WALCOTT - which position is best etc?

[Cockerill's chin]

I'd explain it by looking at the stats. Last year he was one of the league's most effective performers. His brain farts are focused on even though every player commits them. His moments are exaggerated by gooners because we got so frustrated with his lack of improvement early doors and he got pigeon holed as one of the poster boys for our decline since 2006. His brain farts are exaggerated by ***** pundits who were angry Wenger got him on the plane under Sven. This frustration means he isn't now on a level playing field. That is why he can score 2 goals in a comeback game at the Etihad and still be described as ineffectual.

His injury this year has cost both him and us. I was hoping to see further improvement on last year (in form of more consistency) but he will only be giving us half a season.

[Cockerill's chin]

For somebody who is so woeful at crossing his assists are superb. For somebody who can't finish his goals per minute (remember he was benched for much of the early part of last season) is fantastic. If we expect him to score/create at every opportunity or even 1 from 3 then we better be prepared to pay him double. Those returns are limited to the top 4/5 players in Europe!

[clockender1]

okay, so his numbers are good, but its the way way off target crosses - row Z and snapped shots at the keeper that are frustrating - and I agree, History is everything with this kid - but he has been here now 8 years and one productive season doesn't cut it.

thats why he needs a superb half a season to reassure critics like me that we're not wasting 5 million basic plus bonuses a year on him. which if you take the 9.1million upfront we paid for him, 1 year at 5 million, plus 4 at 3 million, and 3 at 2million - makes 37 million wages spent on him. so far. not including bonuses, medical costs etc ....

and at 25, Cesc and Sturridge are way ahead of him as a comparison, in terms of consistency and maturity.

is Wally a 37million quid player ? - if he gets 10 PL goals in the remaining 22 games then may be he is.

[samflitt]

Some of the comments about Walcott are embarrassing. This notion of him not being good when he has time to think is bizarre. Some on here are quick to call AKBs sheep while bizarrely swallowing comments from Waddle and Townsend hook line... Who was his volleyed goal against where it took an age (plenty of thinking time!!) to come down to him? Or him getting up and beating 2-3 chavski players? How much time quantifies "time to think" in the spud sausage packer followers minds?

Walcott has improved immeasurably. Those who are against this improvement and prefer to cling to the 2009 Walcott must just love the year.

Totally agree with you there.

[Cockerill's chin]

I've never seen it put that way, Clock, adding together every penny spent over the years. I suppose it would make Crouch an 80million player!

I don't see Sturridge as being "way ahead" of Walcott. Both are emerging as very good players from slower than expected starts. It's harsh to throw 8 years at Walcott as he was 16 years old 8 years ago. I'm not sure what was expected of him in the first 4-5 years. He was bought for the future and he is now fulfilling that promise. He is sorely missed when out as we don't have anybody in our squad who can offer what he does down the right as regularly as he delivers it!

I'm confident Walcott will continue to improve and offer us many years of effective performances down that right flank.

[DB10GOONER]

Feo Feo is a bit of a conundrum to me. I think he has massively underachieved with us on a personal level as a player over the years. Many reasons for that of course and not all his fault. But I also think if we let him go he will return to haunt us massively.

Couple of seasons ago I wanted him gone. Thought he was just too one dimensional and unintelligent (football-wise) to succeed at the top level with us. But in the last two years he HAS improved. His finishing and assists have gotten bettter. Don't get me wrong, he still frustrates me often with pointless runs into the wrong areas and struggling to beat his man and his brain farts when he has time to think on the ball. But when he has to instinctively do something like shoot, with no time to look at the options he is quite effective.

But I'm still not convinced he is worth the money for what he actually delivers over a season. But then again, I'd include at least half our squad in that!

[augie]

Impact sub still for me - I love these guys that posts stats and use them as their bible but I still go on what I see with my own eyes. Some continually claim that he should be played at centre forward but fcuk knows what they are basing that on cos he has never really played there except for a few mins here and there - I actually seen him brought on as a striker against brum a few seasons ago and they dropped off leaving no space behind and he didnt know what to do or where to run

It is easy to say that wally (or whoever) has the best assists record if they are playing for a big club that see's more of the ball - I look at the amount of time that his crosses dont beat the first man and for a player of his stature, that is woeful Another huge no no for me is his lazy half arsed attitude to providing protection to the full back behind him - part of the problem without doubt is the system and the freedom that wenker grants the players (total football my arse ) but a large part of it is also selfishness in that he is thinking of himself rather than the team (he is far from alone in that regard ). If the decision was up to me then I would pick the ox ahead of him tbh - the ox has shown more to his game and also appears to have a boundless supply of energy and work ethic and the team should always be prioritised over the individual imo

All that being said, I do see some signs of improvement so maybe he is slowly coming good

[QuartzGooner]

If the decision was up to me then I would pick the ox ahead of him tbh - the ox has shown more to his game and also appears to have a boundless supply of energy and work ethic and the team should always be prioritised over the individual imo

The Ox may turn into a legend but I think that his England vs Brazil goal aside, The Ox has just had his difficult "second season".

