Reports this morning suggest that Theo Walcott is ready to open contract talks with Arsenal in the next two weeks.
At this point, having outlined the situation thus far a few weeks ago, we’re not inclined to take anything at face value. He might well be willing. Or his people might be saying he’s willing to show that he’s not the bad guy if things don’t go the way they want.
Apparently they want assurances over playing time and it’s certainly not about money. He also wants three hugs a week from Arsene Wenger and for Boro Primorac to read him a bedtime story the night before every European game.
Who the hell knows at this point and we’re past caring. Walcott will have 12 months left on his deal this summer. Everyone knows what that means from the perspective of club and player. And at the moment he can’t even get into the team with the manager preferring an out of position Aaron Ramsey on the right.
That tells you a lot also.
In conclusion: life’s too short. Go play a game of Yahtzee with an old relative you haven’t seen for a while and enjoy those precious moments.
Wow. Harsh words.
I love it.
If we cant agree a deal that is reasonable for us then arsenal should sell….he is no longer indispensable!
Personally?…i’ll like to see him stay, if possible, but not at any cost,,,
Arsenal has been very strong lately but we haven’t won anything yet, so some fans should calm down a bit. There is excessive arrogance towards Walcott: Sell him, bench him, ditch him, throw him away and so on… Arsenal should be wise enough to hone Walcott as a footballer and take advantage of what he can bring. I am not convinced that Welbeck even the ox are better than Walcott if you consider all three at full potential.
Agreed – I think he’s a very unique talent in the EPL starpool and it would be a shame – who could turn him around other than Wenger? Le Prof definitely has a plan… I hope.
Walcott has already hit his full potential where as Ox & Welbeck haven’t.
I don’t agree with that. He was just starting to show some real quality when his knee went. He was developing better skill on the ball, crossing, and even his defending was better -by his standards. If he’s willing to have some patience and be reasonable about fees, my opinion is that it would be worth a chance to get back to that point. But he’s got to get himself involved in the match, and if you’re not involved heavily in attack, that means doing more defensively and getting up and down the pitch. It would go a long way… Read more »
Given the economics of football today, it could very well be more responsible to resign Theo at reasonable wages (if possible) rather than splash out for a new winger. Let’s not forget he’s one of our few players who has actually scored versus Chelski. He isn’t crap, but agreed he must give more effort and improve tracking back and pressing.
World-class GK, DM and another defender might do the trick this summer / should be our focus. If he has to go, let’s get as much coin as possible because clearly his pace is still there.
Agree with RamBro (excellent nickname) here. Theo has a lot to offer. I just wonder if paying him inordinately high wages would upset the wage balance in the team — has he shown enough this year to merit >100k/week?
I want to see the Ox a lot more, but both Welbz & Theo have a bit of brushing up to do in certain aspects. I think both are capable of improving, but only if they are given enough game time to do it in & so do we have enough space for the two? Perhaps we’re better off letting Theo go, giving Ox & Welbeck more game time with Gnabry not far behind. Arsene knows better than anyone so the decision couldn’t be in better hands.
What a harsh turnaround from 1 year ago. He was playing at CF here and there, demolished the Spuds, now he barely gets a minute and is about to be offloaded! The standards have increased and his injury has seen him fall behind the pecking order. Wenger seems more willing to use Welbeck, Ramsey and the Ox in a RM/RW spot, and based on performances, we can’t really argue. Many fans will still want him to stay (I am one of them), but Theo and his agent will have to lower their expectations if a deal is to be struck.… Read more »
3 months ago we were waiting on him like the new beginning.
Fickle fans or what?
That was around Christmas time when as we all know we were struggling badly. I definitely would like to see him stay as he is one hell of an asset to have in the squad BUT he is no longer first choice. I can definitely see why Welbz and even Rambo have been started ahead of him lately, we’ve become such a solid unit that if one player slacks or doesn’t pull their weight defensively, it will affect the entire team.
