The curious case of Theo Walcott - Ranting

Well, the question is simple: What to do with Theo right now?

I'm always his massive fan but goddamn, he has been awful lately. It's not knee-jerk btw since I kept waiting for him to deliver 4, 5 matches already.

He regressed since last year imo, of course the whole team was in a deep themselves but has improved a opposed to Theo. The guy is all about pace running behind the players ( he can not take on player 1 on 1 since his dribble is ) Lately I didn't see him cut in at all, he took the ball, drifted out the flank and crossed in meaninglessly. His pace was great asset but it seems PL defenders have learn his tricks, they often caught him at his wrong foot. Can he play in the middle? I don't know but be sure the space is even tighter than the flank, it also requires vision (RVP case).

Wenger keeps playing him does the guy no good either, untouchable in such bad form. I'm ok with players drop form, everyone does but watching him on the pitch while the like of Ox, Yossi, Ryo sitting on the bench and Park watching in front of TV really frustrate me. Some shaking up is needed but how?

The guy just released his autobiography at the age of 22, I haven't read it yet but seems odd someone wants to talk about his career at such early stage. I hope it's not the case of his head not in the right place.

So yeah, What to do with Theo now?

Rant off

Walcott is not a starter he is good when he comes off the bench. Walcott pisses me off sometimes, his problem is he only has one move and not hard for defenders to stop him.

He is still young and has many years a head of him and I hope he signs with us soon so Wenger can start benching him . I think its time for Wenger to put Walcott up front.

If only Walcott can break defenses apart like some other wingers do he would be one of the best players in the world.

Raptorgunner wrote:
He is still young and has many years a head of him and I hope he signs with us soon so Wenger can start benching him .

Agree.

Raptorgunner wrote:I think its time for Wenger to put Walcott up front.

Disagree.

He is not a *bleep* winger.

I'm sorry but Arsenal fans piss me off when they complain about Walcott and his crossing.

Walcott will be a GREAT striker.

ragbirjosh wrote:He is not a *bleep* winger.

I'm sorry but Arsenal fans piss me off when they complain about Walcott and his crossing.

Walcott will be a GREAT striker.

Everyone knows that, we're playing 433 not 442 so the day he play as striker will be far and away.

We complain because he does not fit the system right now, there are other more suitable players. That's why I asked what to do with him NOW, not when Wenger decide to switch to 442.

Well you played a 4-3-2-1 against Stoke. maybe putting Walcott up front with Van Perisie and either Gervinho or Arsharvin behind him could work?

All are quite creative and can play as inside fowards, though of course you'd rather Gervinho a little wider seeing as RvP is such a goal threat and Arsharvin lacks that stamina and has been inconsistent recently.

Il Fenomeno Vero wrote:Well you played a 4-3-2-1 against Stoke. maybe putting Walcott up front with Van Perisie and either Gervinho or Arsharvin behind him could work?

All are quite creative and can play as inside fowards, though of course you'd rather Gervinho a little wider seeing as RvP is such a goal threat and Arsharvin lacks that stamina and has been inconsistent recently.

looks like ive found the hole in the bucket of marks

FATMAN, GO STUDY.

His finishing has been terrible, hes been missing sitters so I think thats a no to being a striker. Guy needs to be benched even if he doesn't sign a new contract. He doesn't contribute enough to justify a place in the starting line up and hes not that young anymore hes 22 his pace isnt going to be there forever so for a player like theo he has to step up while the pace is still around

And then every so often, he produces master classes, and you never know when he'll do that

Are players not allowed to have periods of bad form anymore?

Theo is a frustrating player, yes, but I dislike how whenever he has a couple of poor games, the pitchforks and torches are out and he's suddenly a bad player again who'll never be good.

Let's not disregard last season, where he acheieved double figures for both goals and assists. He'll find form again. It may be prudent to drop him for a few games and let him have some good moments as an impact sub for him to regain somce form and confidence. We did so during his best season, when Arshavin was in-form as was Nasri, then Walcott got into the side when he was in-form and Arshavin wasn't.

His finishing has been terrible, hes been missing sitters so I think thats a no to being a striker. Guy needs to be benched even if he doesn't sign a new contract. He doesn't contribute enough to justify a place in the starting line up and hes not that young anymore hes 22 his pace isnt going to be there forever so for a player like theo he has to step up while the pace is still around

Like? He's missed a couple of chances, but not sitters. Besides, strikers have off days and Walcott clear has the finishing ability to play as a striker one day. Or are we just going to ignore all 13 of his goals last season? Even the two he's scored this season were good finishes, typical of a striker.

ragbirjosh wrote:He is not a *bleep* winger.

I'm sorry but Arsenal fans piss me off when they complain about Walcott and his crossing.

Walcott will be a GREAT striker.

