Earlier this week Theo Walcott credited a sit-down chat with Arsene Wenger as the reason for his improvement this season.
The 27 year old has caught the eye with some hard-working performances backed up with goals and end product, but the Arsenal manager refused to take much of the credit for it.
Speaking after the 2-0 win over Basel, he was asked if this tête-à-tête was the catalyst for Walcott’s new-found confidence.
“It is not the chat which makes you score goals,” he insisted. “He assessed where he stands and then rectified what he had to add to his game. That’s down to him, 95 per cent down to him.
“The rest came from a first half of top quality, the pace, the quality of our movement, our technical quality. We created many dangerous situations.”
And with an international break looming, Wenger was asked about a potential return to the England squad under temporary boss Gareth Southgate after Walcott had been left out by Old Greedyguts.
“The best recommendation is his performances. It’s difficult to ignore him. If you take the best English players and you see him playing the way he did tonight, it’s difficult to ignore him.
“I will leave that with Gareth Southgate.”
But we all know that it won’t last… hope it does, but hasn’t he done this a few times over the past few years? Score a few goals, everyone gets excited then he tails off and gets an injury, and then does the same thing the season after?
Who let Buzz Killington in?
Well I said i hope it does last!
Last time he had a few good games we gave him a 100k+ p/w contract, he then got injured and came back the same old Theo.
Was at the game last night and he does look more hungry, let’s hope he proves people like me wrong.
I don’t think there’s anytime Theo has shown this much hunger for the team. The goals might dried up but if he keeps working this hard, he has my support.
The sign was the hard work he did over the summer. He is a lot fitter than he was, motivated by his legacy and the right age now.
It’s all coming together.
To be fair, Theo can’t believe he’s playing like this.
Long may it continue and is not just a purple patch. I obviously want the best for Theo Walcott in an Arsenal jersey, however we have been here before. Let us just hope it is different this time. Fool me once and all that…
Tbf these performances are a bit above to what he has shown previously. Hope he can keep this level and playing with Sanchez (and possibly Lucas) seems to suit him better than playing with Giroud as he can cut in and become a second striker in a 4-4-2 at times or interchange position with Alexis.
Totally agree, without Giroud we’re a much more fluid and dynamic team and as a result Walcott has benefitted greatly but the extra space.
What a humble person is Mr. Wenger, he doesn’t want to take credit for Wallcot’s improvements.
Compare that with Brendan Rodgers: “Sterling is back to the level he was with me”
I thought Allardyce had brought Theo back to the England fold. It was Wilshere that was left out, right? Hmm. I must have read wrong.
Typical of Wenger, always gives the chance for players and help them blossom.
When they do fulfil their potential, he gives them all the credit.
There are not many managers who have produced so many stars as Wenger has.
I don’t think we can overlook the impact of having Alexis as the striker has had on Walcott. If you notice when Alexis drifts out wide or deep to get the ball that opens up things in the middle for Walcott to move inside where he has scored most of his goals. His game used to be just going up and down the right sideline, but with having Bellerin behind him getting upfield so quickly and Sanchez in the middle whose movement opens up space Walcott has become more versatile about where he plays letting him run into those spaces… Read more »
The difference between Cuntinho and Wenger. Moureen would have thrown a player like Theo to the wolves when the chips were down and replaced him with some flavour of the month cuntbag, ground out a few boring 1-0s against mid-table dross, shaken the oppposing manager’s hand 5 minutes before the end of the game and gobbed off to the press about how special he is.
Wenger takes the rap (in the case of Theo, even from me too) full on, and when his faith is vindicated he steps back and praises the player. Class.
A lot of people on this site (even Mr Blogs himself!) wanted Wenger to do things the Cuntinho way!
Hang on. I thought we should sell him, and I’m happy to eat some humble pie at this point (not all the pie, because I want to see this form continue!), but I would never want anyone to do anything the Mourinho way!
What I like most about Theo are his post-match interviews. There’s no gloating there. Just business – looks to the next match. Fantastic !
I have to say I enjoyed his performance on the field yesterday more than his press conference!
I think this season’s style of play suits theo n the other players more. Alexis as false 9 pulls players down the field with him, while theo cuts into the middle with his pace n cool finishing. In the meantime ozil takescover theo’s spot on the right, n iwobi narrows in to give tt extra body in the no 10 position. Carz dictates the tempo with us crisp passing, n xhaka can also add to the creative force from deep while bringing aggression. Good overall team mmovements with crisp fast passing brings us back to the gd ol’ passing days… Read more »
Theo always gets you goals from the right. He has that insinct. He averages a goal every 3 games (last six seasons) and that is including all the injuries, sub appearances etc.
Remember he had got 21 goals in one just a couple of years back. People don’t really rate his goalscoring ability.
Alexis is growing in the CF role and Theo is making him btetter, his runs through the right and middle will always be a threat to any team. I don’t think we should change anything at this point.