Is there any news on Theo? Do people want him to re-sign? I certainly do and I also think he'll have a bearing on whether or not RVP chooses to stay with us. Come on Theo, it's not often I get to cheer on Arsenal players in the England squad, stay with us!
Yes. I want him to stay and resign. I think he will. He has made a massive contribution to Arsenal this season. Some of the abuse he got was shameful and George Graham doesn't know what he's talking about when he says we should sell him.
Its not just George Graham, there are many people who think the same actually. If we don't play Theo in a role that suits him and benefits the club i.e. not as a winger, we should sell him because he is a poor winger and far too inconsistent and we need players who contribute most games as opposed to every now and then.
If we were to sell Theo then I'm convinced Van Persie will be off. I'd not keep Theo just for that reason, I like him as a player and think he offers a lot to the team, but I think it's something to consider. Towards the end of the season he was almost playing alongside RVP and looked really dangerous when he did so. His consistency is something which needs to be addressed though I think that will come with experience and game time. Some stato might be able to assist with this but was this his most injury free season with us? I'm sure it was his most prolific (probably wrong though!).
JJSB - thats right and thats the key. I'm sick of seeing Theo hugging the wing, he's useless there - when I see him further forward and not so wide of goal I feel much better. Forward or nothing in my view. Although he didn't play most of the season as a forward he got plenty of goals so imagine if Wenger played him that way .... mamma mia !
Another reason why Theo is better than Lennon (not making this into a contest); he scores and assists more in a position which he is not really suited for.. he is more of a striker, Lennon is more of a winger.
Which one is it then? I would let him move on if we invested the amount we got from selling him (including the tax on being English) to buy anyone at the same price-point from another league. Yes... I am suggesting that about every other winger with the same 'market value' is better than him, even considering the time it takes them to warm up to the league/club. He hasn't been as anonymous as he can be this season, but as I've said before in no way should he be anything more than an impact sub or an occasional starter for any top 4 club. Use the opportunity we have with some clubs overvaluing him and get some quality and consistency in return.
The thing is he doesn't have the quality to justify changing your whole team set-up to accommodate him in his 'mythical' best position.
As a striker he will be distinctly average; as a winger Barcelona are interested in him. It is as simple as that. If he was playing through the middle, you would need to play a 4-4-2 and go to a long ball with a Caroll or a Heskie type knocking the ball on, or he plays instead of Van Persie. Van Persie and Podolski are not good enough midfielders, to play as number 10s. Walcott is not strong enough physically to play the Henry role. I just can't understand why people keep wanting to make him a centre forward. The right side of the attack with Walcott in front and Sagna behind (and with RVP through the middle) is about the only part of the team that really worked this year and you want to change it. Crazy! If we lost Van Persie then you could try putting Song as the number 10, and Walcott playing off him, but I thought all you chaps hated Song. Putting him in a Zidane-role is one hell of a change of heart. You could put a more defensive type winger with them and switch from side to side with Podolski on the other flank and you could then defend with a 4-4-2 and attack with a 4-3-3 which is what Manchester United do. I don't know, when the changes get this drastic, it always seems that it is all a bit silly. I think the point I am making is that saying Walcott should play through the middle as striker will require changes throughout the team to adapt, and if it doesn't work or Walcott/Song get's injured, what then? You can't just change a team's entire tactics every game. A change this drastic would be a season long deal. If it doesn't work, it is a mid-table season for us; we can't reload the pre-season save and try again! Gent said it better than me, but I think he was a bit harsh on Theo. I don't think many players have the quality to play like Henry.
I can't help but think how much of a flop he would be at Barcelona, but I would still use the opportunity to sell him to them. Barcelona camp at the opponents half every game with 11 players in front of them, while Walcott has shown he is absolute **** without acres of space ahead of him, and his dismal ball control won't help him much in that regard. What a perfect match lol.
I think his ball-control has got a lot better. After watching Gervinho for a season, Walcott's doesn't seem so bad.
Gervinho in the first half of the season was better than Walcott has ever been for us (in all his years here), and that is his first season. Not that good of a comparison.
Gent - what did we change to accommodate playing him more in a forward role this season ? Nothing. The solution is simple, play him as a forward in a 4-3-3 - wider than RVP but not as wide as a winger. As for Barcelona being interested in him ...
That isn't close to being true. The numbers don't come close to bearing that opinion out. And Walcott is far better than Gervinho defensively. I hate it when you guys do your hatchet jobs on our players, whether it is Song, Ramsey, Walcott or whoever. You just make up crap based on some bizarre opinion, and based on no more than that start ripping into them, probably because you have the mistaken impression that it makes you superior. That isn't being a Arsenal fan (although it is sadly becoming normal), that is just being a pratt. "Song is out of position", "Ramsey gives the ball away too much", "Walcott has bad ball control", and when you get called out (because it is clearly ****ing rubbish and they keep stats on that kind of thing), you just keep repeating said crap, and making up more rubbish.
Don't sit on the fence there Toledo, say what you really think! However, for somebody who hates those who make nasty comments on players abilities your comment on Gervinho seems like double standards...
The problem is .. nobody can argue with Toledo because he talks so much rubbish and believes it so intensely. Stats You continue to form your opinions based on stats and we will continue to form our opinions based on what we see.
Walcott has been instrumental to RVP's success this season, even RVP said so himself. I think people underestimate the contribution Walcott makes to the team. We would undoubtedly be weaker without him.
Oh purlease PISKIE. As if RVP is gonna say Walcott is mediocre. He simply stuck up for his team mate who was getting abuse. We've all seen where Walcott is effective and where he is not. Lets hope Wenger has and he takes advantage of Walcott's obvious talents which are NOT on the wing.
I think he was actually pointing out where he is effective for the team, rather than some sympathy vote.
