kuyt

[Parr_Zee]

Its clear that Dirk is not quite good enough for our starting XI but I think he is a decent player to have in reserve, because of his versatility and he workrate.

However, in light of David Bentley coming out and saying that Theo Walcott needs to leave Arsenal to further his career, it got me thinking of how good he could be for us if we had stumped up the money to get him. I think he would have been awesome as part of this team:

---------------Torres----------------
-Babel--------Gerrrard-------Walcott-
--------Alonso----Mascherano-------

[Shaggy]

Its clear that Dirk is not quite good enough for our starting XI but I think he is a decent player to have in reserve, because of his versatility and he workrate.

However, in light of David Bentley coming out and saying that Theo Walcott needs to leave Arsenal to further his career, it got me thinking of how good he could be for us if we had stumped up the money to get him. I think he would have been awesome as part of this team:

---------------Torres----------------
-Babel--------Gerrrard-------Walcott-
--------Alonso----Mascherano-------

PACE!!

[Parr_Zee]

PACE!!

Tell me about it!! If we played that team regularly I could easily see close to 60 goals coming from them:

Torres - 20
Gerrard - 15
Babel - 10
Walcott - 8
Alonso - 3
Mascherano - 1??

And thats underestimating!!

[dww]

PACE!!

But a lack of experience and defensive awareness. I think that Walcott is a fine player and would in the future be great for that job but right now he doesn't have the game intelligence to play that position week in week out which is why his opportunities at Arsenal have been limited.

I really think that the forward player we bring in has to be intelligent, creative and a leader more than he needs to have lightning pace. Obviously that latter is a desirable asset and we need someone with it to cover Babel in some way but it is easy to put too much emphasis on it.

[Shaggy]

But a lack of experience and defensive awareness. I think that Walcott is a fine player and would in the future be great for that job but right now he doesn't have the game intelligence to play that position week in week out which is why his opportunities at Arsenal have been limited.

I really think that the forward player we bring in has to be intelligent, creative and a leader more than he needs to have lightning pace. Obviously that latter is a desirable asset and we need someone with it to cover Babel in some way but it is easy to put too much emphasis on it.

Oh **** defensive awareness. This has so often been our problem - "defensive forwards". In a 4-2-3-1 you really don't need your wide men to be too defensive - there are already seven defensive players in the team.

Walcott's opportunities have been limited because he's 18. No 18 year old plays week in week out.

He'd be a fantastic addition in that position - searing pace right across the front three, with defensive stability provided by the back four, obviously, and Masher and Xabi.

[Parr_Zee]

But a lack of experience and defensive awareness. I think that Walcott is a fine player and would in the future be great for that job but right now he doesn't have the game intelligence to play that position week in week out which is why his opportunities at Arsenal have been limited.

I really think that the forward player we bring in has to be intelligent, creative and a leader more than he needs to have lightning pace. Obviously that latter is a desirable asset and we need someone with it to cover Babel in some way but it is easy to put too much emphasis on it.

But a winger in our 4-2-3-1 is different to a wide player in a 4-4-2!! Walcott is NOT a right-sided midfield player, but would be an awesome Right-sided forward - he has pace, skill, can cross, and can score. He would be perfect.

[Shaggy]

But a winger in our 4-2-3-1 is different to a wide player in a 4-4-2!! Walcott is NOT a right-sided midfield player, but would be an awesome Right-sided forward - he has pace, skill, can cross, and can score. He would be perfect.

[DeeTheDog]

I hope we keep Dirk, he's an excellent team player and he has come on leaps and bounds since his early season dip. We have had three extremely good performances in a row, of which Dirk has played a huge part. On the right, not only has he provided assists for the goals and other sumptuous crosses, his work rate is still phenomenal, how many times has he caused the opponents to squander possession or won a throw in a dangerous position through his shear endeavour.

People keep questioning his skills but I have been impressed with his stepovers and his ability to beat a man at close quarters recently. He adds excellent balance to our forward line, the thing that has really impressed me recently is how all four attacking players have interchanged.

