Arsene Wenger believes Theo Walcott has found a level of focus that has enabled him to become a more complete player this season.
The England international, 27, has already bagged himself a fancy coffee machine from his missus for scoring ten goals before Christmas and he’s now earned himself a few warm words from the boss, who has been impressed by the way he’s reacted to returning to the flanks.
Speaking to Arsenal Player ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Everton, Wenger highlighted the way Walcott has taken stock of his career to date and been proactive about improving the defensive side of his game.
“I believe he has become a more complete player,” the manager said. “He absorbs the defensive job now, which was not his strength, without losing his attacking efficiency. So overall he has developed physically and mentally in a very strong way, and he is a different player.
“[The change of position] has helped him, and what has also helped him is that he had a long time to reflect on what has happened to his career and to him – such as the fact that he was not selected for the England squad [for Euro 2016].
“He has found the right solution, and I agree that the clarity of his thinking has come out in a very strong way and at the moment he is capable of maintaining his focus on what he wants to do. That is why he is efficient.”
Being left out of the Euros must have hurt, but on form, that was the right decision by Hodgson. As far as I am concerned, that was the best thing that could have happened to us.
I think he had a similar vein of form the season after he was left out of the England squad for the 2010 world cup. I’m praying he can keep it up this time as his goals will be vital if we are to win the title.
I still find the coffee machine story so funny. I’ve never seen married life so perfectly shown than the £100,000 a week man who needs permission from his wife to get a coffee machine
I highly doubt he needed permission to buy a £1,500 coffee machine, he was just trying to show he was the same as the common man. I love Theo but not sure what he was trying to gain with this lame publicity stunt
I am amazed by the improvement in his all round play. Theo is following Alexis’s example, and being switched on for the whole game. Tackling the ball off Charlie Stampy Adam – would not have happened last year. His finish for our crucial first goal – pure class.
Love to see him chew up the toffees tonight.
He really has got better and I rate him now.
Yours Sincerely
Fickle Paul 🙂
I think Arsene would say anything for a cappuccino…
He’s improved greatly latte(rly)
Proactive? Really? Hehe, if there ever was a Arsenal player whom has not been Proactive it would be Walcott. I think Reactive is the word Wenger was looking for.
i guess the 2 scenarios is Walcott being taken to the worlds cup when young and not getting to play even though Owen got injured and expecting to be picked for England recently even when he was’nt getting a regular spot at AFC made him reflect on his situation, he was spending more time in the gym and staying after for extra practice in training he met the challenge head on and is proving to us all he can do it all, also becoming a dad has realy matured him, he is deffo in a better place now and he… Read more »
Theo 2.0 is a great player. I love seeing him foul people and win headers. May seem like trivial things but to me those are the most obvious signs of a player who has truly changed his intensity level and said “fuck this, I’m done being weak, I’ll be the bully now”. The guy is training harder and with more determination and it’s showing in almost every aspect of his life, let alone football. Keep it up TW2.0!
Arsene should be allowed Espress(o) an opinion and Walcott’s improvement is better lat(t)e than never
You for coffee?
‘alf a cup!!
He has improved definitely and yet he is the most consistently weak part of the team. Apart from the goals he barely adds anything to the game creatively and he doesn’t score enough for that to be acceptable at this level.
Sometimes you feel that Wenger still lives in a different era of football. Walcott is just not a good enough player to be part of a title winning team. He represents the sort of compromise on quality that keeps Arsenal from winning the title.