The move to three at the back has left some players on the fringes of this current squad, chief amongst them is Theo Walcott.
Despite 19 goals last season, it’s hard to see exactly how he fits into the team. Would now be the right time to sell him? Or should we keep a player who can frustrate but will get you goals?
James looks at the situation in another Gunnervlog, and you can leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Yes. Then sign someone who can actually dribble past a player
I think you’re completely forgetting Walcott vs Chelsea a few years a go.
Both him and gervinho have shown us that having no idea what the fuck you’re doing with the ball at your feet can be devastating against the opposition at times.
Walcott is the goalscorer we can use up front in the Europa League & Cup games. Play a 3-4-1-2 & pair him with Giroud or Welbeck.
Ok, I know it is history now but Walcott against Liverpool. Théo is still the only one of our players who dribbled past opponents from defence to attack.
Imagine we could get martial and mahrez. The front three in the 3-4-3 system would be:
Mahrez- Martial – Mesut
Assuming Sanchez leaves and Ozil stays.
That could terrify every defense…
Rather spend 60m on martial than lacazette to be honest…
We should sell this lad in a heartbeat. He is not good enough to play at Arsenal – period. This guy is also a total poser, he is all talk in September about winning the title ‘oh yeah this is special bunch of lads, it could be a special season,’ ‘we are going to win the league.’ I’ve lost count of the amount of smiley smiley post match interviews he’s said that sort of stuff when we’ve won a game and he managed to fluke a goal due to the fact we were playing absolute cannon fodder. Yet when the… Read more »
Arsenal has agreed to sell Walcott if I get 500 Thumbs up for this comment. Please, please do like.
Everyone, please welcome our new director of football, Mr Ajmal.
So gazidis did promised us one
Yes.
I really hope so… he is the epitome of this club – talks a good game but ultimately always fails to live up to expectations.
How many club has sold their second highest goal scorer in the most recent season and highest scorer among the present squads? Arsenal will be fool to sell Walcott as our major problem is not work-rate which is the reason many hate him but goal-scoring. How many wingers has scored 103 goals with close to 50 assist over 11 years period? The major reason I will want Walcott to be retained is because he is a true professional footballer. Fans wanted him injured, Wenger benched him for no end product welbec, fans booed him, still he will not complain. He… Read more »
“Too many Sanchez like players in our team will take us to relegation”. Probably the most stupid comment I have read on Arseblog
@ mARTIN. You just broke the record for making the worst and most childish reply on Arseblog. Did you even ask the reason for the above statement? You need to grow beard
Well at this moment 19 people agree with me. I still find your comment totally absurd even more then your silly response.
Yeah, but are you growing a beard or not?
Which bellend said that ?????
Is that you Theo?
How can walcott play ozil’s role for God sake?
I really like the fingers are not equal quote but then there was no follow up. I felt let down.
I was, and still am intrigued by the “grow a beard” thing…
‘Ozil may get injure and walcott play his role.’
o_0
..que…? da fuq ?
If anyone will buy him we should take their money and run. He is emblematic of the inconsistent and not-living-up-to-it’s-potential nature of the club over the last few years. Selling him would hopefully send a message to the rest – shape up or ship out.
Can’t pass , can’t dribble . I doubt there will be many teams who actually want him.
Cant defend too
Can pick a fight though 🙂
Theo would make havoc in other teams that play direct football. I agree with Wenger on the quality of his run not just the speed but how he gets to the end of passes in final third.
He has about 50 assist for arsenal. Will you called the assist non-pass Mr Clin?
Resounding yes for me.
Thing is, sure he has goals to his game, but it’s not like we couldn’t get another right sided winger to replace his goals AND add more productivity or creativity for that spot innit?
Funny this Arsenal would not. We know this team we hardly replace players. The team doesn’t have enough goal scorers and we want to sell our 2nd or 3rd best scorer.
Sell if the money will be used for an upgrade
That will be the craziest thing the club does. Theo deserves every respect from the club. Wait he scored 19goals with very little football appearances last season.what does that tell you?Think big
He’s been paid very very well for very inconsistent performances that usually improve before a contract renewal.
I’m not one to beat down on players, but honestly we’ve kept players far to long who haven’t delivered. We are not a charity.
If you want to talk about respect let’s talk about the Pat Rice’s, bob Wilson, Arsene Wenger and Dennis Bergkamp type of figures within the club. Yes respect our players as fellow humans, but it doesn’t mean we should just keep hold of them for that reason. Respectfully, JustBrowsing.
