We’ve had a pretty decent start to the season, with most of our exploits all seeming to be going as planned – apart from the Chelsea result last Saturday of course.
But even though things are looking up, we can’t avoid the elephant in the room that has been around since the closure of the summer transfer window – Theo Walcott’s contract negotiations.
The Englishman has had to settle for a spot on the bench and making cameo appearances so far this season, coincidentally after he refused to extend his stay with us.
Arsene Wenger said he wants the 23-year-old to stay, but it looks like he’s freezing him out at present. Perhaps he’s trying to show the winger whose boss and that no player comes before the club, or maybe Wenger is simply trying to use Walcott as an impact player to add to the misery of tired defenders late on in games.
But another reason why he isn’t starting Walcott is down to the quality and depth we now possess up front, most notably the sudden rise in form of Gervinho who seems to be enjoying life down the middle, a role which Walcott is desperate to play in before he puts pen to paper.
We won’t quite know what the reason behind Walcott’s sudden exclusion from the starting eleven is, but as the saying goes ‘In Wenger We Trust’, and there is certainly a good reason why he is not in the line-up.
I hope Wenger’s plan works out for the best, Theo’s pace and potential is an asset for us and whatever the gaffer has planned for him is for the good of the team. We’ll just have to wait and see though.
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How is dumping Walcott on the bench going to make him sign up? Either play him through the middle or sell him. Don’t fuck about and lose the club money while continuing to pay Walcott’s already exorbitant wages. For a manager always moaning he doesn’t have the funds to compete, it’s funny how he wilfully wastes the club’s money. And what about the board? They should have stepped in and sorted this and not allowed Wenger to be indecisive.
Hmm, I thought “in Wenger we trust” was dead? Anyhow, what we are seeing with Walcott is a confused Wenger who does not know how to handle the situation. Like it or not, Walcott now holds all the aces, we should have sold him in Summer now we will get zilch fo him. Wenger is not proving anything to him by leaving him on the bench, he doesn’t need to do that to prove he’s the boss. If anything, it looks more to me like spite but he’s only cutting his nose to spite his face. Wenger tells England that Walcott is a striker yet won’t even try him in the position. Probably because he knows the lad is off.
Wenger is making an arsehole of himself in this. He keeps saying that he will play TW as a striker … then out comes the contradictory “patience” line. TW has on many occasions scored some beautiful goals and I would certainly support his use in that role, even if it was unsuccessful at first. Wenger has stuck with others who were to ultimately fail and so why not appoint from within rather than buying flops like Chamackh and dare I say it Giroud? Everything I’ve seen over the last 6 years says he’s not a winger but some of his goals and runs support the idea that he just might have the required talent for a striker in the modern game. There aren’t any Malcolm MacDonald types any more and Walcott’s style fits the new game perfectly.
Very naive article, just because Wenger said that you have to believe that. There is something disturbing here. Walcott will be off and now we can do zero. I am sure the bench is a result of competition and he needs to go away to get starting position: not as striker though.
We can remember how Arsene played Flamini ahead of other options thinking he will stay. Arsene only ended up giving him all the required game time for AC Milan to benefit.
No …. Arsene had Flamini confirm that he would be staying at the end of season before he sold Gilberto. Then Flamini upped and left for more money and less career (!) He legged Wenger over. Of course, Wenger is a man of principle and he has taken a long time to realise players and agents are NOT.
Wenger is a smart guy n I’m thinking that he may be thinking why build a team round players who r thinking about leaving the club only for him to have to reshape the team again if a key player leaves.
So why not just concentrate on players who want to be at the club and build on there strengths rather than gamble with a player who is in two minds n have this affect their game n the team as a whole like rvp did
Although it’s been positive that our squad has stepped up so far it is still a headache to have to deal with as even we as fan had doubts the Wenger was doing the right thing
In my opinion, Wenger has already made up his mind to sell Walcott in January. Anything we are saying is a waste of time.
I wonder why some fellow Gunners still believe in Wenger? A coach who has no ambition. Sells key players to rivals when he wants, plays players out of position, HYPOCRITE (claims the club cant compete with players’ wage but can pay trophiless manager and CE more money. No good coach will play Gerv as a CF ahead of Theo.