WALCOTT - which position is best etc?

[N1Goon]

Theo has not been in contract talks with Arsenal since August. Most certainly, he is off.

[SteveO 35]

Theo has not been in contract talks with Arsenal since August. Most certainly, he is off.

For "footballing reasons" no doubt because Gnabry has a great potential and I would expect him to arrive in the first team soon. Great technical quality and the hunger and desire

[Wengerball]

His pace seems to cause teams a lot more problems when hes playing off the shoulder of the last man- I'm sure that was where he had a lot of success playing for Southampton.

Why Arsene has tried to turn him into a winger I have no idea, its set back his development and you can see why he'd want to play though the middle, as, if nothing else, it makes the most of his pace.If I was Walnut I'd be pissed off at how Gervinho was allowed a shot at playing as a striker instead of him.

Now the Reading defence is particularly shite but surely hes thrown his hat in the ring to play up top on a more permanent basis????

(Why we cant just revolutionize modern day football and play with 2 strikers I'll never know)

[SteveO 35]

It'll be back to Giroud and the Forehead at Wigan don't worry

[QuartzGooner]

His pace seems to cause teams a lot more problems when hes playing off the shoulder of the last man- I'm sure that was where he had a lot of success playing for Southampton.

Why Arsene has tried to turn him into a winger I have no idea, its set back his development and you can see why he'd want to play though the middle, as, if nothing else, it makes the most of his pace.

To be fair to Wenger, from memory I think Walcott played wide left a but at Southampton and the England under-21s.

But I agree, he was useful tonight, gave Reading something to worry about.

[augie]

Sweet Jesus we really are crying out for a hero aren't we ? Feo was virtually anonymous all night and we are talking about readings back line here not some top defence. Playing on the shoulder of the last man requires more than just pace - you need to know when to run, where to run and be clinical when you get in behind their back line and he only got into that position once and he failed to convert
He did take his goal really well and it seemed to give him a boost for a short while (until he was subbed) cos he looked for the ball more but a guy like him or chicarito (who I would love us to sign) simply cannot play the role of the lone centre forward cos it requires traits that they just do not have

[Wengerball]

Sweet Jesus we really are crying out for a hero aren't we ? Feo was virtually anonymous all night and we are talking about readings back line here not some top defence. Playing on the shoulder of the last man requires more than just pace - you need to know when to run, where to run and be clinical when you get in behind their back line and he only got into that position once and he failed to convert
He did take his goal really well and it seemed to give him a boost for a short while (until he was subbed) cos he looked for the ball more but a guy like him or chicarito (who I would love us to sign) simply cannot play the role of the lone centre forward cos it requires traits that they just do not have

Perhaps we are crying out for a hero- its sad to say it but the standards have dropped so low at our club that I am pinning my hopes on a guy who is one dimensional ie all pace but at least he has one redeeming quality- I cant say the same for Gervinho

[DB10GOONER]

Feo showed a good finish in the box last night for his goal. A striker’s finish - he took a touch, got half a yard and placed it. It was instinctive. And I think if he is to become a central striker it’s that type of goal he’ll get more often than when he peels off the shoulder and runs one on one with the oppo keeper. he has pace but not much football intelligence to go with it.

Last night was a prime example of what I think is Feo’s main problem; when he has time to think about what he wants to do he quite often can't decide and then fucks it up. Running at the keeper last night he could have chipped him, gone round him, or hit it early either side of him. He had too many choices. He was undecided and held out too long, got closed down, then hit it basically at the keeper. Playing as a central striker in and around the box he won't get that much time to consider his options and that might be a good thing for him - to react instinctively.

augie, his being anonymous wouldn’t upset me too much tbh. Wrighty had games like that. He wouldn’t get a touch for 85 mins and then get one touch and score. Not saying Feo is anywhere near Wrighty’s level (and may never be) but the fact he didn’t get much last night but still took his chance was a good sign for me.

I think we need to put this thing to bed now though. Wenger should play him as a central striker for at least 10 games in a row, see if he indicates any natural ability or aptitude in there with a run of games under his belt. I’m not convinced Feo would succeed but I would like to find out. This shit Wenger is currently doing - playing Feo in there, getting his confidence up a bit and then dropping him to the bench or back out wide for the next game (thus knocking that confidence down again) isn't helping the player or the team.

[flash gunner]

Give him what he wants and play him through the middle FFS

[SteveO 35]

Give him what he wants and play him through the middle FFS

Don't you get a sense that its all too late now. Fergie and others are fully alerted as to his availability, the player himself seems to suggest that discussions are 'slow' and you just know that the more goals he scores, the more the other clubs will circle around him and he'll be off.

Another one that was completely avoidable

[GranadaJoe]

I still don't think Theo will ever bag us 25+ goals a season as a striker and his poor decision making won't improve anytime soon, but his performance did make me think a bit. Our tippy-tappy, as-slow-as-possible football has allowed teams to compress the play, but the defenders were obviously scared of Theo's pace and dropped a bit deeper giving Santi and others more time and space. If the rest of the team could contribute more goals it may be a decent option.

I've been increasingly disappointed with Theo's performances but I'd rather we kept him.

[northbank123]

Walcott had a decent game up front, not brilliant but did pretty well. He bagged and most importantly the formation worked because (along with the lack of Gervinho and Ramsey) it allowed us to attack with pace, which is when we actually look like showing what this side's capable of. If you're going to use this formation it needs pace, Giroud Gervinho and Ramsey lack that (amongst other things).

Yes, it's relevant that he's scored his goals against generally poor sides, but we really could have used somebody who has the ability to score against shit sides like Norwich, Villa, Bradford, etc.

But we all know he'll be shifted back to the wing or the bench in the very near future and that he'll fuck off to Liverpool or City in due course. Why does Wenger bother coming out every other week saying he wants a resolution with Walcott? What the fuck is saying that to BBC going to do? Sums up his inaction.

[REB]

Give him what he wants and play him through the middle FFS

Don't you get a sense that its all too late now. Fergie and others are fully alerted as to his availability, the player himself seems to suggest that discussions are 'slow' and you just know that the more goals he scores, the more the other clubs will circle around him and he'll be off.

Another one that was completely avoidable

surely theo already has his mind made up what he is going to do.

[augie]

Jack Wilshire on the verge of signing a new 5 year deal worth 80k per week.......are we honestly saying that wally is worth 20k per week more than Jack ?? If we are saying that then fcuk AFC and fcuk football in general cos the day that raw speed is worth more than ability and actual performances is the day that I turn my back on football I would be more than happy to keep the guy at 75k per week which is a 25% increase on his current deal but the fact is that the guy isnt worth anything near wilshire

[begeegs]

I'd agree with those who commended his performance last night. Walcott scared the crap out of the Reading defenders and they played too deep as a result. It gave more space for Jack and Santi to exploit - which they did well. Also - Podolski and the Ox also received more space - Essentially, it allowed for our attack (especially counter-attack) to be very effective because no one could be singled out.

It was a start and got rid of the pedestrian football. I'd hope that Wenger will go with the same line-up against Wigan because they play 3 at the back and I think that we will pull them all over the place with this line-up.

For a change - Wenger did something bold and it worked. You could argue that selecting Gervinho as a striker is bold - but I reckon that it is equally stupid.