WALCOTT - which position is best etc?

[augie]

I thought that for large chunks of the game yesterday he was totally anonymous but, credit to him he bagged 2 goals and the second was a beautiful finish Most have never questioned his ability to finish but it is his consistancy (or lack thereof) that stands out, plus I still do not believe for 1 second that he has the required composure when he has time to think in front of goals The lack of protection both of our wingers showed our full backs again yesterday was appaling but isnt likely to change as long as we play in a "fluid system" which has no structure and no accountability
In summation I still dont believe that he will ever be good enough and is still not worthy of 100k per week

[Supagoon]

the only goal threat up front, thank goodness he is back.

100k a week that's the standard into todays football. Especially considering he was a our top scorer last season.

Hopefully gives something for Ramsey, Ozil and Santi to aim for. Ramsey seemed to find him with ease.

[Eboue-Why?]

I thought that for large chunks of the game yesterday he was totally anonymous but, credit to him he bagged 2 goals and the second was a beautiful finish Most have never questioned his ability to finish but it is his consistancy (or lack thereof) that stands out, plus I still do not believe for 1 second that he has the required composure when he has time to think in front of goals The lack of protection both of our wingers showed our full backs again yesterday was appaling but isnt likely to change as long as we play in a "fluid system" which has no structure and no accountability
In summation I still dont believe that he will ever be good enough and is still not worthy of 100k per week

Augie, you've made it clear over the last couple of years that you don't rate Walcott one bit and that he shouldn't be at Arsenal. But I think you're wrong to say he was anonymous yesterday. He does make a lot of runs across the back line, not just yesterday but in loads of games I've been to and most of the time he's not spotted. Yep, he can't take a man on unless he's got time to pick up speed first but he has improved in many areas of his game and in my opinion he's a potential source of many goals now that Ramsey has discovered form and we now have Ozil's natural vision. I think he should be a starter in most games.

[markyp]

once again our most uselsss overated top scoring last season with the most assists in the EPL since aug 2011 player delivers yet again against a top top side,when will peeps get off of his back,if you think he is utter shoite you are deluded,frustrating at times yes but shite never in a million years,he would flourish at another club

[Cockerill's chin]

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.

[Humoresque]

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.

playing with 4 at the back is one of the most overrated things in modern football today IMO. I love watching teams play 3-5-3.

with the wingbacks covering it's always like having at least 4 if not 5 back there. The way the modern footballer runs and moves today, everybody plays 'total football'.

I wouldn't mind seeing us play a 4-1-4-1 or even 4-4-1-1 with Theo as the number 10. Especially against weaker sides.

But that'd require Arcane Wanker to have some flexibility so that's out the window.

[SteveO 35]

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.

Agree with most of that......I think the criticism of him is especially harsh, because just as is the case with Jack now, he was built into some sort of saviour of English football and when he turns out not to be Messi the Second, he gets slated

I think he was an incredibly raw footballer up until about 18 months ago but nearly all aspects of his game have improved massively since then.

The other stick to supposedly beat him with is the '100 k per week' one, but personally I'd rather have him on that wage than Legohead and the Danish Dumpling pulling that between them. The fat lazy Russian was on 80k per week and delivered fuck all after his first year. 100k per week for an international footballer is the going rate in this country these days.

He isn't perfect but I was certainly worried that he wasn't going to sign his contract because I think he has developed enormously

[augie]

And I cannot understand people defending wally's 100k wage on the basis of two other shits being overpaid - surely 3 wrongs (in this case) don't make a right ? I mean if somebody is a wally fan (no accounting for taste ) and defends the 100k per week on the basis that they feel that he is good enough then that is fair enough (although I have seen people sectioned for less ), but to defend it on the basis of other contract fcuk ups is basically advocating throwing silly money at every player we want just cos denilson and arshavin got it and that is ridiculous surely ?

[Cockerill's chin]

I agree SteveO. The £100k is the going rate for players like Walcott and many who called the club "small-time" have been angered by us stepping up to the mark and financially competing to get the contract signed.

The "time to think" criticism defeats itself. It implies Walcott can only act on instinct which (taking into account his assists and goals in relation to minutes on the pitch) means we must have the most instinctive player in the league who is blessed with such an innate footballing brain his actions are habituated. There you go, according to the logic of the sausage packer, Walcott has a truly gifted footballing brain. Of course, he could just be spouting bollocks.

Andy "Get In" Townsend uses the word "poor" in relation to Walcott very frequently while heaping praise on his spud namesake. I'm not buying what he's selling!

[SteveO 35]

I agree SteveO. The £100k is the going rate for players like Walcott and many who called the club "small-time" have been angered by us stepping up to the mark and financially competing to get the contract signed.

The "time to think" criticism defeats itself. It implies Walcott can only act on instinct which (taking into account his assists and goals in relation to minutes on the pitch) means we must have the most instinctive player in the league who is blessed with such an innate footballing brain his actions are habituated. There you go, according to the logic of the sausage packer, Walcott has a truly gifted footballing brain. Of course, he could just be spouting bollocks.

Andy "Get In" Townsend uses the word "poor" in relation to Walcott very frequently while heaping praise on his spud namesake. I'm not buying what he's selling!

I'm glad that someone spotted that bit of my post

[Cockerill's chin]

The silly money argument is very subjective. The hundreds of millions pumped into football by TV money and sponsorship is silly. The cost of a ticket is silly. The cost of a hotdog is very silly. When you put 100k into context, however, it is the going rate in this inflated market.

When you look at Walcotts' return in terms of goals/assists per minute then it represents good value. He can keep improving which makes it even better value! It may then become relevant, before passing judgement on Theo, to look at other players on the books who do/did not represent value (as SteveO did). Players like Podolski are also relevant to this sound business practice of evaluating return on investment and improvement potential.

After evaluating then it poses the question why on earth are we discussing Walcott. There are so many others that should be occupying your selectively financially prudent minds!

[SteveO 35]

Walcott is the least of our worries now. In fact, given Wenger's want to play the entire season with one striker, I somewhat relieved to see him back

Just sign a fucking striker Wenger you useless clown and we might all start getting along again

[g88ner]

Theo adds another dimension to our attack and provides goals and assists. I'd have him as a regular starter.

[northbank123]

Ultimately it would be fucking nice if he could produce the sorts of performances that he's perfectly capable of on a more consistent basis instead of a blinder followed by 2 or 3 games where he's a complete passenger. Would blow any sort of debate over his value right out the water.

[clockender1]

Some of the comments about Walcott are embarrassing. This notion of him not being good when he has time to think is bizarre. .

i dunno Cock. how else do you explain it - yes he had a super super year last year and in the absence of RVP largely carried us.

but sometimes his finishing and crosses (let alone corners) are absolutely woeful.

if its not his brain freezing, then its something similar like anxiety or the ilk where sometimes he can do it, and sometimes he can't depending on how anxious he is (confidence striker ?)

i had high hopes for him this year after last year ( he outproduced Mata last year) , i was really hoping he would push on and push for a CF role and prove that last year wasn't just an aberrration, but he's only just started for us.

and given that he is costing us 5million in wages and he's 25 in a month or two, i thought this year he had to piss in the pot or get off.

obviously i'll reserve judgement now til the end of the season - which is after all based on the wonderful performances of bentdner, vela, djourou, denilson, diaby etc who've we've subsidised for years, so call me sceptic....