The curious case of the Theo Walcott.

34 Replies to “The curious case of the Theo Walcott.”

1. From an outside view it may seem that Theo is finished and should be moved on, but not knowing the full circumstances we should not judge him. He has abilities and they cannot just disappear, unless something else is taking his concentration away from football.

   I do too wish that he fulfils his so appparent promise in the next 3 years, and that is not against Arsenal.

2. There’s no doubt that ‘on his day’ he’s a game changer.
   His first touch isn’t great although it can be excellent.
   He’s not as quick as he was but he’s still quick.
   The complete drivel from a spuddie pundit saying that Theo doesn’t have a ‘football brain’ is only repeated by other idiots, but it’s certainly fair to say he’s not a creative player and therefore doesn’t see opportunities that the best players see, however he’s not untalented in that area either.
   So what happened? He came back from injury late in the 14/15 season and looked like a much better all round player. His team play was better, the timing of his runs had improved dramatically and he was starting to move to the right places to get ‘the rebound’ which was something he rarely achieved up to then. His biggest failure as a CF had previously been that he had problems with his back to a CB but even that was vastly improved and his finishing looked better (Not ‘Aguero’ better but certainly to the level of a good PL striker).

   Then an injury followed by a few games on the wing to get some match fitness, where he looked OK but rarely special…. and it fell apart…
   His confidence and therefore his form seemed to evaporate.
   Without knowing what he’d been asked to do it’s difficult do say he just wasn’t putting in the effort. Some games he may well have been told to not drop back as we wanted him as an outlet (as well as Giroud or whoever), but to look so lacklustre so consistently for half a season was a depressing sight. Many of his ‘on the wing’ games saw his movement become predictable and where he should be dropping into an inside left/right position he seemed to wander off completely.
   I suspect there are issues that are taking his attention away from playing but as a well paid professional that shouldn’t happen.
   I don’t get the ‘Wenger will sell him this summer’ vibe at all (although it could happen) but he will have to be sat down with the coaching staff for a serious discussion about whether he wants to be at AFC or somewhere like southampton or Palace because his time is running out.

3. Not sure on Theos future.
   Sometimes, a player gets into a rut….and a new coach, voice, environment or system may be needed to kickstart him again.
   But, just get the feeling he is not finished as a player, far from it. If we did let him go….and someone like Klopp, Koeman, Bilic…or whoever had him rediscover his mojo, he could seriously come back to haunt. and give the WOB/media another perceived stick with which to beat the manager.
   I hope Wenger keeps him, especially in Dannys absence, works on him, rebuilds his confidence…or whatever it is.

4. I agree that Theo’s best years are coming. With so many forward players returning late after this summer’s hiatus, Theo should be given this opportunity to shine early in the new season.

5. What happened to Theo, when he first burst into the scene I really thought he is the guy who is gonna be the challenger to the goal machine called fiery Thierry. And the FA cup where he scores against spurs was the year of the Theo and then he gets the knee bust up in the same game. Since then he is been half way between the gutter and the stars. And then against the 2nd match against spurs this year, there was a moment when he had to challenge for the ball after welbeck was pulled down and he just skipped over the ball. And there were other similar instances. I think he just wanted to stay injury free for the Euros and that fear bogged him down. And little good did that do. But it’s the similar to Ramsey who took a while to find his mental strength…. Just hope he gets there because his best years are ahead of him and I rather he stays with us.

6. A good rest and preseason worked wonders for Özil, hopefully the same will happen for Theo.

7. Don’t think you can overestimate how harmful a serious injury is to any player mentally. And, for me, it feels like Theo is a special case on that front.

   Reasons being : 1, he is massively reliant on pace; 2, his early development most likely didn’t impose the need for anything other than his core assets (speed, timing runs, finishing on the break) which, combined with temperament, meant he wasn’t a natural fighter in the most commonly used sense (literal fighting: grappling, barging, tussling, tackling) ; 3, he is 27 and, despite having a lot of good moments in his career, is most likely troubled by a sense he hasn’t achieved as much yet as he wanted to, and needs good years from here in order to be satisfied with his career.

   The absolute bastard of it is that he was well set to kick on before the injury. 24, improving, overall a good career to that point, and doing a good job of addressing some of his weaker points, especially physical stuff involving directly contesting for the ball.

   No idea what happens from here. I find it easy to imagine that he thinks a great deal about perceptions of him and knows how much they’d improve if he was seen to be fighting for the ball more. He also must know that this is not a strength of his (I remember him speaking with reverence in his book about how tough Rooney is).

