• Premier League

Wenger: Henry's a good act for Welbeck to follow

Danny Welbeck took three games to get on the scoresheet for Arsenal © Getty Images

Enlarge

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says Thierry Henry is a good act for Danny Welbeck to follow and wants time to see if the club's new signing can emulate his hero.

Welbeck, who grew up admiring the ability of former Arsenal icon Henry, opened his account for Wenger's side in their 3-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Parallels between the two players have been drawn because the Arsenal manager helped Henry, who scored 228 goals for Arsenal, become a prolific striker after struggling to find his best position or form before moving to north London.

Welbeck also left Manchester United in a £16 million move to Arsenal in the last transfer window with a lot to prove and Wenger said: "Look, give me some time, it is a bit early to say that [he can be as prolific for Arsenal] when you look at the number of goals Henry scored.

"Danny has interesting potential and let's see how he develops. He has a good mentality, good physical potential, technical potential and he contributes to our team play because he doesn't lose the ball. Thierry is a good act to follow. I have nothing against it."

Wenger said Welbeck missed some chances in his first two games for Arsenal because he was anxious to get off the mark at his new club, but he is hopeful the confidence will now flow for the 23-year-old forward.

"He rushed a bit his finishing until now because he didn't score," Wenger said. "It is more a nervous problem maybe. In training he scores goals like a real striker.

"He is a good finisher. As well he has played at Manchester United in the position wide the last two or three years, never through the middle.

"Then you lose a little bit that instinct to score and you lose that pressure which is animalistic. You need to always be in the middle and wait for your chance to kill the opponent. On the flank you have less of that responsibility."

Wenger was encouraged by the link-up play between Welbeck and Mesut Ozil at Villa Park, as he suggested the duo could become a potent attacking duo for Arsenal this season.

"When they played close to each other, they combined well, with pace, and that was very interesting for us," added Wenger of his English-German attacking axis.

"[Ozil] had a good performance. The performance is not necessarily linked with the position he played. It was the plan of the day to play him there, but that can change game by game.

"The whole team played better as well and he's a guy who depends a little bit on the quality of our game."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd