EMIRATES CUP THREAD

[Bring Back Pires]

Additionally, he's not even a good finisher. Did you see his chip yesterday that went straight into the goalkeeper's hands?

Don't remember seeing Michael Owen do that.

[QuartzGooner]

I would compare him most to Owen to, for what it's worth

Really though, he can shoot, there are plenty of his goals on archive when he had better confidence.

He should be encouraged to play in same way as Owen, accelerating away from just onside of centre back onto a through ball and shooting.

[M-50]

I agree with most of that M-50, but as I have asked elsewhere, in that case why doesn't he shoot more? Too often he tries to pick someone out in positions where he should shoot, whereas a natural striker would be looking to hit the target.

Not sure the comparison with Owen is quite right, apart from the pace, as the scouse Welshman/Englishman was a much more selfish and clinical finisher, with a better anticipation of where the right place to be was.

We know he has the firepower, he's demonstrated it several times for us. I too wonder why he doesn't unleash more efforts on goal perhaps it's a lack of encouragement from the manager and because we tend to pass the ball into the net on occasions Theo seems to play it cagey as he doesn't want to be the player who breaks down every move.

If he sprays a ball into the box, most of the time unsuccessfully, I guess he sees it as job done - I'm a winger, that's my job to deliver the ball to the players in a more forward role.

At this stage in his Arsenal career he isn't going to be tried out in a more advanced role and he can't be banished to reserves to try him out in that position so for his best interests and perhaps the clubs, he should be loaned out to a team who will give him the opportunity.

[M-50]

Additionally, he's not even a good finisher. Did you see his chip yesterday that went straight into the goalkeeper's hands?

Don't remember seeing Michael Owen do that.

Come on out of that mate. That's a one off effort which not many players pull off!

Plus he hasn't any confidence or momentum of bearing down on goal anymore but in recent seasons he's showed he has a clinical finish.

The lad needs a break and we aren't offering it to him. Poor overall management of the player.

[GunnerDude]

Fair point GunnerDude.

I thought he performed reasonably well yesterday also. I suppose the argument is I would like to see him been given the chance through the middle. We've had 6-7 games now in recent weeks where he could have been tried out again in that area.

We all want to see that but sadly the players we have in the squad are more suited to a 433,451,4231 formation as we dont have enough tough players and have to play collectively as a team.

It is still early in his career and everyone must remember that.

[M-50]

Fair point GunnerDude.

I thought he performed reasonably well yesterday also. I suppose the argument is I would like to see him been given the chance through the middle. We've had 6-7 games now in recent weeks where he could have been tried out again in that area.

We all want to see that but sadly the players we have in the squad are more suited to a 433,451,4231 formation as we dont have enough tough players and have to play collectively as a team.

It is still early in his career and everyone must remember that.

Yeh, good points.

Let's refer to him as a promising young talent still and not a failure!

[Bring Back Pires]

Fair point GunnerDude.

I thought he performed reasonably well yesterday also. I suppose the argument is I would like to see him been given the chance through the middle. We've had 6-7 games now in recent weeks where he could have been tried out again in that area.

We all want to see that but sadly the players we have in the squad are more suited to a 433,451,4231 formation as we dont have enough tough players and have to play collectively as a team.

It is still early in his career and everyone must remember that.

Yeh, good points.

Let's refer to him as a promising young talent still and not a failure!

But in his four seasons with us, do you honestly think he's improved ANY part of his game?

[GunnerDude]

Fair point GunnerDude.

I thought he performed reasonably well yesterday also. I suppose the argument is I would like to see him been given the chance through the middle. We've had 6-7 games now in recent weeks where he could have been tried out again in that area.

We all want to see that but sadly the players we have in the squad are more suited to a 433,451,4231 formation as we dont have enough tough players and have to play collectively as a team.

It is still early in his career and everyone must remember that.

Yeh, good points.

Let's refer to him as a promising young talent still and not a failure!

To be honest we are all on edge because of our current barren spell and we want our players to grow up quicker. Every footballer blooms differently and sometime injuries can slow down development at a stage were it is crucial for a to player to be active on the pitch.
Not everyone can be Cesc, Messi, Aguero, Shrek or Lady Boy at an early age something Fat Frank, Drogba, even Xavi know all to well.

[merson_is_god]

I was disappointed yet again with Theo...crap balls into the box and after running so far with the ball would overhit crosses over everyone...

We were fannying around as usual at the edge of the box.

POSITIVES...Wilshere and Chamakh look great!

[bergkamp10]

Randall is the new Aliadiere

Well that means extremely Crap..! Oth er then the Beer Cup...

[bergkamp10]

Fair point GunnerDude.

I thought he performed reasonably well yesterday also. I suppose the argument is I would like to see him been given the chance through the middle. We've had 6-7 games now in recent weeks where he could have been tried out again in that area.

We all want to see that but sadly the players we have in the squad are more suited to a 433,451,4231 formation as we dont have enough tough players and have to play collectively as a team.

It is still early in his career and everyone must remember that.

Yeh, good points.

Let's refer to him as a promising young talent still and not a failure!

To be honest we are all on edge because of our current barren spell and we want our players to grow up quicker. Every footballer blooms differently and sometime injuries can slow down development at a stage were it is crucial for a to player to be active on the pitch.
Not everyone can be Cesc, Messi, Aguero, Shrek or Lady Boy at an early age something Fat Frank, Drogba, even Xavi know all to well.

Main question, surely we need a keeper and 2 Centre Halfs??? I cannot honestly see DJ lasting half a season...???

I live in everlasting hope..

[merson_is_god]

Randall is the new Aliadiere

Well that means extremely Crap..! Oth er then the Beer Cup...

Aliadiere...he was ok for the reserves...where does he play nowadays?

[mikeyb772001]

Theo put in at least 5 balls into goal scoring positions today, his movement was superb, and its no coincedence that he got in those positions time and time again its because he MADE the space. I dont believe he is a world class player, but i really believe he has the potential, the amount people get on his back is unbelieveable, compared to other players in our team. I just think you need to analyse his performance as a whole, and actually watch what he contributes to the match. Not just judging him by his crossing ability, which as it happens was at times today superb, and awful

I agree with this. But doesnt it go back to Theo being played on the right wing? He cant cross and doesnt have the footballing brain to ply there.

[M-50]

Fair point GunnerDude.

I thought he performed reasonably well yesterday also. I suppose the argument is I would like to see him been given the chance through the middle. We've had 6-7 games now in recent weeks where he could have been tried out again in that area.

We all want to see that but sadly the players we have in the squad are more suited to a 433,451,4231 formation as we dont have enough tough players and have to play collectively as a team.

It is still early in his career and everyone must remember that.

Yeh, good points.

Let's refer to him as a promising young talent still and not a failure!

But in his four seasons with us, do you honestly think he's improved ANY part of his game?

What exactly did he have to improve?

As a youth (I'm talking 15, 16) he had more pace than any other footballer his age, he scored goals as if the nets were 50 feet high and wide and his control of the ball, especially his first touch, and movement was top-class (rarely unseen before at youth level).

He didn't necessarily have to improve, he just needed to continue what he was doing to senior level.

I understand the level he was at compared to Arsenal is completely different but he was head and shoulders over the best youths in the english game.

Theo, despite imo being treated unfairly, has never issued any hatred towards anything Arsenal. Whether or not he thinks that he made the wrong decision in moving here, he certainly doesn't express it and I assume his easy going character is halting his progression up the ranks.

[M-50]

Fair point GunnerDude.

I thought he performed reasonably well yesterday also. I suppose the argument is I would like to see him been given the chance through the middle. We've had 6-7 games now in recent weeks where he could have been tried out again in that area.

We all want to see that but sadly the players we have in the squad are more suited to a 433,451,4231 formation as we dont have enough tough players and have to play collectively as a team.

It is still early in his career and everyone must remember that.

Yeh, good points.

Let's refer to him as a promising young talent still and not a failure!

To be honest we are all on edge because of our current barren spell and we want our players to grow up quicker. Every footballer blooms differently and sometime injuries can slow down development at a stage were it is crucial for a to player to be active on the pitch.
Not everyone can be Cesc, Messi, Aguero, Shrek or Lady Boy at an early age something Fat Frank, Drogba, even Xavi know all to well.

I can safely comment that I'm not on the edge. Disappointed at times but not overly by any stretch.

Only one team can win a handful of trophies from a crop of fantastic teams so for that reason out barren spell is understandable.

No one has mentioned being the next Messi and from my point of view Theo Walcott (for example) has immense natural talent which isn't being exploited. It's not about finding the next superstar it's about getting the maximum effort you can from the players at your disposal and we can single out a couple of players in our squad who aren't being given the correct opportunity.