I am one of the Arsenal fans that has been wondering what on earth has been going on with our use of Theo Walcott, after the super quick winger/forward has been kept languishing on the bench since his return from a year long spell on the sidelines due to injury.
Although his career stats may be a little underwhelming, many seem to have forgotten that Walcott put those doubts about his finishing and his football brain firmly to one side a couple of years ago. Even Alan Hansen admitted that he had been completely wrong about the Arsenal and England man.
So I was baffled when Arsene Wenger did not start to use him regularly once he was fit again, until I saw this report in The Telegraph that is. The report claims that Wenger is really serious about making a transfer bid for the Borussia Dortmund and Germany international star Marco Reus this summer.
If that is right then I can understand. Even though I am a Walcott fan I do think that Reus is a much better option for the Gunners. He also has great pace and finishing but Reus also has the advantage of being able to play various roles, including wide forward, attacking midfielder and striker.
The big question is not whether Arsenal should try to sign Reus but whether we will be able to get him. Maybe Wenger could offer Walcott to the Bundesliga club as part of the deal and then he would not come back to haunt us and he would suit Jurgen Klopp’s fast and furious football style. What do you think?
Walcott showed us he could betray us and even go to our rivals if he wasn’t made the st n his wages increased, no one is bigger than the arsenal ask fabregas
Let this be clear for every true gooner : Walcott MUST stay. I actually want the club to reach an agreement with Theo. But I want to see that both parties involved desire to reach that deal. Does he wants 110k? OK, propose 100k. We proposed that to Sagna and he still left. Theo is homegrown and with us since he was like 17. When fit he’s hard to stop. I know that his best quality is speed but right now he’s a bit rusty. Time will come when he will score. Hopefully for us.
He does not deserve more then he is currently earning. The brits are way to overrated and way to overpriced. If Walcott wants to go, he can go, he will not be missed bec right now he is far away from being a starter at Arsenal. According to Wenger: Welbeck > Walcott, and this says a lot.
One can argue the fact that he broke his ligaments winning for Arsenal. If that’s not allegiance I don’t know what it is then.
But I agree on one point with what you say : if he wants to go then it is better for him to go. So far I haven’t heard Walcott wishing to leave Emirates.
It was an accident, he did not choose it by choice. looool. Winning for Arsenal. XD
It was by choice, of course. You suggest he didn’t wanted to be in the field that day? You chose that by knowing you expose yourself to accidents like that. For which they are paid, no doubt. And yes, we were winning that day. Hardly one to miss even for you.
You are strange.
Thank you.
This isnt a reply.
Just thought id ask… if we had to sell Theo to one of utd liv che manc which one would be lesser evil.
Personally i wouldnt give to liv like leo mentioned they didnt allow Suarez talks even though buy out reached. I dont think mourinho would take him. That leaves manchstr… seeing as i hate losing to utd most id have to say manc. The thought of Theo scoring against is rotten but at manu would be unbearable.
So if Nasri had injured himself while playing for Arsenal the season he left, you would still consider him loyal? Walcott’s allegiance may be to Arsenal but that cannot be attributed to injuries. Any player, loyal or not can sustain injuries while playing.
you missed the point on that one. he meant that he injured himself in a game versus spurs where he was mocking their fans who were throwing coins and spitting on him, by throwing up the 2-0 with his hands while being stretchered off. that showed the heart of a gunner. nasri simply being injured while playing as a gunner is a bit different than if it had been versus spurs. plus, factor in the amount of time theo has been a gunner versus nasri at the time of his departure.
The Sagna comparison is apt … We are now much better for less in that position … Watching his hapless display against brazil yday just a reminder of wenger holding on to a player beyond his sell by date … Reus for Walcott a no brainier forbanyonebwho wants us to move beyond endless 4th place promises
I am sure the real story going on here is a whole lot less dramatic than people are making out. Why would any player walk back in to a team that has won 14 of its last 16 games? Why would any manager feel the need to massage any individual player’s ego and force them back in to a winning first team at someone else’s expense? We have 27 players available all of whom have played in the PL this season – do the maths. There are 16 disappointed players every match not just Theo. I suppose the underlying question and the one that could be fairly asked and discussed is why hasn’t Walcott ousted Welbeck from the team? (Not forgetting the injured Ox who is also part of the debate). Whichever player you prefer you would have to say it is not a “bad” problem to be having is it?
