Why Manchester United's Danny Welbeck should aim to score 20 Goals

Danny Welbeck

It’s fast becoming a season to remember for Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck. His superb chipped goal–United’s consolation in their 2-1 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur–was his fifth goal in five games and his seventh in the league this season, a vast improvement on the lone goal he got in the whole of last season. Throw in his goal against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League group stage, and that’s eight in all competitions.

“With the second half of the season to go, he should be certainly looking to score 20 goals,” said a confident David Moyes after the 23-year-old scored his sixth league goal of the season away to Norwich City. ”We need him to do that because when you don’t have Wayne and you don’t have Robin, then you need people to step up to the mark. In quite a few of the games recently he has done that for us.”

He certainly has–and it’s about time, many would agree. A talented player in possession of good technique, strength, work rate, and pace, a lack of goals has long held him back from becoming the top quality striker everyone knows he could be. But the quality of his finishes in recent games suggests that that problem is finally being rectified.

Moyes recently put it down to his instructing Welbeck to put extra training in to improve his finishing, but the England striker refuted those claims, pointing out that he has always put extra work in on that area of his game. So what changed, then?

In a recent article here, the point was made that Welbeck was finally being rewarded with goals for putting in committed, well-rounded displays game after game–even though he was often played out of position.

Also a key factor is the fact that he seems to be more comfortable in front of goal. His constant snatching at chances or hesitating to take them reflected a lack of composure and confidence on his part–two things strikers need in order to be prolific.

Danny Welbeck Shot Map (57% Shot Accuracy)

When Robin van Persie got injured, however, with Javier Hernandez out of favour, he knew he would’ve been called upon to step in for the Dutchman, thus getting a chance to have a rare extended run of games in his favoured role up front. This would’ve made him confident and determined to make the most of such an opportunity, especially with the World Cup around the corner.

At United, even though he has played up front on previous occasions, he hasn’t really been in a situation where he was called upon to be the club’s main man. Before the game against Aston Villa, he was accustomed to being: a functional player, asked to do a job out wide; merely a substitute; a player getting a chance because of a rotation policy. Finding himself as the main man now has drawn the best out of him. Five goals in five games since van Persie got sidelined is proof of that.

With him high on confidence and very much in form now, the 20 goals in all competitions that Moyes has set as a target this season is well within Welbeck’s reach, but only if he stays fit–of course–and, more importantly, if he retains his current status in the side. Van Persie’s return will no doubt put it into question. It’ll be interesting to see how the Scot deals with that situation when it arises. But Welbeck would be wise to ignore that for the time being and remain focused on his form which, at the moment, is helping out a United side that continues to struggle.