Last weekend, Theo Walcott created plenty of anger towards the Tottenham Hotspur fans because of a 2-0 gesture. Some were demanding that the FA should punish him but their wish was never granted. for me, it was just friendly banter. However, a few days later he found out he would be missing some football, but far more than what anyone predicted. It was revealed that Theo has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.
This news was damaging for Theo and the Arsenal team as he is likely to miss the rest of the season. however, it was also damaging for the national side as he could miss the world cup too. His luck with himself and world cups isn’t good.
When Sven-Göran Eriksson took Theo to the World Cup in 2006, it wasn’t a good move for him and did him no favours. all it did was add more and more pressure to the soldiers of the young 17 year old’s shoulders. You struggle to compare Walcott’s success as a youngster to other players like Fabregas and Rooney who really hit the ground running and surprised plenty of people. Many people were writing Theo Walcott off already. Walcott wasn’t a regular for the Arsenal side and had many injuries. By 2010, this had started to change, Walcott had found himself a regular spot in the Arsenal XI. He was showing form which should secure his seat in the following World Cup but was left out of the squad by Capello.
Walcott is slowly turning into a quality player and many people like to compare him to Barcelona’s Pedro as they have many similarities especially their lighting pace. Walcott is coming close to the Spanish player’s efficiency with 5 goals after returning from injury in early December. Walcott has changed as a player and now likes to get in behind opposing players. and is now far more intelligent and quick about it. He can run a whole back 4 ragged. He tends to drag defenders away too, just like what happened in the game against Spurs for Carzola’s goal.
During this game, Walcott was allowed to play in a central role rather then his weaker wider position. Although he never fully impresses in the centre, he did have a quality game. he was very good cover for Giroud.
Theo is also now being trusted with set-pieces. often you will see Theo wanting the free kicks around the box and also takes corners.
His absence, therefore, is a huge blow to Arsenal’s title challenge and the task of replacing Walcott is a tough one. In short, nobody can replicate what he brings to the team, especially from the flanks, but there are other options at Arsène Wenger’s disposal. 18-year-old Serge Gnabry really caught the eye against Tottenham playing from the right. The German is, of course, still raw, but he’s quick, intelligent and, perhaps the most important, and unique attribute for a player so young, is that he’s as strong as the proverbial ox. Which of course leads nicely onto another player in Arsenal’s ranks…Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
‘The Ox’ has been ruled out with a knee injury since the opening day defeat to Aston Villa and will be looking to make up for lost time as he steps up his recovery. Oxlade-Chamberlain is penciled in to return to first team action by the end of the month, but naturally it will take him a few weeks to re-acclimatise to the rigours of Premier League football.
This news was damaging for Theo and the Arsenal team as he is likely to miss the rest of the season. however, it was also damaging for the national side as he could miss the world cup too. His luck with himself and world cups isn’t good.
When Sven-Göran Eriksson took Theo to the World Cup in 2006, it wasn’t a good move for him and did him no favours. all it did was add more and more pressure to the soldiers of the young 17 year old’s shoulders. You struggle to compare Walcott’s success as a youngster to other players like Fabregas and Rooney who really hit the ground running and surprised plenty of people. Many people were writing Theo Walcott off already. Walcott wasn’t a regular for the Arsenal side and had many injuries. By 2010, this had started to change, Walcott had found himself a regular spot in the Arsenal XI. He was showing form which should secure his seat in the following World Cup but was left out of the squad by Capello.
Walcott is slowly turning into a quality player and many people like to compare him to Barcelona’s Pedro as they have many similarities especially their lighting pace. Walcott is coming close to the Spanish player’s efficiency with 5 goals after returning from injury in early December. Walcott has changed as a player and now likes to get in behind opposing players. and is now far more intelligent and quick about it. He can run a whole back 4 ragged. He tends to drag defenders away too, just like what happened in the game against Spurs for Carzola’s goal.
During this game, Walcott was allowed to play in a central role rather then his weaker wider position. Although he never fully impresses in the centre, he did have a quality game. he was very good cover for Giroud.
Theo is also now being trusted with set-pieces. often you will see Theo wanting the free kicks around the box and also takes corners.
His absence, therefore, is a huge blow to Arsenal’s title challenge and the task of replacing Walcott is a tough one. In short, nobody can replicate what he brings to the team, especially from the flanks, but there are other options at Arsène Wenger’s disposal. 18-year-old Serge Gnabry really caught the eye against Tottenham playing from the right. The German is, of course, still raw, but he’s quick, intelligent and, perhaps the most important, and unique attribute for a player so young, is that he’s as strong as the proverbial ox. Which of course leads nicely onto another player in Arsenal’s ranks…Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
‘The Ox’ has been ruled out with a knee injury since the opening day defeat to Aston Villa and will be looking to make up for lost time as he steps up his recovery. Oxlade-Chamberlain is penciled in to return to first team action by the end of the month, but naturally it will take him a few weeks to re-acclimatise to the rigours of Premier League football.
Lukas Podolski publicly bemoaned the absence of Walcott as any good teammate would, but deep down will be pleased to see his chances of regular football increase significantly. Wenger has often avoided playing both Podolski and Walcott on the flanks, believing it upsets the balance of the team, and instead opting for an inverted winger of sorts; usually Cazorla but often Jack Wilshere and, when needs must, Aaron Ramsey as well. Whilst the aforementioned likes of Gnabry and Oxlade-Chamberlain will certainly feature in stages, Podolski has a far greater wealth of experience to call upon, and will probably be trusted most frequently in the remaining months. I would imagine he will be picked on the left and Cazorla on the right, with Gnabry’s and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s explosive pace a weapon to utilise from the bench against tired legs.
There is also the option of dipping into the January transfer market, although with an out-and-out striker high on the list of priorities, the manager may be unwilling to part with more cash to fill Walcott’s void on the flanks, especially with plenty of personnel in his squad anyway. Arsenal are of course not as strong without the England winger, but coped well enough when he missed a couple of months earlier in the season and, particularly with Gnabry and Oxlade-Chamberlain coming into the picture, should be able to cope, and still mount a serious title charge.
Written by European Maestro
There is also the option of dipping into the January transfer market, although with an out-and-out striker high on the list of priorities, the manager may be unwilling to part with more cash to fill Walcott’s void on the flanks, especially with plenty of personnel in his squad anyway. Arsenal are of course not as strong without the England winger, but coped well enough when he missed a couple of months earlier in the season and, particularly with Gnabry and Oxlade-Chamberlain coming into the picture, should be able to cope, and still mount a serious title charge.
Written by European Maestro