£100k plus 1k/week for each goal scored or created. Personally I think we are ok on the wings if Theo stays. What we need is to ensure Cazorla stays too, replace Flamini with Schneiderlin and get a top striker.
Two things that cost us the top of the league is our relative naivety and sometimes a lack ok performance on the pitch. If we can address these and make the changes above we are up for a great time because when we play well we can beat anyone. We’re a bloody great team when we want to be.
A top striker would not want to sit in the second row game after game.
Jim – That goes for any quality player in any position. Must be a massive conundrum for all managers – how to keep top quality players happy in the squad ranks. Everyone bangs on about rotation but the truth is that every successful team in history has, when everyone is fit and available, had an immovable core of 8/9 players, especially in the league comps. UCL and the cups give some opportunities but probably not enough to satisfy top quality players.
if you’re right and it’s only a 1k/week bonus for each goal scored, then we need to re-adjust that. i’d think 5k would be low. wow.
Not this again!
I want Walcott to stay too, but the word MUST is a bit strong. I totally agree that he is homegrown and that’s a huge plus. His speed is awesome. I really want him to stay
It’s up to Wenger whether he is offered the money he wants but it depends on what Walcott is asking, what Walcott is willing to accept and what he is offered by other clubs.
For example, if City offers him £140,000 then we should not match it. Walcott isn’t of the same quality as Alexis and because of injury last two seasons he hasn’t proven that he is worth that amount.
And Reus is of better quality
I want Walcott to stay. As you said, he is homegrown and more likely to be happy and stay, but we should not let him hold us to Randsom. He isn’t as valuable as Alexis. Worst comes to Worst he can be replaced
If we do sell him, we shouldn’t sell him to a rival like City, United, Chelski, Liverpool
The problem there is… hes not going to sign for a lower club than those mentioned, im guessing he would see out his contract first.
We will never give 140k for Walcott and you don’t know what he was asking for. These are pure speculation trying to prove a point which basically does not exist. He MUST stay because of extra options he bids and also for the homegrown quota. If Alexis is unavailable would you rather have Walcott or Welbeck on the right flank?
Welbeck
Already tried Welbeck on the right with Monaco at home. Want to remind you how it ended? Anyway, I am sure you said that just to say the opposite, you have no argument whatsoever.
Your fan boy logic is getting into your head. Welbeck is a better footy talent then Walcott, and thats why he is starting and Walcott is warming the bench. Another reason is that Wenger demands from his players to be able to play in the attack but also help in the defense. Walcott not good enough.
At the moment I don’t know who is better Walcott or Welbeck so to settle this argument we should get Reus. LOL.
Let’s just say that Walcott broke his ligaments defending. The footage is there for everyone to see. You are refering only to the period since he came from operation when not only his defending but also his attacking suffered.
So no, you have it wrong. If you were right then Welbeck would have been playing more while Walcott was injured. However, Welbeck does not feature if Ox is fully fit.
point is thattheo doesnt do jacl defensively. 2nd goal against us at white shit lane is an example. he also needs to be less isolated. the quality/dynamic of arsenal forwards has improved. they need to track back and also be able to play in build up
Welbeck v Walcott.. it depends who we are playing. If its against a big team and away.. Welbeck. If we are at home with majority possession and need goals.. Walcott.
wait a sec, budd. are you to tell me that you really think theo has more defensive tendencies than welbeck who, from day 1, has been known to track back? on that point, i’d have to disagree. and i like theo, find him of value, and think he will likely stay once all is said and done. we have other players who are far more likely to move on over theo to create the space for reus. that said, using theo in that deal is a possibility. as many of our players as we’ve sent to rivals, for some reason, unless theo has totally disrespected the club/manager, i think he’d go abroad, if at all.
