Danny Welbeck | 2011-14 Performances
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I would not say racism, more of people blinded by dislike of him or opposition fans who barely watch us.
Just seen this
Crazy isn't it?
Fiskey 
Spastic.
Disable-ist!
I enjoy how the caf jumps on the bandwagon. Would anyone describe Ricky Lambert as being clumsy on the ball? I've never seen it. Is he better on the ball than Welbeck? No, he's much worse.
I just don't understand how the accusation he's clumsy on the ball can be leveled at him, without it having racist connotations. He's one of our best players with the ball at his feet, he's demonstrated this since he was in the youth team. Look at his pass completion %s and they are amongst the best in the league for a forward player. He's also a successful dribbler and carries the ball exceptionally well, even before you start talking about his ability with flicks and one touch passing around the box. Given this evidence how is he clumsy on the ball? It can only come down to appearance, and I think racism has something to do with it.
I just don't understand how the accusation he's clumsy on the ball can be leveled at him, without it having racist connotations. He's one of our best players with the ball at his feet, he's demonstrated this since he was in the youth team. Look at his pass completion %s and they are amongst the best in the league for a forward player. He's also a successful dribbler and carries the ball exceptionally well, even before you start talking about his ability with flicks and one touch passing around the box. Given this evidence how is he clumsy on the ball? It can only come down to appearance, and I think racism has something to do with it.
The accusation that he is clumsy is regularly levelled at him. It is simply not backed up statistically, or if you actually watch the matches. Similar accusations are not levelled at other players playing in a similar role, despite the fact that they more regularly display characteristics which could be regarded as clumsy. Ergo....
Its a common problem in the media, just read a few articles and I really believe that there exists subconscious racial stereotyping. Attributes are more easily attached to players of different races, with scant regard for actual facts.
Its a common problem in the media, just read a few articles and I really believe that there exists subconscious racial stereotyping. Attributes are more easily attached to players of different races, with scant regard for actual facts.
How can you back up clumsiness statistically? You don't have that sort of information in numbers. The mentioning of race is just plain idiotic.
Surely clumsiness on a football pitch would indicate an inability to control and use the football? Its not as if he can knock over a china plate. if that is accepted then there are many stats which help us.
Not sure if this applies to Welbeck so much but I've said this before about the way that certain commentators stereotype players/teams due to ethnicity. In fact it's become a bit of a running joke amongst friends.
African players/teams for example are nearly always described as "powerful", "athletic", "tactically naive".
African players/teams for example are nearly always described as "powerful", "athletic", "tactically naive".
I actually think the last part is true to some extent. But the Danny criticism has nothing to do with racism. He has been regarded as a late bloomer in terms of physical development (something which has been backed up by statements from United's coaches - and SAF himself, for that matter) and he's a bit gangly: add to that his lack of composure in the box, and presto, you have a player that could easily be branded clumsy.
Yeah, I think this is really prevalent, and I don't think if Welbeck was a white player with his attributes he would be labelled clumsy.
You could look at shots missed and unsuccessful dribbles, but that doesn't take into account whether that shot was missed because he hit a screamer and missed from a couple of inches, or skied it 50 feet high because he tripped. Same for dribbling; was he outpaced or out muscled to the ball, or did he trip? He is brilliant outside of the box for control and in his stride, I give you that. But when he gets into the box and has to take more than one touch, his feet turn to mush. His most effective technique when on goal is hit it first time, just like he did with his two goals. If he takes any more than one touch, he overthinks and loses the ball more often than not. Surely you have noticed this on more than one occasion?
Well if gangly = clumsy, that could be true, but why not use the word gangly and call him a poor finisher. If someone told me about a footballer I had never seen and described him as clumsy I would expect an Andy Carroll type player, ball bouncing off him constantly and elbows flying everywhere endangering opponents. If the player I then saw was Welbeck I would think they've got it completely wrong.
Who's saying he's clumsy, though? I'm curious, but I can't be arsed reading back through the thread.
Anyone who's bothered to watch him in the academy, reserves and first team would know that's just not true. His technique's excellent.
Anyone who's bothered to watch him in the academy, reserves and first team would know that's just not true. His technique's excellent.
I found watching Danny that his touch is erratic, but not in a has a bad touch all the time kind of way, he seems to be all or nothing at times, he will either control beautifully, which in all honestly he does the majority of the time, or he makes an utter cock-up. Saying this isnt suggesting he is lacking ability, just the when he does mess it up it seems to be he messes up very badly, sending the ball way away from him and to an opposing player.
His ability to hold and shield the ball under pressure can be fantastic at times.
His ability to hold and shield the ball under pressure can be fantastic at times.
Yeah, but loads of strikers have this issue and aren't called clumsy. Jelavic seems to have a similar overthinking problem, but calling him clumsy would seem an inaccurate description.
Type clumsy into the search function and there are 4 pages of results in this thread.
Of course we wouldn't, he's white you dick. White people aren't clumsy. Or is that just a really common racial stereotype I'm thinking of?
Ronaldinho was one who always confused me, couldn't tell if he was majestic on the ball or clumsy due to his mixed skin colour.
The discussion is about Welbeck, a player in our squad which we watch every game of, not Jelavic who I think can be clumsy too. Make a thread about clumsiness if you want to rope in the "but you don't call him clumsy" line
Clearly clumsy.
It's like how everybody aways praises Rio for his no-nonsense physical approach to the game, but they overlook any skill on the ball because of his skin colour. He probably actually has better technique than John Terry, but all you racist bastards can't see it.
His only weakness has been finishing. He has everything else a top striker needs to succeed IMO bar finishing.
Aye - and I would agree. I wouldn't call him clumsy myself, but that doesn't mean the description is dubious in-itself. If anything it is because Welbeck is clearly on a whole different level technically than someone like Andy Carroll that you'd even consider calling him clumsy: His "clumsiness" is a form of inconsistency or - again - lack of composure. And the explanation is partly that he is gangly, not fully grown into his bones, or whatever you want to call it. I honestly don't think people mean to imply anything more sinister.
There's also the impatience and the demanding nature of some our fans: Welbeck is a local lad who hasn't quite set the world on fire yet. They will go on giving him criticism for anything under the sun until he's a proven world beater.
Fiskey should be able to enlighten you, he's clued on these matters.
Oh right, because he's straight he can't score goals, right?
People like you who discriminate because of a person's sexuality disgust me.
Some pretty weak humour in here. If people don't think its down to racism is Cassius and Chesterlestreet's explanations enough? Probably, but I still think its incredible that the tag has stuck so apparently easily to him, whereas I believe most people would not have him as an archetypal clumsy footballer.
Judge Danny when he plays the position he is supposed to play in. Pundits and football fans alike do my fecking head in when they bang on about Welbeck. 'He's a striker and doesn't score enough goals'...yes...because most of the time he doesn't play as a striker.
The people being serious are claiming it's racist to refer to someone as clumsy, simply because you yourself wouldn't associate it with him
No wonder we resort to this...TBF, you started it.
And there we go
I can admit when people put forward good and reasonable points. I was incredulous at the description, Chesterlestreet put forward a reasonable suggestion (even though he doesn't agree with it) and I accept that it is possible. The amount of times the description has been used still seems weird to me, and no one has tried to defend the notion that Welbeck is a clumsy player, despite it being mentioned many times throughout the thread.
The people being serious are claiming it's racist to refer to someone as clumsy, simply because you yourself wouldn't associate it with him
Do you associate it with him? If so why?
Huh?
He has the touch of Nwankwo Kanu and the speed the Nigerian was never blessed with.
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