Theo Walcott says he’s claiming Arsenal’s equaliser against Manchester United despite the fact his cross was heavily deflected by Tyler Blackett. Speaking after the match to Sky Sports, the England international also touched on the importance of the result and how he’s been patient in his recovery from a serious knee injury.
On coming off the bench to make a decisive contribution…
I’ve been very patient coming back from injury. It always takes time when you come back. I feel like i’m getting ready in training and I just need more match minutes.
As a substitute you need to be positive and you need to be focused because you may get a chance and when you do you need to take it. It’s a great result for us today and I’m happy with the goal.
On claiming the goal…
You’ve got to take every one you can. It’s an important goal and I’ll definitely claim that one.
On the result…
At times in patches we didn’t play great, but you can see in the last 20 minutes that we came on strong and showed how fit we are as a team.
We’ve got a game in hand so that was a crucial point. We just need one more point now [to secure third place] because of the goal difference. It’s going to hurt them [United] but it feels like a win for us today.
On being patient in his recovery from injury…
It’s always tough. I feel like I’m part of the squad and it’s nice to be back amongst the guys. I’ve had a year out and sometimes it takes that long to get back in the team.
The manager has been patient with me, I’ve been patient with myself. I feel like i’m getting stronger and quicker and there are a couple more games and hopefully the best is yet to come in the FA Cup final.
On playing in the final…
You’ll have to ask the manager that but hopefully I’ve given him something to think about.
I wouldn’t say he’s back to top but today he beat his marker so that’s progress.
Draw feels like a loss…
A point certainly better than zero.
3 points is better than 1 – this is nothing like a win. Why are we struggling against a crap team like Man Utd?
We really needed to avoid fourth place and we are on course for automatic qualification now.Good team spirit paid off.
Consistency is the key Theo. Chances are you’ll get a start in one of the last two games. Time for you and to give the manager a massive selection problem!
…..you and Jack. Sorry folks
How do you get consistency after a year not playing and with so little game time thereafter? With the performance today, lot of coaches would have substituted a player for Walcott at half time. All the strikers were so dreadful that replacing for Walcott was a no brainer. If Sanogo was here and on the bench, replacing for him would also have been a no brainer. We were that bad in the first half, folks.
Not bashing Walcott because he made a decent contribution, but from the teams perspective that draw should not feel like a win
I agree with that. As happy as I am that we (Theo) saved us from a 1-0 defeat I think it’s a shame that we didn’t thump Man U decisively today. They are likely to be a better and harder team to beat next year and this was the day we should have caused them some real pain. Oh how I wished for Manc tears today.
Hopefully we’ll be a better team next year and thump them then.
Keep in mind; their fans won’t be happy with that result at OT either.
I can’t see how MU will be stronger with De Gea departing.
In my minds eye– on Theo’s deflection?
I see De Gea making the save that Valdes didn’t.
jw1
Sure but what’s to say their defence hasn’t gelled enough by next season to prevent a rusty Theo the access he got today? Or what’s to say LVG isn’t allocated more insane money to salvage his ailing team? I’d say at leas the latter is very likely.
He didn’t spend it that well this year and lots of new players means less automatisms. And their defence is dodgy, Jones especially, and will get worse if de Gea leaves.
Nothing much keeper could do with that. Theo blasted it across the face of goal and it deflected off some filth into the net
those who have disliked this comment are low ambitious just like our players were today in the first half.. as an arsenal fan we should be thinking abt dominating these games. against this man u side we shud have been winning. it will be dificult next season.
Your name tells us everything we want to know about you.
what a cliche
Yeah Theo made that world class highly experienced fullback look like a YTS kid.
Oh.
In the 93rd minute, watching him chase down 40-50 metres to catch Daley Blind on the left hand side stopping the overlap, that’s the happiest I’ve been for him since he came back. Seeing that side to his game is brilliant, and if he can bring that in consistently and keep the attack flowing we’ll have that 15 goal p/season player Wenger’s been talking about.
We had 2nd position in our hands and blew it. Truth is, if we want to be title challengers next season, we need to learn to take advantage of advantages. Else we could top the table for a whole season and still fuck it up. A few more games and we could be struggling for fourth.
I completely agree. If only we took advantage of all the advantages and made sure we didn’t disadvantage ourselves further with any disadvantages then next season we should be really win the league
I think if we win every game next season we might win the title.
and i think if we dont lose or draw any games next season we “MIGHT” just do the treble.
We lost 2nd against the welsh, not this game.
Can I just point out that City are currently on 76 points…if (and granted, it’s a big if) they lose against Southampton and we win our last two games, we’ll have 77 points…now I’m shit at maths but I’m pretty sure that would make us 2nd.
And even if that doesn’t happen, and we do end up 3rd….at least it ain’t bloody 4th again.
I still think we need another striker
But Giroud is world class though, we don’t need another striker
I thought Theo was a bit shit apart from his cross that turned into a goal but what do you expect with the stupid ten minute cameos!
Play him or don’t!