   But, from the other direction he must, rightly, be terrified of another serious injury. He knows what it would mean for him, and knows he doesn’t have the skill set or experience of fighting people that some have, and that large numbers of our fans and the media push him towards trying to address

   I think that is a hell of a lot for a person to have on their mental plate. Either he can make peace for the time being ( and, to be honest, it’s more like for good) with a very specialised role for us, most often as a sub, or it seems likely an unhappy season awaits.

   Good insight into the places injury takes sportspeople in this article from a riugby league player

   http://mantalitymagazine.com/mind/the-dark-side-of-sport/

8. Hmm, no one is sure of what state of form Theo will be at Arsenal in this coming season. Will he rediscover his lost high goals scoring form? Or will he be average or bellow average form for Arsenal?

   As it’s on the cards right now, keeping Theo at Arsenal will be a gamble that may pay high dividend or a low one for Arsenal in next season,s campaign.

   Since a gamble has come-in into play if the Boss retain Theo at Arsenal rather than to sell him for a high value reselling price, There has to be a guarantee that will bail Arsenal out of the woods should the gamble to keep Walcott for another season at Arsenal turnout to be a farce.

   And that guarantee will be to sign a versatile top quality right-
   winger who can also effectively play centrally from the market to give Iwobi, Wilshere and Ramsey a good competition for their grading if no any academy player from the Arsenal Under 21 academy is found suitable to fill the likely void that may created if Walcott flops.

9. Theo’s best game this season was the home game against Man U, where his movement was superb in that 1st half creating space for Ozil and Alexis to exploit. But he seems to have had niggling injuries which keep him out for 3 or 4 games, so that he has rarely got a good consistent run in the side.

   With Danny W out for most if not all of next season, even if AW buys a new CF, Theo still remains a great asset for the team, and a good attacking option. But he is not a natural CF.

   COYG

10. “I’ve been a Theo supporter all along, Most of us at Untold are. ”
    Really? I’m not sure I agree.
    Having watched him at the ground for 10 years, frankly it makes a mockery of our supposedly good scouting team. He came with blistering pace but poor control and little positional awareness. 10 years later, his pace is still there but so are the 2 deficiencies. I don’t think I have ever seen a player who has developed so little still be at a major club after so long. He seems to be the ultimate in PR over substance.
    No, I’m afraid this is one where I grudgingly have to side with the arsene beaters. I believe we could have done much better investing in an alternative over the last 10 years.
    It seems that he has been rumbled in the wider market too given that his formidable PR machine seems to be dredging up little if any interest from other clubs. No, he’s a dud. It happens. Let’s move on and learn.

11. Samuel, you keep mentioning prices like “retain Theo at Arsenal rather than to sell him for a high value reselling price” but what is a “high value reselling price” for Theo?

12. I doubt if another club is going to buy Theo from us at a reported £20 million and match his current wage of £140000 per week. So unless he’s prepared to take a big pay reduction I don’t see him leaving.
    Charlie Nicholas thinks he’s not reached his potential, but I think he topped out two years ago and won’t get any better now.
    Such a likable lad though, and if he does leave I hope he gets some productive game time in, but not against us.

13. Sorry but if being likeable were important or relevant, he’d be playing for England and a dead cert starter. I rather like players o be competent on te ball and not spend 90 minutes hiding in plain sight, trying desperately not to receive the ball and making 90 % of passes straight back to the right back, who has just given him the ball.
    He’s a lovely guy, but paying him 140k a week on that basis just doesn’t stack.

14. Oh and Charlie Nicholas was very similar. Played his best football in the pub league that passed for Scottisgph football before coming south and bring rumbled for being slow. Like Walcott he scored some nice goals, usually vs Spurs, and that has been sufficient for many yo overlook his real lack of performance at Arsenal. If he’d spent as much time in the gym as in the pub, he might have been decent. Just because he’s taken the sky shilling doesn’t mean his view ought to be relied on, just like fellow drunk and Sky lickspittle Merson.
    Sorry for the negativity today, but let’s keep it real….

15. Nice article Arsenal 13 . Am a bit disappointed with Theo’s non development so far . But in flashes he has shown brilliance , but never consistently nor in long stretches .
    With Wellbeck’s injury , I think he will be around next season . Hope it all works out for him.

