Wenger hoping to see Walcott rise to form this season!
It comes as no surprise to anyone to know that Theo Walcott was far from his best last season. The Englishman was wasteful in front of goal, off the ball and couldn’t even seem to utilise his pace as a means of effort. His performances led to much criticism and given the wage he is currently on at Arsenal, of course many called for his time at the club to come to an end.
Wenger however seems to see things differently and despite a summer of wondering whether Walcott could potentially be told to leave, it is not surprising to see that he is still a member of the club. Wenger still sees what Walcott has to offer and despite many years of toying whether to play the Englishman on the wing or up front, it seems that Wenger has finally concluded that he believes Walcott does have an eye for goal and fully expects the Englishman to show the fans that side of his game this season.
Wenger said: “I said before the season started that we will get a different Theo Walcott this year. If he can maintain that focus, that desire and that fighting attitude then he will have a great season. I hope he has no setback because he is an intelligent player, he is focused and has a great desire to prove his critics wrong and he’s on a good way.”
On the opening day of Arsenal’s new Premier League campaign, a penalty miss against Liverpool seemed to show that Walcott hadn’t changed all summer and we were going to see the same out of form player this year. However minutes later Walcott found the back of the net with a tidy finish. A week later against Leicester he missed another few opportunities but made the runs netherless and to our amazement, he managed to get into a good position on most occasions. Against Watford he chipped in with an assist as well as bringing a few good saves out of Gomes, showing that perhaps we may just see a more ‘focused’ Theo, as Arsene Wenger has suggested.
What do you think, can Walcott prove his critics wrong this season?
By AH
A new Theo, he must be like a new signing. Walcott seems to have started with plenty of focus now that the silly idea of him being a striker has shifted from his mind, or is it Wenger’s mind, but how long before the old rot sets back in. He may have decided during the summer break that its time he won the top prizes hence the emergence of a more focused person on the pitch. Only time will tell and I for one am not convinced.
Theo Walcott sucks,has no football brain,is a waste of wages,typically over hyped englishman he’s been at Arsenal for 10 years yet he’s still running and leaving the ball behind as if he’s 16 years old!
before Watford match you’d have all thumbs up. Now it’s split. How quickly us fans fall back into delusion. Theo Walcott, one good season after a whole decade. Wilshere seems to be going a similar way. Ox hasn’t even had his good season yet.
Oh goody a new theory Walcott
Really?
Let’s hope he’said better than the old lazy money grabbing theory Walcott eh ?
Bring our Thumbs Up back!!!
No because he is rubbish and should not even be classed as a footballer, how this guy has spent ten years at arsenal and over 50% of that on 80k risen to 140k is the biggest disgrace in football.
Every season he might have 1 game where he runs a little show the tiniest of glimpse that he may just actually do something and fans quickly forget n start raving about him again. Basically Wenger arrogance in not getting rid of him has come back to bite him because no team in their right mind would give him the wages he’s on or even want him in their team.
just let this sink in mahrez, sterling, mane etc quality wingers are on less wages then this donkey
Iwobi, gnabry, Sanchez n il just about give ox another season are way better options
So far this season…
Theo has been our best attacker
Coquelin our best midfielder
Koscielny our best defender
Cech our best keeper
🙂
Best attacker lol have you had the wenger funny pills
We only had him and Sanchez. And guess who was best?
I’d rather just say no attacker has been good
Theo Walcott, the winger, is a very good of a player. He has terrific pace, good crossing and passing, good awareness but lacks defensive contribution. He doesn’t screw up big time, instead is a player that rises to the occasion. He scores against big teams: Man Utd, City, Chelsea, Liverpool almost on a consistent basis. The big clubs are his favourite opponents. He scores against small clubs too: remember Newcastle hattrick, THAT comeback vs Spurs, THAT comeback vs Reading? He wasn’t world class but he was very good until…
He thought himself as the next Henry and wanted to play as centre forward. He held my dear club to ransom delaying the signing of the contract. He had his chances in CF but was found out. His finishing was too bad that he couldn’t finish his meal. Now, all changed, he wants to go back to his original position and make amends.
Judging Walcott is tricky, as winger, he is a solid player. As a CF, less said, the better. We don’t have a new Walcott, we just seem to get back the old Walcott.
I don’t like him as a centre forward or as a winger now, would gladly drive him to his next club if any deal happens (unlikely that he moves, though) But he will always be remembered for THAT “2-0” against Spuds after he was injured. For that alone, he is worth giving a chance 🙂 COYG!
