Thierry Henry has claimed that Theo Walcott’s 10 years at Arsenal should have been more fruitful, and insists his playing position is still unclear.
The 27 year-old joined from Southampton back in 2006, but has started less than 150 league matches in a decade, and still has a number of questions to answer.
Theo has regularly been used out wide, or more recently in a centre-forward role, and despite starting the season in top goalscoring form, has ended the year under intense scrutiny.
The speedster was awarded Arsenal’s Player of the Month award for September, having scored four goals within the month, rivalling Olivier Giroud for a central role. An injury seemed at the end of October seemingly ended such form, and he has struggled since his return.
The scrutiny is now set to continue throughout the summer, or until an exit is confirmed, and Thierry Henry has opened up about his thought on Walcott.
“He has struggled,” said Henry.
“His 10 years at Arsenal have been a weird one. Apart from one season where he played more than 30 games, he wasn’t really a starter. If Welbeck is out and Oxlade-Chamberlain is out, we all know how important pace is in the way [England manager Roy] Hodgson wants to play.
“If you go, you have to have performed.
“I always have a mixed reaction, Theo Walcott has been in the game for 10 years, you should know about him. You always have something to prove, he should know what he can offer to a team.
“By now he should know what his position is, but it is not clear.”
West Ham have been most strongly linked with his signature, but following Welbeck’s injury, his exit appears much less likely.
Do you think Theo’s main problem at Arsenal is his failure to affirm himself in a position? Are his injuries simply too regular to hold down a regular place in the team?
Theo Walshot’s place is BENCH!!! subtitute for Pierre ERIC AUBUMOYANG!!!!
Problem is aubameyang is not coming to Arsenal so that Walcott on the pitch
Our British players haven’t excelled in any particular position and those that have managed to play well are bang average….
Ramsey:Never a CM Imo,he is a number 10,but can’t play 10 for a top top team.he will be good for the likes of QPR,swansea..etc.
Wilshere:aAgain no definite position…he is too short to control CM,no strength,he can’t defend well…
Ox:Do you know his best position? Cos I have no idea…very inconsistent lad..
Chambers:imo, this one is a CB and very promising…his versatility is gradually limiting him..
Jenkinson: He never looks assured on the ball, in a nutshell, not a player that should play for Arsenal..
Gibbs:Inconsistent..injury prone like the others I have mentioned ahead of him..but I love his professionalism….
Walcott: In the beginning,he was a winger but along the line he confused himself,only one good season like Ramsey…inconsistent also..
Of all these players,we have to offload at least 2.,buy/promote good players as they don’t really contribute much except Ramsey..
Henry has said it..”10 years and counting, we still dunno Walcott’s position,that’s a big shame!
They all seem extremely negative about their own abilities with the exception of Wilshere and Ramsey. One injured the other just woefully bad.
Players like Robben,Ribery,Messi,neymar,henrikh never hold their clubs to ransom over the positions they wanna play eventhough they guarantee goals….they just go out there and play their game….
But in England it is common to them..Sturridge did the same thing but at least he can score goals,but won’t stay fit…what has Walcott done eh???
Some Arsenal players just have it too easy…they can do anything and get away with it!smh…
Great point! Makes little difference to his game as well. Plays wide or the middle. The whole thing was just ridiculous.
I personally don’t think that the position he plays in makes any difference, as it seems to me that Walcott’s main problem is his mentality!
Its as if His mind is elsewhere when called upon,
He is obviously lacking concentration and focus,
Maybe he Is he too focused on worring about getting injured again? But to be fair, he has had more than his fair share of injuries, in his career.
The facts are that this season has to go down as his worse for the Gunners and I’m sure that Walcott is devastated by missing out on the Euro’s, which also may have been one of the reasons why he didn’t commit himself 100% when given the opportunity, I guess that his main goal was to stay fit for England, since injuries in the past have denied him World Cup tournaments (twice).
Whether Walcott stays or goes, I get the feeling that he will shine, next season. ?
You also have to consider that wenger didn’t exactly help Walcott’s cause, by benching him 99% of the time.
The same goes for Campbell.
Not only do we need new signings, but we also need our manager to be a bit more enthusiastic with his team selections and substitutions, for the up and coming season.