16. Charlie Nicholas is one of the few pundits on Sky who often talks sense.

17. I find it offensive to him to compare him to Paul Merson.

18. CockEndRider
    err… I think you’ll see that I was disagreeing with Nicholas’ opinion.
    Also i didn’t mention that Theo being likable was added value. He iIS likable and I wish him well.
    What’s your problem?

19. The definition of damning with faint praise…..

20. Leon,
    Mistype or deliberate misspelling? No need for rudeness. Plenty of childish sites for that kind of thing.

21. ClockEndRider

    Mistype.
    What else could it be?
    Seriously, what is your problem?

22. Andy Mack, what I am saying is, should the Boss gambled by retaining Theo for another season at Arsenal and he flopped, his selling price in the market could significantly dropped from what it would have been this summer (£25m?) if he was sold.

    I think Mr Pellegrini wanted to take him to Man City for a reported £50m or was it Jack Wilshere he wanted to sign? Now, the Boss watches his players in training on daily basis. And I believe he knows them far better that we the Gooners who watch these Gunners playing their matches on TV and read comments about their performances in the print media.

    The Boss ought to have seen something in a particular Gunner in training sessions which should inform him that the Gunner is on a downwards form, past his top level and has become prone to picking up injuries often than not. And no longer an Arsenal quality.

    Consequently, the Boss should seize any opportunity to sell, which has become available to him to sell a declining inform Gunner for a good value of money in the market without any unnecessary hesitations which will later on turn to hurt Arsenal as the Gunner will continue to consume Arsenal money in terms of paying high wages to him for his mediocre performance or even remaining sidelined with injury for seasons.

    What is that! The boss should detach himself from being too emotionally attached to any Gunner. And should rather become more professionally attached with his Gunners.

    I think Arsenal have not won the BPL title for long because of the Boss being too emotionally attached with the Gunners instead of him to be highly professional in his management of the Gunners.

23. It was Stuart Robson, who had his post game segment in ARSENAL player who called Theo a runner without footballing brains..

    What makes me wonder is where did Theo hate come from???. it appears last season during his contract negotiations. Before that I don’t recall much. And it reaches the peak this season end, obviously Theo contributed to that with weird performances. Even the season start last time, Theo was no where at the top of the hate list. He had good games as CF too.

    Last 3 seasons after the 20 goals season Theo averaged just 12 starts. So injuries did play a part in his stagnation.

    Hez been left out of Euro squad. Which he did help the team qualify for. Not that it’s a bad thing…..hez started his fitness program for next season. Looks like hez up for it…..

24. Leon,
    Don’t play childish games. I grew out of that years ago and it’s both trying and crass.
    Have a nice day.

25. Theo has had a very difficult time with injuries, so I would cut him some slack just now. Lets see how he plays after a steady run in the team.

26. ClockEnd Rider

    God knows what I’ve done to offend you, but you really do seem to have issues with me.
    Whatever it is I’m sorry. Nothing intentional.
    Just a simple typo.

27. Merson would not be fit to tie Walcott’s bootlaces.
    Whatever has happened to Walcott I sincerely hope that AW can get to the bottom of it and then they can both work on it. His confidence is low of that there is no doubt but when the guy was down the abuse he told was totally uncalled for and it sure as hell did not help one little bit. Will this make him want to move on?, I do not know but I hope he stays and proves those boo boys wrong . The best answer to those people is the famous salute he give after been carried of when injured against the Spuds, boy would I love to see that but he has to do what is best for him and his family but I truly hope he stays.

28. Arsenal 13, It was a term used by the Spuddie/Newcastle sausage maker Waddle, who was a quite gifted player but with the football knowledge of a dung beetle.

29. Samuel, all the numbers you mention are from the newspapers, and aren’t worth the cost of the paper they’re written on.

30. I like Theo because he is a brilliant footballer. He has been damaged by a spud serial knee damage set of tackles & has not fully recovered. His salary is not the business of idjuts that cannot do half of what he does. There are a multitude of issues that could be impacting his game. He will come good after a holiday & some blessings in his family life.

    As long as any player is an Arsenal player I will support him/her. It is not my call to denigrate their position because of my uninformed view.

31. Samuel, caring about your players is part of being a good manager. It also means you get the best out of them. When a player’s contract is up and it really is time to move on, the manager does that, but paying full respect to what the player has given to the team. See Arteta and Rosicky this season.