Ramsey and Ox have been even more inconsistent over the last few years.
Ramsey has been far poorer than theo but blogs like him so he gets an easy ride on here.
Neither are good enough for a championship winning team but decent squad players.
@ JustBrowsing Did you mean the way Sanchez game improve tremendously before the renewal of present contract? Just asking
Theo deserves nothing he is on 140 grand a week and cant dribble past any journey man defender you can think of.
Nej.
he play litlle football cause he isn’t good enough to make starting eleven .
I’d keep him, but only if he was happy being only a bench / rotational player (which he won’t be happy to do). He’s just fractionally not good enough to play every week and win a title. Good goals haul in all comps, but looking at how many Alexis Scored / Set up that’s what we need on the right to win a league.
Theo was outstanding in the first half of the season when we were playing beautiful football. He made me furious with that ‘they wanted it more’ interview he gave but he’s still our best right winger. I don’t believe we’ll play three at the back all season so he probably Will get a lot of games playing as a right winger. So if we have to sell someone, sell Joel, Lucas or even Welbeck ( he was average at man u, he’s average now).
Walcott hasn’t been as expected since he started to get injured. You rely on him based on his performances last season, yet it”s been with the club for over 10 years and has had a couple of good season, he is soon 29 and talking about speed, he isn’t the guy he used to be 5/6 years ago. As you said, he doesn’t fit into the back 3 tactic and to be honest I think we should sell him while we can get a reasonnable price and get a more versatile player OR promote one, like Toral who has been… Read more »
I agree with James. We will keep him. We will not always play 3 at the back especially against weaker sides like those we will face in the Europa League group stages and lower level Premier League fixtures. He’s frustrating as hell at times but if we signed someone that scored 19 times last year we’d probably consider it a good signing. I wouldn’t want to use him as our 1st option in our best starting eleven but I do feel he has a place in our squad at least for amother year or two.
Don’t sell him give him away.
Notice the results since he’d been
benched.
@Roy. Did you also notice the result when the season begin? Did you compare it with the result when he was injured? When he returned from injury, he was not a regular starter. How then does it fit your narrative of result improving when he was benched?
Its a special quality to have when you can clock up a reasonably impressive number of goals whilst frustrating the hell out of us.
But so long as he is scoring I vote keep him. To find a 15-20 goal a season attacking replacement is going to cost big money and will be a pain in the arse, whilst we have other priorities. Let him light up the Europa league if we are not fully utilizing him on weekends.
If we are able to keep Ozil,Sanchez and Giroud then I would sell him. If not then he would be ok to play as a forward in the Europa League he has pace and can finish.
I hope that we can keep Ozil and Sanchez then add to them like Lacazette, Lemar and a couple of others. I would sell him then but I think we need to sort out if players are staying first before we lose too many.
I think he’s done well this year, but like arsene himself, he’ll always be a scapegoat for a section of our fans. I’d say sell him, thank him for being a decent pro, and let him enjoy the last few years of his career. He’s a good player and seems like a proper decent bloke.
We should be able to sell anyone if an upgrade is available *and* we’re actually able to sign them- in that sense, sure, put him in the shop window. In the past I’ve stood up for him but what did it for me this season was after an inexcusable thumping he went in front of the camera and said “they wanted it more”.
But Theo’s a handy player and that position would only be improved by a sensational signing which would be a major cash outlay & compromise other deals. Is that position a priority for us?
It would interest you all to know that Theo Walcott had more goals in all competitions (19) than Eden Hazard (17). I bet Theo also had less playing time .
Would you pick Theo over Hazard?
I see the Theo out convention are in town
If someone were willing to pay at least half of mahrezs fee then I’d say that was a good deal.
Mahrez in. Walcott out.
If he wants to get in englerland squad and if he wants to show he’s more than the stereotype that follows him he would want to go but why leave arsenal when he has it so good.
Sure he’s an asset at time but mental strength of a puppy. He is the cliched “it wasn’t our day arsenal footballer.”
On his day very good besides it either happens or it doesn’t.
I’d sell if anyone is daft enough to take him, i know 100 odd goals is not to be sniffed at but the lad has been with us for 10 years. He really should have scored more in that time, injuries aside. Fact is, he just isn’t good enough 10 years and he still can’t dribble, he’s got no skill to take a man on, his first touch is generally a shite one. He’s learned absolutely fuck all from the players and coaches over the years
Theo; i love the timing of your runs and composure in front of goal, buh you need more trick to be a regular in any top team. Footbal can be tricky anyways. Keep working hard.
