WALCOTT - which position is best etc?

[kite]

whats your definition of world class then?

if you can beat the CL and World cup winners hw much better can you get?

Jonathan Greening has a champs league winners medal, - NOT WORLD CLASS

Walnutt has his best game since he signed for us and only about his 4th actual good game since he signed and every1 has gone mad, he is poor but is starting to show promise occasionally,

But he's no kid anymore.. still I'm not sure about him. He can run and sometimes he can provide some half-decent crosses. If only he could control the ball better.. time and time again he ruins potentially great chances just because of his poor first touch.

[1989]

Club won't give him the contract he wants and with Podolski coming in I think it's safe to say he's off. There's no way we'll let him run his contract out. Will sign for either QPR or Liverfool this summer.

[the moog]

he's shocking. end of

[van persie 10]

Lool at the op

Can we really see Wenger letting Theo go, really? especially since we've not see the boy at his best, I expect a long contract with large wages to be given to the lad.

[Only One Tony Adams]

he's shocking. end of

+1 3 or 4 decent games since 2006. Say's it all really.

[QuartzGooner]

he's shocking. end of

+1 3 or 4 decent games since 2006. Say's it all really.

Gross exaggeration.

He is inconsistent.

But a look at his goals and assists tells you he has had more than one good game a season.

He works hard.

It is his touch that is poor, his passing that is inconsistent.
But for all the passes that go astray and the crosses that fail to find a target, he will get a few good ones in and often these set up a goal for Van Persie.
Five goals this season appears nothing special, but no one else in the squad has scored more except Van Persie.

Plus he gets goals in pressure games against top opposition.

Then there is the combined threat of playing Walcott one side and The Ox the other, which pushes the opposition onto the back foot.

If Diaby leaves/retires, we could see The Ox play infield more, with Miyaichi on the left. Again, two flyers in the wide positions.

Rather keep Walcott than sell.

[augie]

So quartz you would keep him even though you agree that his passing is inconsistant and his touch is very poor ? Surely they are fundamental skills required to be a pro footballer (much less a premiership footballer and international player) ? You are also aware that any new deal he is offered and signed will be on bumper wages ? You think he is value for money on such a contract ? In a squad of mediocrity where players are way overpaid, theo is indicitive of the problems with this squad - personally I would be willing to keep him but only as a squad player and certainly not on the type of wages he is currently on

[worthing_gooner]

I like Walcott and think he gets a lot of unfair criticism.

He doesn't give the ball away any more than anyone else in the side, but people always pick up on it because it's Walcott.

In the same way, people slate him because every single cross doesn't find it's target. How often does Walcott run in behind and cut it back to a dangerous area? How many corners does he win? He set up two against Newcastle from crosses (probably shouldve been 3 but for RVPs first miss).

I'm not really sure how much people want from him? Is he supposed to have a 100% crossing accuracy? How many goals does he need to set up before people admit he played well?

I think he's had a good season. He's only just turned 23 and will continue to improve for another few seasons yet. He also brings a whole new dimension to our play when he's on the pitch.

[QuartzGooner]

I would keep Walcott Augie.
Even with inconsistent touch and passing.

Part of the passing problem is too few players make runs into the box from midfield, and that is not Walcott's fault.

Then looking at the squad, I have to consider the other options for wide/striker positions.

The Ox looks great, but at 18 he is not going to be able to play every game, and he does have games where he is out of the action, still learning.

Gervinho? I have yet to be sold on him. Like all other overseas players in their first season, I will form a more solid opinion him after two seasons, to allow for a settling in period. That said, to me he looks no better than Walcott at this stage.

Miyaichi and Campbell have had very good loan spells, but we have yet to see them play on a regular basis for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Lansbury has been played left midfield, has done fairly well on loan and for England under 21s, but I am not at all sure he will return to us.

Benayoun I very much doubt will be at Arsenal next season.

Rosicky has found very good form of late, but in a central attacking midfield position. He has been much less effective wide.

Sanchez Watt might be an option for left midfield, but we would likely have to see him involved pre season to know if he is in Wenger's plans?

Some fans have suggested that one of Santos or Gibbs might be played left midfield, allowing The Ox to play on the right, but we have yet to see it on any more than a infrequent basis.

Up front we have Van Persie in great form.

Chamakh has suffered catastrophic loss of form.

Park is a mystery man, perhaps just a marketing signing.

Afobe has shown youth level promise, but has just come back from injury and has negligible top level experience.

Aneke too has shown youth level promise, but that is all so far.

Of course I want signings, and Podolski, Goetze, Hazard, (and most probably Loic Remi) etc will all be linked with us as players who can play up front or wide midfield.

But for all Walcott's faults, he does produce enough for me to justify a place in the squad, and on current form, in the team.

He is a bit like Andrew Cole, who used to need five shots to score one goal. But the fact is that that one goal did come and in Walcott's case the equivalent is the pass to Van Persie that enables Van Persie to score.
It is a vital part of how we play, for better or for worse. And until a viable and improved alternative is available at a realistic price, I would stick with it.

There are players to clear out to raise funds; Squillachi, Almunia, Denilson, Diaby, Arshavin, Chamakh, Lansbury, Eastmond, Bendtner and (Park?).
But for me Walcott is not one of them.

[goonersid]

There are players to clear out to raise funds; Squillachi, Almunia, Denilson, Diaby, Arshavin, Chamakh, Lansbury, Eastmond, Bendtner and (Park?).
But for me Walcott is not one of them.

So someone would actually give us cash for that lot

[mcdowell42]

My problem with theo is his inability to go past/beat his man oh yeah if he kicks the ball ahead of his marker 9 times out of ten he will beat him with pace but he seems incapable to dribble past his marker,he constantly loses the ball when he attempts to do this.

[hugh jardon]

Another goal by Walcott on Saturday v Villa. Yes RVP's PR men don't know what they're talking about.

[Red Member]

walcott is now world class

I stand by what I said in November
man of the match on Saturday

[kite]

world class?
he has one assist in 6 games in the champions league - that's it.
he's ok (6 goals, 10 assists, 29 games) in what might be the worst premiere league for more than 5-6 years or so but world class? no way.

[Red Member]

where are all these german supporters coming from?

Kite - are you are showing an interest in this great club because we have signed Mertesacker and are likely to sign Podolski or have you always been a fan?

anyway back to Walcott how do you compare him with your new young player Goetzee?
I saw him play at the Emirates in the CL this season and was not too impressed. maybe if we bought him he might be a better option than Gervinho but thats about all, he certainly doesnt seem to be in Walcott's class.