[Red_hot]

I hope we keep Dirk, he's an excellent team player and he has come on leaps and bounds since his early season dip. We have had three extremely good performances in a row, of which Dirk has played a huge part. On the right, not only has he provided assists for the goals and other sumptuous crosses, his work rate is still phenomenal, how many times has he caused the opponents to squander possession or won a throw in a dangerous position through his shear endeavour.

People keep questioning his skills but I have been impressed with his stepovers and his ability to beat a man at close quarters recently. He adds excellent balance to our forward line, the thing that has really impressed me recently is how all four attacking players have interchanged.

[Shaggy]

I think his lack of 'skills' is more to do with the abysmal first touch, something that should be elementary for a footballer, rather than stepovers.

How comes three good performances on the trot wipes September-February's sorry slate completely clean in some people's eyes?

Imagine if Crouch had played every week and played so poorly for so long! He'd need 200 consecutive good performances and about 150 goals before people were so forgiving.

[dww]

But a winger in our 4-2-3-1 is different to a wide player in a 4-4-2!! Walcott is NOT a right-sided midfield player, but would be an awesome Right-sided forward - he has pace, skill, can cross, and can score. He would be perfect.

To some extent that is true but the key to a pattern of play like our is a balance like United have in which the players switch freely but Rooney tracks back and prevents counter attacks. The balance between Gerrard and Kuyt achieves a similar effect for us but it relies on the fact that they both take responsibility in swapping positions.

For Arsenal Walcott has largely struggled in what is a very similar role to the right forward is in a 4-2-3-1 as anything other than an impact sub. He would not be perfect as his movement and game understanding is not good enough yet. The fact he might be good in the long run would not be the best solution for us to challenge next year which is what we need to aim for.

He would be as expensive as an experienced equivalent even assuming that Arsenal would sell.

[dww]

Oh **** defensive awareness. This has so often been our problem - "defensive forwards". In a 4-2-3-1 you really don't need your wide men to be too defensive - there are already seven defensive players in the team.

Walcott's opportunities have been limited because he's 18. No 18 year old plays week in week out.

He'd be a fantastic addition in that position - searing pace right across the front three, with defensive stability provided by the back four, obviously, and Masher and Xabi.

I think you misunderstand my point. I think Rooney has the defensive qualities I talk of and no one would be upset if we were to bring in a player like him (obviously in this case we are probably looking for a wide player rather than second striker).

The thing is it is about getting a balanced team, part of that is limiting the way opponents attack you and the bast way is to stop it at source with your forwards. It also means that the possession swap tends to happen in more dangerous areas for the opposition. On the other hand you can't afford to have anyone in your front four who won't consistently chip in with goals. However neither aspect should be over looked IMO and Walcott is an option which merely shifts the area that is the problem rather than representing a complete solution at this stage of his career.

If he was available at the price Arsenal got him for (i.e. £6m up front rising to ~£11m) then it would be great business, as it is it would be in my opinion a miss step.

[Parr_Zee]

Some good points mate. I beleive Walcott would be good enough to switch roles and move central if Gerrard/Torres drifted wide.

I agree that he would probably cost too much and I too, doubt that Arsenal would sell to us.

[Craig_H]

Oh **** defensive awareness. This has so often been our problem - "defensive forwards". In a 4-2-3-1 you really don't need your wide men to be too defensive - there are already seven defensive players in the team.

Walcott's opportunities have been limited because he's 18. No 18 year old plays week in week out.

He'd be a fantastic addition in that position - searing pace right across the front three, with defensive stability provided by the back four, obviously, and Masher and Xabi.

Defensive awareness my arse.

[dww]

Some good points mate. I beleive Walcott would be good enough to switch roles and move central if Gerrard/Torres drifted wide.

I agree that he would probably cost too much and I too, doubt that Arsenal would sell to us.

See I agree he will be able to in the future I just think we need to have a player who will come in and do it from the off next season. Maybe if we were to have basically the current first XI and bring him in gradually it could work. The problem I see is that like with Babel we would have to wait for half the season or more to pass before this came good.

I also think we lack a decisive experienced leader in our attack, who has won a league and knows what it would take. I'm not saying I know who fits my criteria though.