32. I said it befire, I’ll say it again, sell him to Liverpool he’ll share CF with Sturridge, hoefully for them they stay fit at at least opposing times, and they will thrive, Theo will suddenly develop his awareness as Klopp is his type of manager.

    £30m is good market Value, it’s the 20+ striker

    Bilic and Poch even Gold and Big Sam know the going rate for a striker of that ilk.
    Why would I suggest Liverpool, because of the players’ personal preference, because they need it and can and will pay and it’d be a coup for them. Because I will miss Theo-ee-ee-ee-oh, but he is a wide forward like Sturridge, because he lacks the resources to hold up play physically of buy time with his first touch or drag opposition players out of harm’s way with intelligent movement.
    No, he needs structure and a counter attacking team who might not always dominate possession, such as errr…. Liverpool. I appreciate so much what he might have been and has brought over the years that I give him the Bale treatment, go where it suits you to play, rewarding your former employers with a handsome cheque they can spend on ten players who a year later won’t make the grade (Jibe at Kane and Co) and prove that indeed you do have bags more quality then many would quote you for. Win, win situation for club and player and win again for Liverpool who need to add pace in wide areas and something of a Talismanic figure to parade in front of the Kop. It hasn’t been mentioned much by the media, unlike a bid for Sturridge to move in the reverse!?
    Traction may be gathering with a possible move for the rugged and handsomely equipped Ricardo Rodriguez, wich may lend itself to the possibility of a cash plus player move for Giroud, who not unlike Theo looks like he may need a change of scenery, after the latest revelations surrounding his marital life, which may be worthy mention given the much maligned goal drought. I would not scoff at the prospect of a back four of Laurent, Hector, Ricardo and some other technically astute leader to partner the resplendent UCL qualification King in the centre of defence.
    Our current left back situation divides opinion as much as any other position, with the likely addition of a first Team LB likely on the cards, does Wenger opt for Youth or experience? If I want someone on the bench who understands the team and wont cast me dirty glances when he only chalks uo 26 appearances, then I think Kieran is my man. Allowing Monreal to return to Spain with a plethora of experience to lend to a final three years shadow boxing with the ghosts of former El Classico’s forget-me-nots.
    Meanwhile Hector has cemented his place at RB, giving Carl a shot at back up, with Debouchy likely to be another £5m in instalments to assist with FFP.
    With the squad thinned out, it’s more about securing the services of those players available for Transfer who meet the needs of the team.
    I would love Dybala, but Juventus are loathe to lose Alvaro, they are not going to sell the first choice 22 year old. Pierre wants to go to Real and they in turn are activating Alvaro to that end in order to raise the funds.
    It would seem likely that Eden for James would be agreeable to all parties, but PSG may be a hurdle to such a move as they may well offer cash for Hazard in an attempt to lure him to the team he supported as a child. Real will also be looking to beat Barcelona to De Gea, who is likely to move in the near future to either of the Spanish Giants, it may be a case of who blinks first.
    Former me the key to our prosperity is to complete the signing of the targets identified who are most viable. Rodriguez would produce 3/4 of a back four to equal any, and would represent a cry to arms for a CB who has the presence of mind required to martial the defence and spy the obvious opportunity. Gabriel, Chambers, Gibbs and Jenkinson would both provide cover and a reasonable rotation option, whilst allowing the squad to remain narrow and compact, giving opportunity to developing talent such as Isaac Hayden. Player coach role for Per, or return to a mid-table Bundesliga club both possible.
    In midfield we now boast an abundance of technical ability but with 3 games per week a feature of any regular season at the top table in English football, I still think we are a Kante and a Sissoko away from complete midfield dominance. E.g. Couquelin, Ball winning midfielder, Elneny, Deep lying, Advanced, Mobile playmaker, Granit, Deep Lying Playmaker, Enforcer, Wilshere, Deep Lying/Advanced Playmaker/AM, Ramsey, CM/AM Santi, Mobile Playmaker, Mesut, Mesut Advanced Playmaker. We have no Box to Box, Sissoko and no DM Kante. Both worth the money and fixed priced., we have 7 midfielders and play 3 per game, meaning we have 2.3 squad players in midfield. Gedian, and co are not ready and could make a great under 21’s winning side if kept at home next season.
    In attack, we are seriously deficient in terms of numbers and sheer quality, cue a frustrated Alexis and dejected Ozil along with are pantomime villains Oxlade, Walcott and Giroud, who have all to often been the definition of profligacy. Personally I consider it that Iwobi can understudy Alxis and Chambo deserves another year, but we still need two players for each of the front three positions, which brings us to Morata, the exciting bit, Forwards.
    Did anyone watch the CONFEDS? Outstanding, he would have finished top scorer, had they not taken him out of the last game, silly Spain. Alvaro can play either up front or out wide and is very handy in Alexis position, does anyone remember when Arsenals front line as interchangeable?
    This young man brings pace, power, and technical ability with some versatility, he is exactly what Wenger needs to create a World Class player, mentally this kid is one of the most together, unlike Benzema, is definitely coming, oh wait no he made a sex tape, of his friend, without consent, to blackmail him, maybe. Morata and Ricardo, would show we mean business and would give rise to questions over player quality, something missing for a while. If we can only secure these two before June 10, we will be a Reus and a Manolas away from a UCL draw press conference where we can unanimously agree that we should be challenging for Europe’s Elite trophy.
    Granit (OWNED)
    Guererro/Rodriguez ?
    Morata (OFFERED?)
    Manolas/ Jeison Murillo (Why would we buy a Senegalese partner for Laurent who has to leave mid-season, discriminatory AFC if you ask me) RE: Koulibaly
    Do we really need Henrik, I don’t think so, unless you are going to replace Santi, something I wuld have done for both club and player before the long term injury.
    As I said, we need more power captain, and the middle of England has two fantastic specimens of African engineering in Sissoko and Kante, who whist fleet footed and marauding have great technical levels.
    Finally to the man I have wanted to see in one of our shirts, Mr I leave when you do, Marco Reus, who is assuredly on everyone’s radar as Dortmund finally crumble under the weight of their own success. Cue Ronald Koeman.