Marco Reus: “Tomas Rosicky’s intelligence on the ball and the way he makes everything look easy hugely impressed me”
Marco Reus – “Tomas Rosicky has always been my favourite player, I always tried to model my game on him”
Join ARSENAL Reus and put on that number 7 jersey..
Ironic if he joins just after Rosicky leaves.. Who knows, Rosicky could be heading back to Dortmund.
I wish.. Reus is a player that every club wants. But Walcott is also a player I want at the club. Sell Podolski, Campbell and sadly Rosicky wants to go too. Release Diaby and Flamini. Thats a few squad spots vacant that we can fill. Walcott doesn’t have to go.
But if Reus, or any other winger, comes in there would be a big competition for places with Alexis, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain already here, plus the other players that move onto the wing everysooften like Welbeck and Cazorla.
Honestly, if we want top players to come here like Reus, then we need to give them reason too.
Lets focus on placing high in the PL, securing CL place and winning the FA Cup. Top players want money, CL and trophies.
We have the whole summer to discuss transfers. Believe me it will be a long summer. Last summer wasn’t too bad because we had the World Cup to take our mind off things.
I just hope Wenger can secure signings early Like he did with Alexis, Chambers, Ospina and Debuchy instead of waiting until last day.
Liverpool next.
bendter 52/w diaby 60/w flamini 60/w arteta 70-80/w denilson 50/w arshavin 80-90/w squallacinator 60/w podolski 90/w so what’s wrong with theo asking 140/w + arteta/diaby/flamini/podolski will all be leaving in summer that will free around 200/w salary we can easily distribute it with theo + add reus as well
we have overpaid players in the past & we can’t afford to let theo leave & join liverlool who refused to sell us suarez despite him having a buyout clause
Why are people going nuts and wanting Walcott out !! I mean its not even confirmed if he’s asked for 150k. And I don’t think dat after having hardly played since his last contract extension he wud ask for a such a high pay rise.
Ok we have started spending for d last 2 summers but don’t get carried away and hope to sell any player u wish and replace him wid better!! Any team wud do gud wid Reus but face it, dats not our priority! And trust me Walcott will soon bench welbeck. And don’t forget d goals dat Theo scores in big matches against united city Chelsea Liverpool and spurs.!!
Szczesny will hold talks with Wenger in May regarding his future
oh, this rumour again, that NEVER comes close to true. These media outlets should stop trying to mess with gullible Gooners.
Fact is we have no idea how much Walcott wants. Maybe he is happy with £90,000, Maybe £100,000 – £150,000. We just don’t know
So we should be careful insinuating that he is greedy when there is no evidence of it.
I’m hoping that Walcott stays.
But getting Reus would not make me unhappy.
I want to battle for PL and CL next season and the more top players we acquire and depth we create the better.
Don’t forget there are other players with question marks too like Szczesny, Cazorla, Arteta, Flamini, Diaby, so going to be an interesting summer
Walcott was our best player when he got hurt last year. If he stays injury free he’ll be firing at seasons end.
Reus is player I’d target because we currently do not have a left footed player for the wide left forward role.
Coquelin has had a fantastic season and is a big reason Arsenal has been able to win against the big clubs. He needs to be extended but I’d welcome some competition. The DM role is demanding and rotation doesn’t hurt no body. Let Belik slowly develop in reserves and loan him out if need be.
I think Arsenal FC is finally approaching the top of the mountain. We have built up the squad from the Cesc years, cash reserves to support transfers. The squad is in a pole position for greatness for 2015-16 year. Need a big summer in transfer market and an injury free pre season.
The issue with walcot is his reputation when it comes to contracts. Why always him? If you hear a rumour that Wenger wants to renew the contracts of Koscielny or Ramsey or any current arsenal player whatsoever, it usually goes through smoothly. So why are things different with Walcot? For crying out loud, I want him to stay but he is not Ronaldo or Messi. He is never fit enough to pay back his hefty salary with minutes on the pitch. Walcot earned millions while sidelined for a whole year due to injury. He should remember that the next time he demands for more money. I am fed up with this crap. After Van persie left, we have enjoyed a bit more stability with top players coming in and none leaving. Stability is important. Walcot’s contract talks always constitute a source of nervousness and instability within arsenal and we don’t need that. We need stability. Walcot is not better than Sanchez and once Ox is able to add goals to his game, both him and Sanchez will be benching Theo for years to come. The guy should just sign the thing and pay us back with minutes on the pitch.