I have been very critical of theo and remain very critical of him. He doesn’t seem to have much of a footballing brain or true footballing ability.
In the games thus far this season we have seen him work more defensively and actually throw a move to get his defender off balance, rather than just try to run by him. Vast improvement.
I’m hopeful that he can turn the corner this year, as the team has better balance when actual wingers play wide, not Ramsey/Jack.
I would urge caution though. Arsenal have been holders of the 4th place trophy for the better part of a decade now because our manager structured the team to depend on Jack, Aaron, theo, and the ox (and giroud to an extent). They’ve never come good. Matter of fact, they always end up getting hurt right when we need them. The moment they ceased being the focal point we got 3rd (I believe) and then 2nd.
So let theo/ox push each other on one side, not depend on either, and if they contribute then great, and if they don’t, then they sit.
Very sensible comment, I agree 100%.
Maybe Theo has been a bit better because he’s been on the wing where belongs. Enough with his striker nonsense. So far, he looks like he’s in 60-70 minute form.
Hats off to your comment, spot on
The sooner the likes of theo, ox,Jack, ramsey are benched on a consistent basis will they finally realise that wenger means business and wake up n take note.
Xhaka, Perez,Gnabry,iwobi are going no where barring Perez the talent is there for all to see in a much shorter space of time.
Walcott started becoming rubbish when he decided to ask for the striker role.
He tried to change his playing style to suit the striker role and that’s where we began having problems.
Now that he has realised that its all going wrong Walcott can hopefully become a good player
I want to see more of the walcott that I saw against watford, was a hard working one, he only needed a goal to be an almost perfect game.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Theo and hope he can re-find his form from three (?) years ago. Can’t blame him for being overpaid, which one of us wouldn’t have “signed the thing”? While he’s no where near being in Hazard’s league, he is a confidence player just like Hazard and at his best he can be a game changer.
it is very difficult being a arsenal fan delusional manager likewise fan. you can fine a million Wolcott around the world.
by the way it,s walcott and not wolcott!!
THE THUMBS ARE BACK, HOORAHH! No more oppression of one’s opinions by not seeing the thumbs up or down!
Simple things lol
Okay quick poll while we still have thumbs. Do we want them or not? Up or down?
Thumbs up for thumbs up. Quick way to either agree or disagree.
Maybe if we could see who has thumbed up or down..?
its strange, the site was boring without thumbs
didnt expect that
Sky Sports saying Wenger has allowed Wilshere to find a club to go out on loan to. What do you guys think? Sounds good to me! He’s so far down the pecking order, and he won’t revive his career on the bench. Essentially every CAM/CM is ahead of him at the moment besides for Adelaide…
Damn, that would be a JACKPOT!
I’ve been thought that this season either her or Ramsey needed to go out on loan. I believe Jack is more of an Arsenal play than Ramsey, but he just can not stay healthy. (Everton, west ham, Swansea, teams like this is where Ramsey would do well in my opinion. Not tidy and technical enough to be in the midfield triangle for Arsenal.) If this rumor is true I hope Jack is able to get somewhere and play and get his game back.
With the money invested in all positions, and emergence of Iwobi, Gnabry and Holding/Bielik, it is a do-or-die season for players like Walcott/Ox/Gabriel/Jack. They will not survive the competition if they do not step up. Imagine Perez playing on right wing, what will Theo/Ox do then? Especially over priced and paid English 3 will have to show their worth, or they will be slowly phased out
Or quickly lol
I don’t know what the story is with Theo, and I don’t mean his qualities or form. He held us to ransom over money but said no it wasn’t money it was about the striker role. So Arsene believes him and plays him as striker, but it doesn’t work out too well for Theo in the new role, so he says I want to play wing again. Arsene says I see him as a striker not a winger because Theo is bad at defending. Then we start the season without a striker so obviously that is where Arsene sees him right?. No, Theo gets to play wing again because Theo deserves to get everything he asks for right, well he got the money, so was his tantrum about being a striker or was it just himself trying to take the heat off him threatening to join a rival if his demands are not met. I don’t know the answer, but I know it cost us in more ways than one.
the sooner perez starts playing as the winger/attacker on the right side the more likely arsenal will move ahead … relying on walcott is a fools errand…whippetts dont transform in to tigers its just a biological fact
i,d like to know at which level the people who are saying that walcott has no football brain are playing their football??
I suspect the same level as those that say he is a footballing maestro …. And your point is?