Arsenal fans will not care to be reminded that their last player to register a Champions League hat-trick was Nicklas Bendtner back in 2010.
Arsenal are more likely to erect statues to thank those clubs who took the unpopular Dane off on loan before he eventually departed on a free to Wolfsburg.
Welbeck is speeding more along the Henry highway rather than the Bendtner cul de sac. Arsene Wenger sounded almost surprised afterwards when discussing Welbeck’s pace, but this has always been one of his strengths. He troubled Bayern Munich, especially Javi Martinez, when facing them for Manchester United last April.
Welbeck has been talking privately and publicly for almost a year of his desire to be played through the middle; he spoke to David Moyes about it last season, he mentioned it to Louis van Gaal this season before realising swiftly that his future lay elsewhere, so moving to Arsenal on deadline day. That fee of £16m, a similar sum Liverpool spent on the mercurial Mario Balotelli, is looking a bargain.
Welbeck was enthused also by the prospect of playing alongside England team-mates like Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. He has also particularly thrived in tandem with Mesut Özil, particularly with the German prospering in his best position, as a No?10. Surprise, surprise. Welbeck also dovetailed well with the Chilean Alexis Sánchez. Both Özil and Sánchez, who scored the other goal, shone last night.
When Arsenal needed to their Group D campaign back on track, having lost at Borussia Dortmund, Welbeck delivered goals. When they were under pressure, he kept running in attack, closing down defenders and also sprinting back to help out. It was the type of commanding, team-minded display that will have delighted and also concerned the watching England manager, Roy Hodgson. Welbeck could have pulled a muscle as the lactic acid built up late on but he never stopped running.
With Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge the centre of a club-versus-country wrangle, and not expected to be in the England squad that Hodgson announces today, Welbeck’s form is well-timed for Hodgson with Euro 2016 qualifying resuming next week. San Marino and Estonia defenders will not enjoy watching clips of Welbeck in action.
After 22 minutes, Welbeck began submitting his application to join the exclusive club of Englishmen to have scored a Champions League hat-trick: current members are Mike Newell, Andy Cole, Michael Owen, Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney.
Kieran Gibbs started the move on the left, passing forward to Sánchez as Welbeck darted into the box. Sánchez’s ball was angled to wrongfoot Galatasaray’s defence, designed to cause maximum discomfort for Felipe Melo and aimed perfectly for Welbeck. The England striker sped behind Melo and slipped the ball between the legs of Muslera.
Welbeck doubled the lead on the half-hour. Melo was now in full liability mood, lucky still to be involved after a two-footed reducer on Sánchez. The Brazilian was caught out by Welbeck’s run after Aurelien Chedjou’s panicky header, left trailing by the young Englishman, watching him disappear into the box. Welbeck’s finish was superb, stroked from left to right past Muslera.
The red touch-paper had been well and truly lit. Galatasaray fans responded by lobbing six flares on the pitch. Muslera went over to plead for restraint. One Arsenal steward collected a bucket of sand and went round extinguishing the flames.
Mindful of painful experiences from the 2000 Uefa Cup final, Arsenal fans booed and goaded the visitors with “you’re just a ---- Fenerbahce”. Cesare Prandelli’s players seemed more interested in clattering Sánchez. Wenger’s men rode the storm and smoke. Just before the break, Blerim Dzemaili’s through pass was picked off by Per Mertesacker, who turned defence into attack immediately.
Mertesacker threaded the ball through the middle to his fellow World Cup-winner, Özil, who played it on elegantly to Sánchez. The Chilean, enjoying coming in off the left, beat Chedjou for pace and then Muslera with a calm finish. The hosts had scored three times in 19 minutes.
Galatasaray had the purple strip; Arsenal had the purple patch.
In the tunnel before the restart, Prandelli looked far from happy. His captain, Wesley Sneijder, stood alone, waiting for his team-mates, lost in his thoughts, a technical player far too good for this side. After the ground-staff completed their running repairs on the singed corner of the pitch, Arsenal came flying out of the tunnel, ready to inflict more legitimate damage.
Oxlade-Chamberlain played the ball down the inside-right channel and Welbeck dinked the ball over Muslera. He raised his arms to the Arsenal fans, basking in their adulation.
The game seemed over as a contest.
Yet Galatasaray were presented with a glimmer of hope after 63 minutes when Szczesny was deservedly dismissed for bringing down Burak Yilmaz. The felled striker climbed to his feet, placed the ball on the spot and beat David Ospina, who had replaced Sánchez. It was unfortunate for the Chilean, who had taken his goal well, who had been so creative, who had withstood some nasty challenges and who regularly tracked back to help out Gibbs.
Arsenal held firm. Welbeck was everywhere, heading wide, also racing back to help out his defence. Ospina made some decent saves, denying Umut Bulut, then Hamit Altintop and Sneijder. At the final whistle, Welbeck walked to the tunnel, taking the salute of the Arsenal fans and giving almost a self-conscious thumbs up in return. It was a great evening for Welbeck personally and Arsenal collectively as they got their Champions League campaign back on track in style.
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