No guarantees on playing time, I’m sure. Hence most likely to be on his way, in my opinion.
or guarantee him whatever he wants and once he signs da ting, return to normal activity and play your best 11 which may or may not include Walcott.
That’s no Arsenal way, imo.
If pace was his greatest asset then the injuries will have an effect on that. Handy one from the bench though. Bovvered??
Yes, man who doesn’t get anywhere near a game want’s to sign contract….makes sense
I think it’s a case of his advisers thinking they have the same bargaining power as last time. Unfortunately they seem to have confused buying Ozil and Sanchez with selling our best players.
Coming back from injury and trying to get into a team that is currently on-form was always going to be difficult but you need to show that you can add to it and not make it weaker when given your chance.
Are you assuming Ozil will stay with us in a long run ? Do you know the football world ? Wait until City decide to double Ozil’s wages or hearing that Mourinho or Van Gaal are having secret meetings with him in a hotel room. You know what I mean, it can happen in one or two years. We are not paying the highest wages in football. Clubs offering lot of money will always attract our players.
So what you’re saying is that his bargaining position will be better in 2 years. We aren’t talking about 2 years, we’re talking about right now and right now we have bought Ozil and Sanchez. Your argument is built on assumptions.
Your assumption actually supports Walcott being sold or being paid less if he stays. Save that money and spend it on the salaries of the top players – like Sanchez and Ozil – when their contract negotiations come up.
I’m not sure if I’m correct (read a comment here about it before), but Arsenal wage bills are one of the highest in the league (only behind ManU and Man City)….I would assume that is because players like Walcott have had Arsenal by the balls for some time. Those days are over (I hope).
Nah its because they have a largely socialist system. Their lesser players are paid quite well while their better players were played not too much more. This has changed recently with Ozil, Walcott and Sanchez but Arsenal still has a flat system.
Has theo ever been one of our best players?
We’re certainly no longer celebrating mediocrity at Arsenal. Hard to believe he was just recently our best player
When was he our best player?
The few months he was scoring goals before he got injured against Spurs, he was certainly one of the best players, seem to remember Santi was doing well and Arteta holding our midfield together as well though, so maybe not THE best.
When that dutch skunk left us in the lurch and we relied on Theo… maybe?
It was back when we still had The Greatest Striker To Ever Live.
So does that make him the The Greatest Striker to Ever Leave now?
Chamberlain will develop into a better right winger than Walcott will ever be. I think we should sell Walcott.
Ox wants to develop in the middle. Not sure how that will work, but Wenger certainly has given him opportunity there. I wouldn’t guarantee Ox to be our future winger/attacker. He’s very much middle pitch minded, and I can’t wait for him to keep developing them long shot beauties he can pull off.
There’s a reason he’s not getting in the team at the moment, but that doesn’t mean he’s of no use to us. Ultimately this level of competition is good for the squad and pushes them all to be better..really hope Theo stays as he’s a great lad and can still be a very important player as he has proven in the past!!
I like Walcott and hope he stays because he seems to love playing for Arsenal. I’ll never forget him taunting Spurs supporters at the FA Cup tie last year, that was great. But just because I hope he stays doesn’t automatically mean he’s worth whatever he demands. Obviously none of us know exactly what is going on in any negotiations, but it’s clear Arsenal are in a much stronger position this time than when Walcott negotiated his most recent deal.
If he loves playing for Arsenal so much, why did he hold them to ransom 2 years ago? Wouldn’t he have just ‘Signed da ting’ if he loved it?
I can’t blame Walcott for wanting to get as much money as he can. The club has no reservations about casting aside players who can’t cut it (and nor should they have any reservations), so I think it’s silly to get annoyed when players want to maximize what they earn while they can. Put another way, one could just as easily argue, “if Arsenal like having him so much, why wouldn’t they just give him whatever he demands”? The answer to both questions is, that’s not how the real world works, regardless of how easy it is to type it… Read more »
Exactly this and look at the situation Theo is in now. The fact that he got such a massive injury soon after signing the last contract, kind of justifies why footballers push for maximum earnings. Your career could be over tomorrow.