33. Dwain Kaye, Are you suggesting that Klopp won’t be going back to his ‘pressing from the front/possession game’ that he used at BvB?

34. Andy surely not, merely that Klopp tends to increase the players sense of self worth by asking more of them than is currently asked but keeping his requests within the confines of their abilities. Theo has enough pace, not blistering pace any more I do agree, however pressing merely requires you obstruct the direct path of your immediate opponent, not too much mental anguish in that, nor in using enough pace to return to position, especially if you are being told you are integral to what BvB essentially make a four five one under their last two managers, with the latter possibly having as much or greater success with the philosophy post Mario and Bob.

    However Theo in transition would be playing a vastly more direct game, where his greatest influence would come from making SAS style runs from in to out, or taking on his opposite number with two speedsters in support.

    At Arsenal I feel Theo is asked just a little too much in terms of interplay, he understands what he’s supposed to do out wide, but struggles to execute on a consistent basis, but playing deeper means more injuries and Theo recognises another would surely mar any chance of a Historically renowned career record.

    I merely state that if I were Jurgen I would be concerned with who I can attract more than even who I could afford under FSG and Henry. If he doesn’t get something in that works he could work himself into the unfortunate shoes of his predecessor and fashion himself an untimely end, Cup finals wont hide stats.

    In contrast buying Br0itish works, it has a premium, but you want a little more class than Townsend, even Hodgers could tell you that. In fact if you invited me to consider the idea of Sturridge left, Walcott right, Coutinho in behind and Milner and Firminho pulling strings, I’d say that you’d be a striker away from a fearsome attacking line. I’d say that if you cashed in on the likes of Ibe and raided the relegated teams for rotation playes, you would be a CB and too competitive full backs (Moreno is so bad when he’s bad you can’t help but laugh) away from a top four challenging team, even with Mingolet in goal.

    What they need are the fundamentals for a defence, Sakho is about all they have there along with a hopefully rejuvenated Flannigan. Leaky, leaky Liverpool, Theo would be the Liverpool boy who never was, the Kop would be ideal for Theo’s pensive nature and as \i said Theo should find that next gear, before it’s too late. Alex will push on next season without doubt, and someone else may well come in, Theo cannot take another maybe, I’ve never seen someone in more need of a fresh start.

    It’s like Giroud going to the near post, passing on the edge of the area or rarely looking to head towards the penalty spot. You wait for signs of life and they don’t come, if you can’t run back into the box don’t cross the halfway line.

    If you have pace to burn , defend by occupying the mind of the Full back, if he goes to support his wide man, let him have his way occasionally, trust your (maybe the white haired Aaron Ramsey) team-mate to fill in and wait for the counter, it’s oly Mesut Ozil in the middle there.

    Something it seems, indeed 2somethings you cannot coach” – Graeme Souness