Indeed, if I was an opposing defender I would hate to be playing against someone who trips on the ball in front of open goals.

Looks like it won't be Arsenal fans who are embarrassed if Theo doesn't turn out well and ends up plying his trade below the top half of the league - it'll be the armchair 'experts' of Engerland.



If James Milner is the designated penalty taker, which is what I have heard, isn't it a breach of discipline to resist his taking the penalty? "Emerge from that imperious shadow"? Dear God.

Have these folks even been to a high school English class?

Walcott impresses in Portugal

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?this ... n+Portugal

Theo Walcott earned that rare thing - the praise of opposition supporters - after an impressive display for England Under-21s in Portugal. Chants of 'Theo, Theo' were heard among the home fans as the Arsenal forward tormented the Portugal defence with his pace and trickery. Adelino Vieirinha fired the hosts ahead from the penalty spot and Walcott went close before Adam Johnson equalised with a volley from Joe Mattock's long throw. Walcott, operating as a lone striker in a depleted England side, forced a fine save from Ricardo Batista after another mazy run as the visitors finished strongly. Arsenal defender Matthew Connolly was an unused substitute. The 1-1 draw leaves England six points clear of Portugal at the top of Group Three with a place at Euro 2009 well within their reach.

Lets hope Theo can take his recent international form into the next couple of games.

Wenger - Walcott will make it at Arsenal
By Richard Clarke
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?this ... at+Arsenal

Arsène Wenger has total faith that Theo Walcott will live up to his huge potential. On Sunday it will be two years to the day since the winger arrived at Arsenal in a blaze of publicity. That only increased when he was chosen for England’s World Cup squad the following summer without having played for his new side. Wenger admits that the 18-year-old is not yet ‘there’ but he is sure it will happen.

“He will get where I expect him to be,” said the Arsenal manager at his pre-match press conference. “At the moment he is not. But I’m not worried personally. He plays on confidence and he has qualities that will come out. I tried to force him to play wide but today I am convinced he will be a central player. I think that is where he will be happiest because he is direct, he has good timing for his runs and I believe he will do well. The shoulder injury [last season] affected him because he got into bad habits. Now he’s back, he’s had the problem on the other side but it’s not a long term problem. There is always a risk when you move up but I still think that the sooner you are at the top, top level the better it is. He will get a chance up front but he is not in the squad for Fulham because we play again on Tuesday. He is happy,” Wenger concluded. “He is not happy when he does not play and you don’t expect him to be but I believe he is on the way to getting into the team and I am confident that he can make that step.”

Nice to hear Arsene

I personally don't think Theo will make it. He isn't strong enough physically and doesn't have anything special, i expect him to be sold to a club like Sunderland in a few years.

He has blistering pace and is a superb finisher, he will be a player for definate. Although I have to say he has been terrible of late and I am glad he is not in the squad for the Fulham game.

I think Arsene Wenger knows now that Walcott is not an winger but a pure striker. I think he will use Walcott now more often as a striker. He will buy a new winger this month or in the summer.

I've been disappointed with him this year, playing outwide. He doesn't have the ability to play outwide and with him being a confidence player ( someone who plays well when feeling good ), it's getting harder for him. The pressure is getting worse aswell because with the hype he's had, it's being said that he isn't living up to it. The hype occurred when he was playing upfront for Southampton, and all of his best performances for us have been in that position.

I see why Wenger isn't playing up top though, Adebayor is our main striker at the minute and with Eduardo and Bendtner's form, it's hard but I do think he needs a run of games up front, or even up top for the Reserves for 2 weeks, just to get him to where he wants to be confidence wise.

I have doubts about whether he can make it, but if Wenger says he is a striker in the future, then I believe Walcott has a clean slate once up front.

I reckon he'll make something of his career at arsenal. He just needs the right attitude and a lot of determination, if you don't make an impression quick then somenone else will take your place at Arsenal, he needs to start making visible contributions more regularly to win me over.

im about 90% sure Walcott will be playing most of his games up front from now on, i think Wenger's plan for him as a winger has either been fulfilled or he has figured out that Walcott is just not as good as he could be on the wing. Theres an article on arsenal.com to verify this.

And here it is:

Wenger - Walcott will make it at Arsenal
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?this ... at+Arsenal
Friday, January 18, 2008 By Richard Clarke

Arsène Wenger has total faith that Theo Walcott will live up to his huge potential. On Sunday it will be two years to the day since the winger arrived at Arsenal in a blaze of publicity. That only increased when he was chosen for England’s World Cup squad the following summer without having played for his new side. Wenger admits that the 18-year-old is not yet ‘there’ but he is sure it will happen. “He will get where I expect him to be,” said the Arsenal manager at his pre-match press conference. “At the moment he is not. But I’m not worried personally. He plays on confidence and he has qualities that will come out. I tried to force him to play wide but today I am convinced he will be a central player. I think that is where he will be happiest because he is direct, he has good timing for his runs and I believe he will do well. The shoulder injury [last season] affected him because he got into bad habits. Now he’s back, he’s had the problem on the other side but it’s not a long term problem. There is always a risk when you move up but I still think that the sooner you are at the top, top level the better it is. He will get a chance up front but he is not in the squad for Fulham because we play again on Tuesday. He is happy,” Wenger concluded. “He is not happy when he does not play and you don’t expect him to be but I believe he is on the way to getting into the team and I am confident that he can make that step.”

Wrighty has just been on talksport previewing the Fulham match and reviewing the Birmingham match basically saying that he thinks that Theo is a class player but not a tricky winger, he is a right sided striker and should be played in that position and not in midfield. I tend to agree with him, although we have had injury worries he should be tried up front with Bendtner or Robin van Persie when he is back to full fitness.

He is still only 18, the age that players usually make debuts at lower clubs, let alone a club who is fighting in 4 competitions with a possibility of winning every single one. 18 years old and people are saying he's not going to make it, what the ... ?

If he still hasn't improved at 21, we have a problem but 18 years old?

Then you would drop Eduardo, who after half a season has contributed more in goals and threats than Theo in two years?. we cant afford to drop points in the premiership race, by all means the C.C. and even the F.A. he can be risked. But the two important trophies should always be played with a team Wengar believes will win.

Forget about him being the new reyes, to me he's fast turning into the new francis jeffers. Apologies to all who had successfully banished that painful memory from your minds.

18 years old and his career is over already. Ian Wright wasn't even playing professional football at that age, but there you are, perhaps the game has changed.