The Arsenal winger cum striker Theo Walcott has started the preseason in the same way he ended the last campaign, as he scored the opening goal against Everton yesterday. The England international scored a hat-trick against West Brom on the last day of the season, and then followed it up in the FA Cup Final win over Aston Villa.
But yet again Arsene Wenger is having protracted contract talks with Walcott and Le Prof confirmed that he will be having further meetings with Theo soon. “Yes, because he is close to the end of his contract next season.”
But the manager was obviously impressed with Walcott’s fitness during yesterday’s match as he said afterwards: He is sharp and prepared well,”
“He is like every player – they look fit, close to full fitness. It’s quite amazing how the players are back to a good body shape and a good [level] of fitness because they prepare well.
“Now football has changed – they come back after holidays and they don’t start from zero. They have done their homework and he is one of them.”
Walcott took a long time to get back into the Gunners first team after his year out injured, but the win over Everton has proved to Wenger that he hungry to win back his place in the starting XI. I wonder if the talks with Wenger are centred around whether he will get more chances to play as an out-and-out centre-forward, and if he can keep his scoring boots on all the way through to the Charity Shield then he could stake his claim to give Giroud some misgivings ahead of the new season….