For the first time this season we saw Theo Walcott get an early Christmas present from Arsene Wenger, playing in the centre-forward role against Reading on Monday night.
The 23-year-old had a fairly productive game in his favoured position in many Arsenal fans’ eyes. His presence in the role arguably forced Reading’s defence to sit further back and the forward made some intelligent runs during the 90 minutes. In addition, the England international managed to get on the score-sheet, netting the last of Arsenal’s five goals. Of course it was just one game, but he did no harm to his cause of cementing the role on a permanent basis that night.
However, former Gunner Stewart Robson believes Walcott is not cut out to play in the centre-forward role, citing the Englishman’s lack of technical ability as the problem, and insists Wenger should shift him back to his normal right wing position:
‘I don’t think that Theo Walcott is a centre-forward.
‘There was a myth going round about him playing there all the way through the youth game but, whenever I went to go and watch Southampton, he was a right winger and played a few games in their first team as a centre-forward.’
He added:
‘If you’re going to play as a centre-forward you have to be good with your back to goal. Theo Walcott is not very good with his back to goal; he gives it away around 80% of the time.’
In my opinion, Walcott did exceptionally well against Reading. It was actually a bit weird seeing him lead the line, as he has deployed out on the wing by Wenger since his arrival from Southampton in 2006.
Walcott certainly gives us another dimension to our attack should Wenger opt to use. Instead of playing a target man in Olivier Giroud, he could, against the likes of Reading (no offence Royal fans) or any team with a sluggish defence, play the light-footed Walcott.
But is Robson right? Is Walcott not good enough to lead the line?
Personally, I think he is. Monday night proved it.
But at the end of the day it’s up to Wenger to decide whether the forward can in fact spearhead our attack, if he remains at Arsenal of course.
Is Walcott good enough to play in the centre-forward role?
Give us your thoughts on the matter below
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theo shud be given more opportunities to play as a striker(cf),i mean did u see his goal against reading???absolute class,reminds me of henry!!!