

Mouth watering prospect.

 

[ricky1985]

Now imagine Walcott upfront. No dedicated left back to stop him, no wide man to double up on him. Walcott in between the two centrebacks able to make runs right, left, or through the middle, from outwide between the fullback and centreback, or dropping deep, and spinning off the terrified centreback, who dropped deep with him. No defensive work to worry about, no attempt to get involved in our build-up play. Just sniffing for space, ready to switch on the turbos and move into it. I just see him as a completely different animal as a striker.

Football isn't that easy ricky. Otherwise every single striker with a bit of pace playing for a decent team would've scored ****loads every season. It's a simplified image made to support the argument of Walcott up front by people who fancy their strikers to be runners and nothing else.

A good night to you too!

Hmmmm....I'll let you sleep for now, but we're not finished with this Mr. Daimler. We'll resume this little discussion tomorrow.