Some people said he would have a big role to play in the run-in, well that was it!
Personally I was really dissapointed with today’s performance. The first 70mins were abysmal…the last 20 will cover them cracks over. Credit were it’s due, we did rally and got the point. But we were SO close to being 4th….again. fed up of waiting till 50 or 60 mins for a shot at goal. The system wasn’t working and was crying out for a winger(theo) to come on. Imo we should have made the subs 10mins earlier. Jack and theo offer the penetration and decisiveness we needed. We got lucky today. Swansea was the wake up call and we just stroll… Read more »
A result which leaves both teams with some disappointment; yet the result is better for Arsenal. A draw away at the best teams in the league is no shame, even if we have seen better performances. Sometimes we need to keep it simple, concentrate on not giving the ball away instead of trying to start blinding counter-attacks. Walcott has to play to have a full influence. There was a moment in the second half before he came on where Ramsey had loads of space on the counter attack and Theo would have simply run down the other end for a… Read more »
Ospina is really proving he is not still that outstanding number 1 we have been longing for! De gea would have kept that ball out, just like he would have kept Gomis’s header out vs Swansea! You’ll never be considered as ‘Great’ until you start saving such half chances which I must confess, I haven’t seen him do! He has just been fortunate to ride on the team’s over all luck so far in my opinion, not like she has done anything spectacular to keep Szcezny out of the team, truth be told! However,I am satisfied with a draw at… Read more »
Could not agree more. Ospina is good but not world class. Szezcny is slightly better. Need a proper keeper who is that rock between the sticks, the CB who will lead from the front, who will give the team a bollocking when needed
Let it go folks
We will come third
Allowing extra time to bask in the sunshine ( holiday)
Dear Sunderland
I hope you get your bottom kicked.
Dear Hull and Steve Bruce
A chance to win at home
Take it
No De Gea
Might I add Ramsey looks so much better playing in the center..please Arsene let him play in the center
He deserves a chance this one.
What the team needed was a draw. F*ck history and bs about how much we needed a win mentally. Chelsea has shown that you need to win the right matches and snatch a draw in the matches you don’t play your best. A good result.
I know this won’t get much popularity here, I’m not a gambling man but a friend of mine gambles and he pointed out a few games where our boys clearly held back last season and I blew him off saying he was off, this season I have watched the boys and I cannot see any problems with our results win draw or lose but watching us play Swansea and again today one can see we clearly held back in these two games when we could have beaten these two senseless, I’m not saying we at the Arsenal fix games but… Read more »
You and your mate are smoking crack
Haha there must be one fellow that feels the need to insult. Classic!
I stopped reading at “A friend of mine gambled and he pointed …..”
Go on be honest you read all of it
This is a deeply absurd statement.
Off topic but the santi sub was a no brainer as our little Magician was entitled to a bad game judging by the superb season he’s had…The Bellerin one was scary as he had young in his back pocket..But The Jack/Ramsey line up was mouth watering finally as we’ve tried the duo as a pair before but luckily we redeemed ourselves during the 2nd half..
Use £60-£70m of the budget to buy Suarez. Job done.
Walcott has to be a starter now. Cazorla should make way and Ramsey gp central. He offers more than the Spaniard from the centre (he scores).
Wenger could not even take the second position when there was absolutely no pressure. How do you expect such a manager to win the league? Wenger out!! #BringBackTheo
We took FA from them and now we’ve taken the No. 3 they so craved. What a shame. Both at old Trafford
Anyone noted how the extra weight renders pple useless…..Rvp$
Henry was right, Giroud cannot win Arsenal the league. Giroud should be plan B and not plan A. A better striker would have won the game for Arsenal today.
Theo please, 3 points is a win mate. We got a bit lucky, but we made that. But please stop talking bollocks.
I love Theo and dislike the hell out of ‘always falling’ Giroud. He has cost us this season aplenty i can’t . i just can’t!
Feels like 2 points drop. We could have pushed for second but we are now (bar a City collapse last game) effectively out of that run. Bit of a flacid performance to be honestly. United got the better of us in terms of energy and on the wing, particularly LW where Young got the better of Bellerin which effectively shut off our threat on that flank. With Alexis wasteful on the other flank, we were again forced narrow. Much preferred to have things freshen up. Some players looking a bit tired (Santi and Alexis). Would have had one of Jack… Read more »
How long will it take for people to realize that Henry was telling the bitter truth and we need that spine to challenge for the title? Ospina is decent but not world class (anyone see Harts save today, a la Gordon Banks?), the Adams type centre back who will give the players a rollicking when they don’t pull their weight, the DM who has more than one dimension to their game. Coquelin is still young so he needs that player who will be a real role model for him and make him fight hard for his place, and the striker… Read more »
Based on just two results, I see it that Ooospina is weak on his left. Santi and Alexis Alexis have been so bright their charge is obviously low. Why not rest them next match, Rambo drops to the center (oh, not glass Jack vs Sunderland) Ox/Theo on the right and Welbz on the left!