Im bored of this story now. If he signs then great, if he dosnt I think the last few weeks have shown he is not as indispensable as he once was. Would love him to stay, but provided we replace him with someone with equal or better quality, then won’t be a big loss
Are we still talking about old relatives?
Those who think it is better to sell Walcott should be kindly reminded that they will be the first ones to bash wenger for selling him once we are hit again by an injury crisis. What you think as a rational decision (for the time being) is not a rational decision at all. please admit your ignorance and go on.
I think he still has something most of the other wing options lack and that is being a genuine goal threat. Sign da ting theo, we still love you.
It seems obvious to me Wenger has lost all faith in a too injury prone player sterling and Walcott deal looks very likely wouldn’t be a bad thing as sterling a lot better in front of goal than Walcott will ever be
That’s actually the main critique of Sterling, he isn’t good enough in front of goal. But anyway
Cba with this news. Thanks for saying it like you did, Blogs.
it’s a little like the insanity trap – repeating the same action yet expecting a different reaction. Theo has been with us a decade nearly and every year we’ve been excited by his promise and hoped for fruition of that promise. and every year it’s stuck at the “promise” level, if we’re brutally honest. in the same way that we want abou diaby to rise from the sick bed and score the winner in the cup final (or at least knock racist cunt out one more time, just for shits and giggles) we want theo to cut in behind the… Read more »
I would hate to see him at $hitty, or any other premiership side, on his day he is a hell of a player. If he has to go, abroad is best for me.
Barca DNA, never there when you need it 😉
Getting a bit edgy there…
Would be gutted if he left, my favorite current Arsenal player.
I really think this is great news, not that Theo might leave us (I mill miss him!). But it shows that if you´re going to play for AFC you won´t make it as “only a goal scorer”. You need to bring versatility in your game, because Arsenal is a TEAM. Arsene managed to make Özil track back throughout 90 minutes in every game, Alexis is a monster who never stops chasing down the opposition and Girouds main roll is as an strong outpost who collects and distributes passes. If Theo would show some defensive responsibilities when he actually get´s some… Read more »
He doesn’t even stay on the flank, he always drifts into the center. When he does his job hugging the line and giving decent crosses, he can be a top assist maker like in the RvP era and an option as a goalscorer.
I love your username.
Comment: Nice lad, deserves every penny. That’s the reason we pay high ticket price so that they could earn crazy wages.
Walcott is easily replaceable unlike the others who we lost in the recent past. Plus it might open up space for a Joel Campbell or Gnabry to develop further in that position.
Really? Easy to replace a winger who got 14 goals and 12 assists in 24 starts, 32 appearances in total, in the 2012/12 Premier League season, a goal/assist every 88 minutes?
2011/12 a goal/assist every 144 minutes in the league.
2013/14 every 86 minutes.
Sure, those types of players are just lying about the place like sand on a beach.
People point to Sterling as the answer when he has scored about 2 goals in his entire career!
Other people being stupid is no reason to be stupid yourself though, Theo had a really good spell at one point but until he shows he can stay fit and repeat it, then he is kinda replaceable.
After the injury, he isn’t the player he used to be anymore.He was a great asset to the team and we have good options to replace him. Ox can be potential replacement, with Gnabry as a backup.
Money for nothing
…and the chicks for free.
If Arsene thinks he can get a few quid for him and upgrade then I’m not bothered, this isn’t just aimed at Theo… it should go for all squad members.
Apparently Hummels is going to be made available? I hope we fight Utd to the death to secure his signature along with Cech and Schneiderlin.
Have you seen any of Dortmund’s matches this season? Hummels has been among the worst players on a very poor team. No thanks.
He was injured at the beginning of the season?since his return, Dortmunds form has improved.
He’s top class, he’s a leader and I’d rather him improve our backline than someone else’s.
