Wenger: Walcott ready for Gunners role
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Arsene Wenger reckons Theo Walcott is "ready" to stake his claim for a central attacking role with Arsenal.
Leading scorer Robin van Persie is set to be sidelined for around six weeks after he sustained a knee injury while on international duty with Holland.
The Barclays Premier League leaders host managerless Bolton Wanderers on Saturday looking for an 11th straight victory.
Wenger has a couple of options to partner Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor in the front line, with Croatia international Eduardo da Silva and Walcott pressing to make the starting XI.
Walcott found himself thrust into the public eye following a potential £12million move from Southampton in January 2006 - and was a controversial inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad when he had yet to make his debut for Arsenal.
required surgery
The 18-year-old has since chalked up close to 40 first-team appearances, and netted his first senior goal in last season's Carling Cup final against Chelsea.
Having recovered from a shoulder injury which required surgery during the summer and kept him out of the European Under-21 championships, Wenger believes Walcott has looked sharp in the early stages of the new campaign.
The Arsenal manager feels now could be the time to move the attack-minded youngster to a more central role.
"Walcott will get a chance as well in this position because I feel now he is ready to play through the middle," said Wenger.
"We are only in October and he made a big impact last time he came on - and you know things change quickly.
"In football you have always to be ready, and it is a good opportunity for him." -
*Wenger - I'm ready to use Walcott as striker*
Although Arsène Wenger indicated that Eduardo would cover the absent Robin van Persie against Bolton on Saturday, in future games he may turn to Theo Walcott.
Ever since he signed from Southampton in January 2006, the Arsenal manager has haboured the ambition of turning the winger into a striker. A little like he did with a certain Thierry Henry in 1999.
Wenger admitted that Eduardo needed to strengthen himself — mentally as much as physically — to fill the void left by the in-form Dutchman. But he suggested the England Under-21 international had already made sufficient progress to step in if required.
“At the start of the season Eduardo was very good,” he said at Friday’s press conference. “Then, later, he was injured a little bit and struggled to find his rhythm back. Now he looks sharp to me again.
“Of course when you arrive from the Croatian League and you come to the English Premier League it’s quite a shock. It’s like driving on the motorway when you’ve been walking. But I feel he adapts well and with the right commitment he will get through that easy.
“He is certainly intelligent enough to fit into the side, Walcott will too. Walcott will get a chance in this position because I feel now he is ready to play through the middle.
“We are in October and Theo has already played a part. He made a big impact last time he came on and you know things change quickly. In football you have always to be ready, and it’s a good opportunity for him as well, not only for Eduardo. If he is strong, he will play.
“Bendtner will [play] as well, but he is more in Adebayor’s position than someone to play with Adebayor.” -
dunno if his finishing ccan make it but the last time he shot i rmb was quite bad...but yea he played very well last nite! go walcott!!
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in my opinion, i reckon walcott was always ready for the team...his pace was there, his dribbling skills were there, is just that his finishing was a little off. importantly he has the pace, and thats what the opposition can't keep up with. yes, hopefully with the injury with RvP, he can show who's got the business!
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yeah and he aims to get 10 goals this season. he has this opportunity to do so now!Originally posted by Gunning for Glory:in my opinion, i reckon walcott was always ready for the team...his pace was there, his dribbling skills were there, is just that his finishing was a little off. importantly he has the pace, and thats what the opposition can't keep up with. yes, hopefully with the injury with RvP, he can show who's got the business! -
hes goal in de ELC against chelsea was superb.
lets have confidence that he can bring forward that finishing into his future matches.
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he will, let's hope in the absence of RvP he can show just how great a striker he can be...if he improves his finishing, he'd be lethal! like titi but much smaller and quicker!!! crazy stuff!
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How come he need to wear helmet in the photo? So fragile?
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......Originally posted by Parka: How come he need to wear helmet in the photo? So fragile? -
tink is old foto of them inspecting the old stadium...Originally posted by Parka: How come he need to wear helmet in the photo? So fragile? -
i already have a vision dat walcott will dribble past 3 or 4 manu players n score a great goal when we play against manu.
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But he still kan cheong spider leh...take ball cheong..cannot brake and think..like yesterday...cheong and cross to centre..he neva look up and centre bo lang...think he still need to calm himself
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yeah i agree, walcott needs to keep composure. that run from centre pitch to the edge of the penalty box was amazing but the pass was bad. however having said that, the pass that led to the second goal couldn't be better.
his pace is amazing. in that particular run, he ran pass 2 bolton players and managed to get pass a third! it was as though the bolton players weren't even there! he is really pacey!
he just needs to be a little more relaxed, composed and improve his finishing. with those in place, man......we have another Thierry.
Get in lads! Get in!!!
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He definitely needs to improve his finishing. He missed a sitter in the Sunderland match