Sell the awful Theo and Oxlade to and get some proper footballers that isnt only focussed when their contracts are up for renewal.
If wesell Theo,then Ramsey and Ox should go as well,They’ve been worse than Theo and now people are talking like these two are going to win us the league next season.
Football is a team game. Yes he scores some goals, but when he is on we mostly look like we are playing with 10 men. He is not close to good enough to merit his luxury player spot.
On a poor day Ox and Ramsey still contribute, while Theo stands on the wing doing nothing.
Get rid.
Thing is people talk up his goal scoring exploits, but after 10 creaking years at the club, he should’ve scored more. He’s had far more chances than anyone else bar Ramsey.
I’m sure if Vela got the same amount of chances Theo did, he would’ve scored just as much if not more, but with dribbling to boot.
This 100 times!
He score 19 goals last season right?
Whats the fuss.
I agree I think he will stay. Unfortunately.
His time should surly be up.
Problem being; I don’t think a European team would pay his wages, and I doubt many top half PL teams would be interested. I’m greatful of his good stats last season, but we finished 5th!
There’s talk a Mahrez as an upgrade, I’d take that. But Douglas Costa is surly the won to go for if we want improvement on the wings?! Would love to hear some transfer dross about us being interested in him.
YES. And I didn.t even need to watch the vlog
Maybe you should…
Absolutely. Weak mentality, lack of desire. Send a signal that better is required and expected.
Sell Welbeck instead. Seems like a nice enough lad but no end product. At least you know with Theo he’s good for a minimum 10 a season.
Do you think Welbec will ever be criticize by our fans? Walcott get all the stick instead. Welbec has spend about 10-11 years of professional career. What did the stat reveal about him as a striker? Is that not double standard by our fans? THEO IS GOING NO WHERE. I BELIEVE THIS.
Think you need to chill out mate… you’ve commented on pretty much every comment.
I think if you think Walcott will become a world class striker/winger next season then you’re seriously deluded. We should have sold him years ago.
There are many Walcott haters on this blog and I don’t know why? Luckily Wenger knows the impact Walcot makes when he is thrown in. Many fan seem to be ignorant of what a team is.It is a collection of players with different “attributes” that are ‘moulded’ to win matches. Goals win matches and Theo gives you goals as a winger , 19 last season, second only to Sanchez ,though he played far less number of matches. If as people say he has not met their expectation, fine ,that is their opinion but ask the manager why that is so… Read more »
How buddy Whilst I am in agreement with a lot of what you say the most important attributes, above having the skills, is positive attitude and for me Theo fails consistently in this. Why it is so important for me is that it has a significant bearing on the rest of the team. I find that Theo is too often accepting of not giving 100% and comments like ‘they wanted it more’ do not help me to change this perception. He certainly has the ability to change a game but does not do so often enough. I contrast this with… Read more »
I’d sell him for sure and sign another Winger who can dribble to the box and make a decent cross.
My problem with him is he doesn’t provide enough for the team when he isn’t scoring. His a bit more mature with his play now but still not impactful enough and we already have Ozil in the squad so we can benefit from a more nunaced player. Plus there is age to consider. Many people go on about his ‘dribbling’ but in truth he is a player who plays a ball and runs to it where Ox runs with ball at feet. There is a bid difference. Yes, give Theo space and he can ruin your day but take away… Read more »
Yes if it helps funding high quality signings that are much needed
James, sort the cracks out in your walls mate! You keep moving to different parts of your house to do the videos but the cracks are widespread…love the videos keep them up!:-)
Just watched SpainU21 V Portugal U21.
Primary interest for me was Saul who scored a great goal but also has the discipline to defend in deep midfield.
But the other player that seems a good bargain is Gerard Deulofeo.
Unsettled at Everton on loan last season to Milan, probably cheaper than a Mahrez. Maybe has been a little inconsistent but he is 23yrs now, strong, dribbles well (great assist today) and is coming of age.
Good be a good bargain.
19 goals says keep him.
Use him behind the striker, peeling off to the right.
If Sanchez goes and we end up using Giroud as striker, then we will need Walcott and Welbeck for pace and directness.
I would keep Lucas Perez too, his trickery and passing behind the striker are very good.
Apart from the points mentioned in the vlog, the reason Arsene should keep him, would be coz he’s holds a homegrown status. Not that we have an issue on that front, but with Gibbs sure to leave and uncertainty over other english players (Ox, Wilshere, etc).. I think we should hold on to Walcott, even if it means as a squad player and not a first teamer.