Theo is a good player and at his best is very effective. Thing is that’s what we said about Podolski and he couldn’t keep a place either.
He wants over a hundred grand a week, probably something close to Ozil and Sanchez. That would make him higher paid than Santi, Ramsey, Giroud, Kos, Per, Welbeck, Monreal etc. Every one of those players is a starter when on form and faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar better than him skill wise.
I don’t know how he can look at the dressing room and think he should be the third highest paid in the team.
i cant understand why some arsenals fans have suddenly become so indifferent about walcott. He was arguable out best player before his injury, his return coincided with a period in which the team is doing really well. Sturridge was out for 5 months and rodgers sais we wont see the best of him till next season, walcott has been out for a year so obviously he needs a proper pre season and he will get back to his best. you cant just sell a 15 to 20 goals per season player just coz were doing well right now.
Because Theos contract talks are becoming really annoying for his current ability, and based on our team’s form, we have no reason to give in to his (or agent’s) needs.
He joined Arsenal in 2006 and has scored more than 15 goals in a season exactly once, and hit double figures only one other time. So I have no idea where you’ve gotten “15 to 20 goals per season” from.
If you’re looking for an improved contract even though you’re on the sick-bed for half the term, then that is what is pissing off Wenger (and quite a few fans).
Take what is being offered or ply your trade elsewhere.
Arguably our best player before his injury? With Ozil in the side? Owen is that you?
Hummm. Who knew footballers were good politicians? Theo is playing strategy now. 1- he wouldn’t sign because I thought or has been advised that he would have better prospects elsewhere 2- Roy selected him to start against Italy. Now that was a platform to show to Wenger ‘see, what I can do?’ And also prospective suitors like Brenda, Maureen, The Seating Dutch, and the Zombie Lookalike from Citeh. Sadly Theo went missing during that game. 3- Theo realised that the advertisement opportunity has been missing due to poor crosses from the wingers and dodgy balls also those bloody Italians. 4-… Read more »
Obviously our form is probably the main reason he isn’t playing. But Wenger has history of freezing out players when their contracts are up for renewal. A pinch of questioning their commitment at a vital part of the season and A pinch of not wanting the player to get another long term injury (having just come back from one) as it will mean that asset isn’t going to be sell-able at the end of the season.
I still feel it would be shame if Walcott would go, but I do feel confident there is no “need” from our side. I felt he was a player that could make an impact, forcing goals in situations where we can perhaps be a little “crab-like” in our approach to goal.
His brace against Chelsea 3-5 at Stamford Bridge is an example of what I miss.
That wasn’t a brace. Rvp scored a hat-trick, Santos got one, and Walcott as well.
The world has changed at AFC.
Bargaining power of Theo has diminished………..the squad is in rude health, and he hasnt been needed (much).
Arsene might cash in if he demands too much.
I hope we keep him, but thats my emotional side talking.
A game of yahtzee with an old relative,I always get a good laugh from these articles,favorite app on my phone by a mile
Wenger saying recently we need another 10-15 goal a season player. Hello, what is Theo? Something people don’t understand, Walcott is a wide forward, he is not a midfielder like Oxlade-Chamberlain, so the comparison is not accurate. You can’t bash Walcott for his ‘poor’ goal scoring record, and then claim The Ox is better. They are not the same type of player. In the squad you can only compare him to Sanchez, Gnabry and Welbeck. This season Sanchez has a goal/assist every 109 minutes in the league. Yes that’s very impressive for a first season, and yes Sanchez is a… Read more »
Sanchez is also a wide forward and so is Welbeck. Sanchez has proved you can match clinical finishing with workrate. And Wenger, with his recent teams sheets as proof, would rather play a hard working Welbeck with a much less scoring threat than an invisible Walcott. In fact, the only issue Walcott has is that if he is not trying to run in behind and score, he does nothing. There are games where he just hides behind defenders in a position he cannot be passed to. A winger with fewer touches than a keeper cant keep a place in our… Read more »
Over the previous two seasons Walcott is averaging a goal/assist in less than 90 min in the league (that’s excluding penalties). What other wingers can do that? This season Hazard is averaging a goal/assist every 137 minutes, last season every 152 (remember, excluding penalties). Last season Jay Rodriguez averaged one every 142 minutes. Bale is averaging a goal/assist every 125 minutes this season, and 74 and 97 (for Sp*rs) the two before. Neymar is once every 77 minutes this season and every 96 last season. di Maria averaged once every 108 and 103 in his last two season with Real… Read more »
Erm… Podolski?