If Walcott is not fit then I would play Ozil wide right before The Ox, then Rosicky or Gnabry.

If Ramsey and Wilshere's experiences are anything to go by then after he returns from injury, The Ox has a long hard road ahead of him.

[worthing_gooner]

Walcott is one of our best players without a doubt. Big game player too, can remember quite a few he's scored against Chelsea and Spurs for us, against United, a couple against City last week. He's scored quite a few vital Champions League goals as well, to get us through earlier this season, Marseille volley in our first group game, Barcelona at the grove.

I'm not sure exactly what people are expecting? He's not Thierry Henry and he never will be - those players are one in a million. But for me, if he scores 20-25 and gets 10-15 assists, which I think he would in a full season, then he's one of the first names on the teamsheet, regardless if he "drifts in and out of games". The very point that he's in the team at all will force the defence back, giving players like Ozil more space to play.

I sometimes wonder if people understand football at all or just hold years old grudges. Is it just uncool to see that Walcott has improved but cool to see Ramsey has improved? At 24, he's the same age as Sturridge, only a year older than Welbeck. In comparison to those two, Walcott is the better player by a long way. In a full season, he would comfortably score more than either and would probably assist more than either too - at the end of the day isn't that what it's all about?

[armchair]

Walcott is one of our best players without a doubt. Big game player too, can remember quite a few he's scored against Chelsea and Spurs for us, against United, a couple against City last week. He's scored quite a few vital Champions League goals as well, to get us through earlier this season, Marseille volley in our first group game, Barcelona at the grove.

I'm not sure exactly what people are expecting? He's not Thierry Henry and he never will be - those players are one in a million. But for me, if he scores 20-25 and gets 10-15 assists, which I think he would in a full season, then he's one of the first names on the teamsheet, regardless if he "drifts in and out of games". The very point that he's in the team at all will force the defence back, giving players like Ozil more space to play.

I sometimes wonder if people understand football at all or just hold years old grudges. Is it just uncool to see that Walcott has improved but cool to see Ramsey has improved? At 24, he's the same age as Sturridge, only a year older than Welbeck. In comparison to those two, Walcott is the better player by a long way. In a full season, he would comfortably score more than either and would probably assist more than either too - at the end of the day isn't that what it's all about?

Drifting in and out of games is the nature of being a winger. Thats just part of a wingers role. Sometimes you're stuck out there running up and down the wing and the game seems to pass you by.
Theos good enough. Id start him.

[DB10GOONER]

Walcott is one of our best players without a doubt. Big game player too, can remember quite a few he's scored against Chelsea and Spurs for us, against United, a couple against City last week. He's scored quite a few vital Champions League goals as well, to get us through earlier this season, Marseille volley in our first group game, Barcelona at the grove.

I'm not sure exactly what people are expecting? He's not Thierry Henry and he never will be - those players are one in a million. But for me, if he scores 20-25 and gets 10-15 assists, which I think he would in a full season, then he's one of the first names on the teamsheet, regardless if he "drifts in and out of games". The very point that he's in the team at all will force the defence back, giving players like Ozil more space to play.

I sometimes wonder if people understand football at all or just hold years old grudges. Is it just uncool to see that Walcott has improved but cool to see Ramsey has improved? At 24, he's the same age as Sturridge, only a year older than Welbeck. In comparison to those two, Walcott is the better player by a long way. In a full season, he would comfortably score more than either and would probably assist more than either too - at the end of the day isn't that what it's all about?

Even though I'd agree with alot of what you say there, I'd point out your use of the words "In a full season" and "which I think he would in a full season" as defining part of the problem with Theo - his overall actual contribution in relation to what he earns. He doesn't actually do those things you list as making him better than Players A, B or C.

[markyp]

WALCOTT HAS THE MOST ASSISTS IN THE EPL SINCE AUGUST 2011,THOSE SORT OF STATS DONT LIE

[clockender1]

At 24, he's the same age as Sturridge, only a year older than Welbeck. In comparison to those two, Walcott is the better player by a long way. In a full season, he would comfortably score more than either and would probably assist more than either too - at the end of the day isn't that what it's all about?

sturridge has had 3 good seasons out of 4, his GTGA is almost 0.50. Theo has had 1 1/2 good seasons. i thought it was a fair comparsison...

[clockender1]

I've never seen it put that way, Clock, adding together every penny spent over the years. I suppose it would make Crouch an 80million player!

crouch has been to six clubs, Feo has only been with us.

[Henry Norris 1913]

WALCOTT HAS THE MOST ASSISTS IN THE EPL SINCE AUGUST 2011,THOSE SORT OF STATS DONT LIE

but what does that stat tell you? getting assists at Arsenal with our style of play is relatively easy