WALCOTT - which position is best etc?

[g88ner]

Awareness and football brain are the same thing aren't they ?.

Well yes, that's why I tried to flesh the meaning out a little to explain why I think people say it

[Theoperator]

Trouble is he relys on his pace, which will surely dwindle by his late 20s, then the football brain needs to take over, but I too dont feel he quite has that.

I like him too, and am all too often frustrated. It is wierd what a contrast he is, with his big game excellence, his stated desire to be CF. He has had all sorts help him along, including TH14 but still he is unreliable.

He really must step it up in the next few weeks else he will miss the plane for Rio, as well as failing to be a key player in our championship season

[Nos89]

Walcott is terrible upfront on his own. He lacks the footballing brain and the strength to hold off two 6ft+ CB's and link up play, which are qualities vital for this role, especially in the system we play.

20 goals and 17 assists last season - He must be either a good footballer or extremely lucky. Better contribution than Rooney. I hope he gets to start again because with the runs he makes Ozil will pick him out more often than not. I reckon if fit and starting games he will hit 20 league goals before Giroud, who seems to rely on Theo as his main supplier of goals. Just remember Henry had DB10. At the moment though who can he drop from the attack to accomadate Theo?

[I Hate Hleb]

Awareness and football brain are the same thing aren't they ?.

Well yes, that's why I tried to flesh the meaning out a little to explain why I think people say it

Much like Oswald/the CIA did to Kennedy's brain - and with largely the same result: a huge bloody mess everywhere!!

[QuartzGooner]

I do not agree with this line that he 'Does not have a football brain".

I read your post and largely agree.

I think the "football brain" thing is, for me, more that he lacks awareness and technique when on the ball.

You're right that he makes good, clever runs BUT his technique on the ball means he often doesn't look up and get an appreciation of what's around him (as Cesc/Ozil, etc would) and can therefore make too many wrong decisions... hence looking like he hasn't got a football brain

Anyway, not that it's relevant, but for what it's worth... I like Theo.

Good point.
For others, running with the ball is second nature, but sometimes for Theo he does seem to be concentrating on control of the ball at expense of awareness.

[augie]

I do not agree with this line that he 'Does not have a football brain".

I read your post and largely agree.

I think the "football brain" thing is, for me, more that he lacks awareness and technique when on the ball.

You're right that he makes good, clever runs BUT his technique on the ball means he often doesn't look up and get an appreciation of what's around him (as Cesc/Ozil, etc would) and can therefore make too many wrong decisions... hence looking like he hasn't got a football brain

Anyway, not that it's relevant, but for what it's worth... I like Theo.

Good point.
For others, running with the ball is second nature, but sometimes for Theo he does seem to be concentrating on control of the ball at expense of awareness.

I see a lot of players like that at local sunday league level.......wouldn't expect to see them playing champs league football for one of europes biggest clubs mind you

[markyp]

this may surprise most people here but since august 2011according to the daily mail Walcott has provided the most assists in the premier league,and considering he missed a lot of chunks of seasons through injury is a massive result,also with him being our top scorer last season after missing a big chunk I don't really see how most people here label him useless.as ive said countless times before at the business end of the pitch Walnut delivers,the stats don't lie

[augie]

this may surprise most people here but since august 2011according to the daily mail Walcott has provided the most assists in the premier league,and considering he missed a lot of chunks of seasons through injury is a massive result,also with him being our top scorer last season after missing a big chunk I don't really see how most people here label him useless.as ive said countless times before at the business end of the pitch Walnut delivers,the stats don't lie

Do we need to remind you of denilson's great stats ?

[markyp]

this may surprise most people here but since august 2011according to the daily mail Walcott has provided the most assists in the premier league,and considering he missed a lot of chunks of seasons through injury is a massive result,also with him being our top scorer last season after missing a big chunk I don't really see how most people here label him useless.as ive said countless times before at the business end of the pitch Walnut delivers,the stats don't lie

Do we need to remind you of denilson's great stats ?

the stats only lie sometimes

[Humoresque]

Walcott is terrible upfront on his own. He lacks the footballing brain and the strength to hold off two 6ft+ CB's and link up play, which are qualities vital for this role, especially in the system we play.