I DELIBERATELY didn’t mention Wenger as I don’t want to change the direction of the article…it is only the GK,Giroud that Wenger haven’t tried to change or even change their position and I don’t understand why he does that although some of them did well and never complained…Monreal at CB, cazorla has played both wings, 10,and now CM.. Bellerin played LB at Galatasaray, to mention a few..
But sometimes,he makes mistakes that affects some players..he shouldn’t have allowed Walcott his wish to play CF…
Walcott only plays well when negotiating a pay rise and when he was trying to prove he is a striker….he is a problem for us now,a big one…
Wenger never changes though. Or more accurately, he slowly evolves and by the time he does it’s too late. Still have little hope we’re getting anyone better than Giroud this summer.
Fatboy,this Walcott’s worst season I know…
“He will shine next season”..
I believe so but is he going to last???????
By ‘last’ I mean will he stay fit??
Many don’t understand the problem with Walcott and others is not only their ability but also fitness…
If Ronaldo, has been injured all season,will he score all the goals to even contend for ballond’dor??
We have counted on these players for long, we have to be ruthless now…no more pity unless we are now accustomed to seeing the same thing every year…
Lemme give an easy prediction..
Walcott, Wilshere, Ox…will all miss at least 10 EPL games next season….particularly when they are hitting their average form…
You can add Ramsey’s hamstrings o that list. ?
*To
There must be a scouser on here!.. He robbed my ‘T’ ?
A healthy whippet or a wandering whippet he is still just a whippet … He has always been a very average footballer … One good season in ten the ocassional run of decent performances that’s what average players deliver… Wenger’s persistence with him as with other mediocre players has been one reason we have not won anything major in over a decade .. Should have been sold 5 years ago but must be sold to whoever will take him in the summer if we get 10m for him that’s fine .. Need a quality attacking winner on right to complement Sanchez … If he stays
After 10 yrs of nothing, we still keep Theo. That’s why we are where we are today. No back bone. Which other top team in the league will allow Theo to stay?? Wilfred Bony is off to Swansea because City deserves better. That’s what big clubs do. Madrid will likely trade off James Rodriguez. But we keep Theo and bench Campbell. Who has been way productive. That shows us the Arsenal mentality. Expect more heart aches. Walcott will have about two decent months after the transfers then show how poor he really is over again. When the fans lash at Wenger, he becomes surprised?? No player’s carreer is more important than Arsenal. But that’s the case. 10 yrs in the league and Wilshere gets a place by playing less games. Lalanna and Rashford get places. If Wenger can’t see all these then I am sorry for us as a club.
We prefer players who want money, over players who work hard. I don’t know where Arsenal started to go backwards, but it’s so sad to look at our squad and see all the players who we know just don’t care. Even when we weren’t exactly winning trophies there were still squads with more heart than the current one. No leadership, too many excuses around the entire organization.
He should go shine at West Ham. If I can’t really picture them playing for R.Madrid, Bacar or Bayern, then I don’t want them here no more. Can you picture Walcott playing for Madrid? Huh? Can you?
Walcott is a big symbol of the ‘gloriless’ Arsenal. Guy arrived here ten years ago, that was about the time Arsenal dry season started!
So if they are much too little to represent Barca, why should they wear our shirts?
i wouldn’t worry about which club should he go to….
i don’t care – just GO!
Someone is to blame for all these..just one person!
His time is about to run out, hopefully …
Has never lived up to his potential or the number. Time to sell him, but he’s one of Wenger’s lovers so that’s not going to happen. We’re willing to sell Ox before Walcott, ridiculous. Neither are good enough but surely Ox has more to offer. He’s still young, doesn’t hold the club for ransom and demand ridiculous wages either.
Someone told Walcott that he is new Henry…..and Walcott believe it too…..
But The rest of the planet don’t think so….
So now what?
Either Wenger has an uncanny knack of choosing and buying crap English players, or he has no idea how to coach and improve them after they arrive.. Personally I feel it’s the latter, and if Chambers goes on loan for next season, we’ll see if, and by how much he improves..
Same can be said for Chamberlain if he’s sold…
whats with all this “over the top” moderation all of a sudden admin????
There is no moderation. It is automatically blocked if you swear.
Simple answer. Stop swearing….