Khedira altho not a natural dm would fit the bill and he’s a free transfer.
Lot of sentimentality here guys.
Walcott is a nice guy and a top athlete. He has been with us for a long time. At times he can deliver a game changing performance. He is an offensive missile with blistering speed.
HOWEVER, on the other hand he is sporadic in his performance. He is now 26 years old, no longer a protege. He has a history of injuries. He can go missing in as many games as he makes any impact. He isn’t a natural striker, nor is he a great dribbler (often running into blind alleys or losing the ball).
He is an asset but only at a sensible price and with an acceptance that as long as he is a bit part performer he’ll probably be a bit part player.
For me, he needs to show why we should keep him rather than the other way around. His perennial contract haggling (always hard to tell whether it’s the player or the agent or simply the press) seems in bad taste, for someone who doesn’t regularly do the business. Claims he is seeking to see if he gets a regular start, before committing to a contract, seem ridiculous if true.
I look at his body language on the pitch and at times he seems to hide from the ball and looks very self conscious and timid. Admittedly injuries take their toll and damage confidence, but as they say, unfortunately time waits for no man and Theo has to deliver consistently or we’re better off letting him go and replacing him with a proven and consistent winger.
Any other conclusion is akin to the excessive loyalty that AW is often negatively accused of displaying. This is about having a team in 2015/16 that can dominate. No nice guys for the sake of it, no sick notes, no overblown egos built on sand, no nearly men just because they’ve been part of the furniture for a long time and think they deserve something.
So my message to Theo is, if there is a reasonable offer on the table, be grateful Theo and take it. We’d all prefer you remained part of what is becoming a great squad. If you’re haggling, then the balls in your court to show that you can be the player in the remaining two months we always hoped you’d be or we could buy to replace you. If neither is viable, then let’s make the difficult decision and say thanks and goodbye in the summer.
Good post there. I see a lot of guys on here evaluating a player as a first team player and not first and foremost as an asset to the 25-30 man squad. I am sure some have created 30 men squads on their footie management simulations with Giroud as a 3rd choice CF, Ramsey as a back-up CM and Ozil a No.10 second option. You are not going to have anything like world-class or even close from 1-30, doesn’t work and can’t work in the real world. The intricacies and complexity of putting together a 30 man squad that gels, is fully motivated, encourages improvement and promotion within the ranks and conforms with all the stringent rules that are about to get stricter is an absolute friggin’ nightmare. Proper squads will have some word class players (or as many as poss!), plenty of top class players, experienced pros, super-versatile players, impact subs, home growns, the next “big things” and raw talent all thrown in to the squad mixing pot. That is why some of the derogatory chat on here regarding Welbeck and Chambers (and others) is so disappointing. As squad players they are massively important members; both English, both versatile, both young, both with great potential, both not demanding or expecting 1st team football every week, both amenable and non-disruptive in a squad environment etc etc etc.
To get back to your post Walcott as an Arsenal squad player is a huge asset for us – the trick will be for Wenger to convince him of such and get him to re-adjust to hopefully a different Arsenal than what he is used to with high hopes for the future. Be part of it Theo – you know and we know you will get a chance to prove yourself again. Although, in the unlikely event that Wenger dips in to the market for a wide forward of the Reus/Dybala/Draxler ilk then it is next to impossible to imagine Walcott is part of his plans; if you had Reus and Sanchez as your two wide men it would look pretty grim from the squad ranks for Theo especially with Welbeck and Ox looking on as well. The latter two I believe could cope with it – not so sure with Theo.
Loyalty is an old fashioned word I know, but if you`re vying for the top job you`ve got to convince the boss of your loyalty even if it is `bullshit`. Walcott plays hard to get and that`s dangerous in such a competitive world. He`s good but not as good as he thinks he is.