20 goals and 17 assists last season - He must be either a good footballer or extremely lucky. Better contribution than Rooney. I hope he gets to start again because with the runs he makes Ozil will pick him out more often than not. I reckon if fit and starting games he will hit 20 league goals before Giroud, who seems to rely on Theo as his main supplier of goals. Just remember Henry had DB10. At the moment though who can he drop from the attack to accomadate Theo?

+ 1

don't understand the Walcott hate. Look at his brace today. Well taken, he needs more opportunities and to be played centrally. Honestly, playing with 2 stikers (esp. against lesser sides) or as a number 10 in the hole is what we need.

He'd easily outpace Giroud, what did Olie have today, something like 3 chances inside 2mins. and missed them all? TW's finishing has improved greatly.

[Humoresque]

I do not agree with this line that he 'Does not have a football brain".

I read your post and largely agree.

I think the "football brain" thing is, for me, more that he lacks awareness and technique when on the ball.

You're right that he makes good, clever runs BUT his technique on the ball means he often doesn't look up and get an appreciation of what's around him (as Cesc/Ozil, etc would) and can therefore make too many wrong decisions... hence looking like he hasn't got a football brain

Anyway, not that it's relevant, but for what it's worth... I like Theo.

Good point.
For others, running with the ball is second nature, but sometimes for Theo he does seem to be concentrating on control of the ball at expense of awareness.

all the more reason why he needs to be played centrally (esp. considering Girouds lack of pace)

instead of beating one man outside, drifting in and having to beat a centre half or two or defensive midfielder he's played centrally, beats or splits the centre halves and is in on goal.

Or he makes runs and opens space for Giroud/Ozil.

yep, he won't always have his pace which is why he's wasted out wide. Being pacey doesn't equal wide player, you need to pass, have vision, think, cross. His crossing is better but precisely because he's thinking the game and not being natural is why you take him inside where he simply goes forward making runs or slipping through the centre halves for goal chances.

it's long since past the time where he's not used as a striker. He's earned it.

[QuartzGooner]

all the more reason why he needs to be played centrally (esp. considering Girouds lack of pace)

instead of beating one man outside, drifting in and having to beat a centre half or two or defensive midfielder he's played centrally, beats or splits the centre halves and is in on goal.

Or he makes runs and opens space for Giroud/Ozil.

yep, he won't always have his pace which is why he's wasted out wide. Being pacey doesn't equal wide player, you need to pass, have vision, think, cross. His crossing is better but precisely because he's thinking the game and not being natural is why you take him inside where he simply goes forward making runs or slipping through the centre halves for goal chances.

it's long since past the time where he's not used as a striker. He's earned it.

If Theo is to play centrally, then we have to change the way we play.

He cannot hold the ball up Giroud style, as you point out.

So Giroud or another would have to play next to him.

It could mean going 3-5-2.

[northbank123]

I think Walcott's selfishness and simplicity actually work in his favour at times. On one hand it's selfish of him to abandon his post on the right wing and just be lazy in contributing nothing other than trying to get in behind, but in reality he saw there was an opportunity and it got him his second goal and nearly slipped in a few more times.

I remember him doing something similar at Chavs last season where we were playing terribly and 2-0 down and he just seemed to take it upon himself to ditch his position and start playing through the middle of his own accord, it got us a goal and changed the game.

[QuartzGooner]

The way we play, the three attacking midfielders have fluid positions.
They all swap around during the game.
I think it is nothing "selfish" that Theo does, it is merely playing to how they are trained....Wenger's version of Total Football.

[northbank123]

I think the fluidity applies a bit less to Walcott given that he's never been played in a central attacking midfield role and he doesn't have half the passing ability and touch of Ozil and Cazorla. Although even his position isn't rigidly set I don't think our set-up intends for him to decide to play on the other side of the pitch, it wasn't exactly part of a one-off fluid interchange of players that he found himself there, he just thought he'd get more joy there so ditched the right wing.

But as I said, it certainly worked yesterday. To be honest it's the sort of ruthlessness that if he displayed consistently would make Walcott one of the most feared players in the league - he saw their weakness, saw how he could exploit it and thought fuck it.