So I started a new career on fifa15 cos I was bored..
Sold: walcott, diaby (tear), podolski, Campbell
Loaned: sanogo and jenks
Bought: schneiderlin and reus
St: welbz and giroud
Lw: reus and gnabry
Rw: Sanchez and ox
Cam: ozil and Santi
B2b: Ramsey and jack
Cdm: coq and schneiderlin
Lb: Gibbs and Monreal
Cb: kos, mert, chambers and Gabriel
Rb: debuchy and bellerin
Gk: ospina and sczc
Easy!
I don’t know why you needed to know this
I like that team. I’m curious why no one this we need an additional out and out striker, at very least as support/back up for HFB. Yaya doesn’t seem up to it yet, Akbom is still unproven. Everyone’s going on about a world class keeper and I know we have a lot of midfielders who score, but far as I can tell, it’s our lack of scoring, not our goalkeeper’s mistakes that have cost us points this season. It’s great with HFB fit and on form but without him earlier this season, we really struggled. And, no Theo, you’re not… Read more »
Have you all forgotten that one time when Walcott scared the shit out of barcelona?
Yeah me too.
Theo will be sold, too injury prone and lacking in team effort!!! However, if he could turn on the style, as he did against spuds on the fa cup last season, on a regular basis then he would be worth keeping!!! Tricky one this but I agree with a previous poster – promise needs to be made into reality as time is running out for Theo to prove himself!!!
And there lies the problem, Ciderman. Every now and then his pace creates havoc and he pops up with some important goals but at what point do you cut your losses and expect a more rounded and consistent output?
Tbh Gus I think Wenger will cut his losses and offload Theo!!! As you highlight below he is a seriously frustrating player!!!
Am I the only person who thinks that Walcott is possibly the most frustrating player to have ever worn the Arsenal shirt? He’s always been quick and a good finisher and there’s no denying that he and Van Persie had a strong link (in more ways than one) but I don’t feel that he’s ever developed sufficiently. He’s dopey, regularly goes missing and is as likely to shin the ball into touch as he is to beating a man. To paraphrase his own words, he’s been inconsistently consistent. He’s a good player at a 3rd-6th place team but, if we… Read more »
I really have mixed feelings about Walcott. Emotionally like the guy, have his shirt too. Just returning from injury, cant write him off(remember Ramsey?).
@Arsenenose brings up good points though……
I would keep if based on the club’s terms. No one should be guaranteed playing time.
Walcott Suckss!
Such fickleness
Walcott and Wellbeck are of a fairly similar standard in my opinion. If Theo’s advisers are looking for a lot more than Danny earns then of course Wenger will not sanction it .
The only thing I care about is us beating chelski later this month. That and stocking more beer. And rum. And new magazines for the toilet.
Used to bloody love Yahtzee.
Once Debuchy returns I bet Walcott will get more playing time
Don’t think Wenger fells comfortable w/ him playing w/ Bellerin/Chambers
Id play debuchy with bellerin instead of Walcott
If he stays, fine by me, he can add depth and pace to an already pacy squad (bar somes), if he doesnt, i dont think would be that bad, he isnt indispensable anymore, for being “a goal threat” we have done well in the goals department this season and we have players that can offer pace as well (to a lesser extent), so either if he stays good, if he doesnt spend that money on someone else