You need to relax. At least when Henry was converted to a striker, he had the ball control necessary to make tight turns and maintain possession and to position himself well with the ball. Walcott hasn't been showing that lately on the wing which is why we're frustrated. I think Wenger should start him as a striker against Bolton and put Park on the bench to sub in or vise versa.

GoonerJay29 wrote:Are players not allowed to have periods of bad form anymore?

Theo is a frustrating player, yes, but I dislike how whenever he has a couple of poor games, the pitchforks and torches are out and he's suddenly a bad player again who'll never be good.

Let's not disregard last season, where he acheieved double figures for both goals and assists. He'll find form again. It may be prudent to drop him for a few games and let him have some good moments as an impact sub for him to regain somce form and confidence. We did so during his best season, when Arshavin was in-form as was Nasri, then Walcott got into the side when he was in-form and Arshavin wasn't.

His finishing has been terrible, hes been missing sitters so I think thats a no to being a striker. Guy needs to be benched even if he doesn't sign a new contract. He doesn't contribute enough to justify a place in the starting line up and hes not that young anymore hes 22 his pace isnt going to be there forever so for a player like theo he has to step up while the pace is still around

Like? He's missed a couple of chances, but not sitters. Besides, strikers have off days and Walcott clear has the finishing ability to play as a striker one day. Or are we just going to ignore all 13 of his goals last season? Even the two he's scored this season were good finishes, typical of a striker.

You got me wrong Jay, I didn't ask for his head or questioning his ability. I just want opinion on how to handle Theo right now, seeing as Wenger does not intend to drop him anytime soon. Drop and make him an impact sub could be good, could also be another Chamakh case.

Wenger is clearly trying to kick-start him by keeping him in the starting lineup, but if he doesn't perform against Chelsea this weekend, he needs to be given the bench for a couple games.

He's shown he can be very effective off the bench in the past, and we need to keep riding him off the bench till he learns to give a consistent 90 minute performance again.

We need a winger that can take defense apart, most games Theo is just nowhere to be seen and not doing his job by helping out the RB. No matter how many good game he has he wont be a player we all want him to be until he is able to beat a player one on one and take a defense apart game after game.

So many games you can see him getting the ball and has no Idea what to do with it. If he can be like Arshivan and attack the defense would make him the perfect player.

What pisses me off is that he will cross the ball with out even looking to see if there is anyone to cross it too. Don't get me wrong I want Walcott to be a gunner all his life its just I want him to improve his dribbling and decision makings at times.

he is all about pace and too predictable...
And when will he learn to cross ?
I think he has some attitude problems as well.. He keeps on saying everywhere that he is a cf.. May be.. But he is nowhere near it.. He must understand that this is his position now.. And i dont think even if he moves.. Can he play cf in any top teams now ? No.. May be go to Wigan or something like Bendtner did...
Also he has not regressed.. He is just missing Cesc or a creative midfield which will help him to be a threat...

Wilson37 wrote:he is all about pace and too predictable...
And when will he learn to cross ?
I think he has some attitude problems as well.. He keeps on saying everywhere that he is a cf.. May be.. But he is nowhere near it.. He must understand that this is his position now.. And i dont think even if he moves.. Can he play cf in any top teams now ? No.. May be go to Wigan or something like Bendtner did...
Also he has not regressed.. He is just missing Cesc or a creative midfield which will help him to be a threat...

he's not supposed to cross

Crossing is pretty useless at Arsenal considering most of our players are short of in lack of heading ability. The only reason there should be crossing done is if VP is in a great area or Mertesacker is in the box. Or if you're desperate, like Djourou was

Walcott is just through a bad patch of form. Also remember he has barely gotten any rest, and played pretty much all games. I've been impressed though, because he has not been injured in a while now which worries me more than form. Form can be regained why injuries are a pain in the ass overall.

He will get a central role, but not just yet. He's only 22, people forget.

Just be happy you dont have Gabriel Obertan

He makes Walcott look like Bergkamp

Seriously tho( even tho i truly believe it) i tend to think Walcott gets alot of unecessary criticism, hes a player thats improving everytime i see him.....

Walcott is the least of your problems right now if iam honest.

It's only because we have a limited bench that people focus in on Walcott. AOC's not ready yet, Sheva more inconsistent than a menstrual period and Gervinho is already cemented on the other flank.

Obertan is a headless chicken and we all warned you of it, Mole But who cares when 2nd spot is in sight, right? We all know that lots of running beats everything else in the Donkey League

better sell now even as a striker he won't be good enough....i would like him to sign a new contract and keep him on the team as a squaddie nothing else.

Someone has already said it...Theo will never be the player we want him to be.

imagine a team of Diaby,Theo,Obertan bunch of brainless twat

Lets swap Theo for junior hoillet

gunnerlistick wrote:Lets swap Theo for junior hoillet

Nah he's ours

Immaculate_Mole wrote:

gunnerlistick wrote:Lets swap Theo for junior hoillet

Nah he's ours

how about we sell you walcott and let us get Hoillet because Blackburn are going down anyway