WALCOTT - which position is best etc?

[rudytel]

Agree with all. Walcott is definetley worth giving a chance upfront to prove himself. Giroud is off to a slow start,
Forehead is completely unreliable in this position so it makes sense for AW to utilise this attacking option sooner
rather than later. A first choice front 3 of Pod/Feo/Ox could be a mouth watering prospect.

[DB10GOONER]

Theo states he wants to play up front.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/8107318

Just what part of HIS game is HE seeing that has convinced HIM that HE can play the strikers role

If HE goes one on one with a keeper, put your house on the keeper

This^^^

[flash gunner]

Agree with all. Walcott is definetley worth giving a chance upfront to prove himself. Giroud is off to a slow start,
Forehead is completely unreliable in this position so it makes sense for AW to utilise this attacking option sooner
rather than later.

I agree with this

[supergeorgegraham]

Yes the Mekon was poor against City. Dont know why OX is not playing. Walcott should have his chance up front. Giroud might need a few years to settle in at this rate.

[DB10GOONER]

Agree with all. Walcott is definetley worth giving a chance upfront to prove himself. Giroud is off to a slow start,
Forehead is completely unreliable in this position so it makes sense for AW to utilise this attacking option sooner
rather than later.

I agree with this

Should say I agree that Feo Feo should get his chance up front. But only so we can FINALLY put that one to bed. Personally I don't think he has enough in his game to be a central striker, but it's got to be worth at least trying, seeing as the Klingon is soooo unreliable and Geroud has indeed started slowly.

I still feel Geroud may chip in with 10-15 PL goals if he gets one soon and gets his confidence up. Just a feeling.

[rigsby]

The fact is, whether you think he's good enough or not, the only way this will be put to bed is if he is played there for a time. Fact is Theo sees himself as a striker, right win is clearly not where he is effective or should be used, and when he's been at his most lethal for us he's come on to the balls through the middle.

Gerv is not the answer there, Giroud is still adpating (or could just be rubbish) So its an opportunity that we should take. The team has quality in the midfield/wings to cover any shortcomings Theo may have up front. If he fails up there, then at least we'll know.

[OneBardGooner]

Agree with all. Walcott is definetley worth giving a chance upfront to prove himself. Giroud is off to a slow start,
Forehead is completely unreliable in this position so it makes sense for AW to utilise this attacking option sooner
rather than later.

I agree with this

Should say I agree that Feo Feo should get his chance up front. But only so we can FINALLY put that one to bed. Personally I don't think he has enough in his game to be a central striker, but it's got to be worth at least trying, seeing as the Klingon is soooo unreliable and Geroud has indeed started slowly.

I still feel Geroud may chip in with 10-15 PL goals if he gets one soon and gets his confidence up. Just a feeling.

I (fondly) remember his goal in the carling cup final - when he scored against the scumchavs...that was the goal of a 'Striker'....and I feel sure he could do well...just being given that role would boost his confidence - something he has gradually lost over the years....the only thing is IF he is a striker then there is a major problem he HAS TO be able to 'Head' the ball...something he cannot do.

[flash gunner]

This is what i want play him up front if he's any good then he deserves to stay and maybe get a new fat contract if not then fuck him off to the nearest mug that will take him.

[donaldo]

After nearly 7 years the jury is still out on Walnutt

The truth is he isnt good enough as a winger so why would he be any good as a striker

[flash gunner]

After nearly 7 years the jury is still out on Walnutt

The truth is he isnt good enough as a winger so why would he be any good as a striker

because he isnt a winger?

[northbank123]

After nearly 7 years the jury is still out on Walnutt

The truth is he isnt good enough as a winger so why would he be any good as a striker

because he isnt a winger?

Fair enough we might as well give him a chance up front in a game like tonight, nothing to lose but I don't understand why he's convinced he's a great striker? Seems to me his attributes make him even less suited to that role. Granted if you're playing as a false number 9 or something like that which Gervinho did against Southampton it's not vital to be able to hold the ball up etc but his touch is generally dreadful, he goes missing big time and hardly shows fantastic movement out wide, and has a notorious penchant for bottling it when in dangerous positions.

[GranadaJoe]

There´s been quite a bit of talk on this thread and others about pandering to today's footballers, which makes it even stranger that a number of posters have suggested that AW should pick Theo upfront because Theo wants to play there.

Surely it's the manager's job to decide formations and who plays where. We all have our opinions, but it can't be for players to state where they should play.

Is it possible that AW has seen Theo's strength, first touch and finishing and doubted that he's got the attributes to be a top striker?

[Skooner]

There´s been quite a bit of talk on this thread and others about pandering to today's footballers, which makes it even stranger that a number of posters have suggested that AW should pick Theo upfront because Theo wants to play there.

Surely it's the manager's job to decide formations and who plays where. We all have our opinions, but it can't be for players to state where they should play.

Is it possible that AW has seen Theo's strength, first touch and finishing and doubted that he's got the attributes to be a top striker?

Of course it is for Wenger to pick the formation and team, but if Walcott sees himself as a striker rather than a winger and Wenger has that opinion then he has no future at the club, which leads to the question of why he wasn't sold in the summer. Players should never be able to dictate anything like this but if you consistently play them out of their preferred position then many of them get disinterested, for my money that is exactly what happened with Arshavin. Vermaelen was making noises last season about playing left back and that was only short term, I've no doubt if we tried to play him there for an entire season he'd want out.

Walcott has come in for some criticism over the years for his patchy performances and I think it's not unfair of him to defend himself that he isn't be utilised to make use of his strengths (what he sees as his strengths anyway).

Can't see any future for him at the club and that doesn't bother me, he seems like a nice guy but he hasn't got what it takes to be a top class footballer.

[DB10GOONER]

There´s been quite a bit of talk on this thread and others about pandering to today's footballers, which makes it even stranger that a number of posters have suggested that AW should pick Theo upfront because Theo wants to play there.

Surely it's the manager's job to decide formations and who plays where. We all have our opinions, but it can't be for players to state where they should play.

Is it possible that AW has seen Theo's strength, first touch and finishing and doubted that he's got the attributes to be a top striker?

I don't want him put there because that's where HE wants to play. Fuck that. I'm old skool, you play where your boss tells you to play. But I would like to see him get a run there for two reasons;

1. It might benefit us if he does. Maybe he'll be amazing there. I doubt it tbh, but I'd like to know for sure.
2. If we try it and he fails (likely, I think) then we can finally put this thing to bed and move him on and throw his wage at a (hopefully) better player.

And it is quite possible that Arsene has called this one right and maybe he does see nothing in Feo Feo to indicate he can be a central striker. It's possible.

[I Hate Hleb]

Whether it would work or not (and I'm in two minds about that), to be fair to Theo even Wenger himself has often in the past said that he saw Walcott as a striker. He surely then at least owes him the opportunity to play there or, if Wenger no longer believes it, he should have sold him when he had the chance, long after it's been established in most people's minds that Theo is clearly not a proper wide man.