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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Arsenal should get a proper forward and use Theo as a back up along with Giroud
I think its worth trying it worked with henry and van persie. Robson does not seem to like Wenger or have anything good to say about arsenal and our players the man must be delusional. Point is if you play walcott up front and have giroud as back up it gives giroud chance to adapt to english game. Or alternatively you start walcott on wing and giroud up front take giroud off move walcott centerally and then put ox on wing and give teams a different problem to contend with or put both up front withdraw podolski bring on koscelny and play 3 5 2 with sagna and gibbs providing width
stewartRobson is aday dreamer, of the forwards arsenal have theo is the best due to the style and play of the team;if you could still remeber, walcot,carried the team through the qualifers of the champains leauge,RVP and Nasri where suspended.
P’se dont take it too personal, Robson was just giving his opinion. You either take it or leave it
Theo Walcott or POLDI shld be striking for us.it will take a little long time for GIROUD to bed in
Is robson an arsenal fan or non-arsenal fan,everything he has been talking about the club and Arsene Wenger is so negative so who would believe him.Let’s give Walcott the chance to play upfront let’s watch his capability.
walcott doesn’t have the instinct of a striker + his 1st touch isn’t that good…podolski is a way better option.
Podolski is not a good CF, idk where people are getting this idea from. He can play off another striker, but his movement isn’t good enough for a CF. He showed that against Sunderland and his lack of movement in other games also shows this. He doesn’t really know what to do as a lone forward and is much better at attacking from deeper positions.
The question with Walcott is whether he can hold onto the ball well enough in tight situations, but he certainly showed he has good movement and the hunger required to score goals. I don’t think he proved himself on Monday but he certainly did his claim no harm.
I think ideally we could be playing 2 of Giroud, Walcott or Podolski up front together – I think that could work well – but for now it looks as though we have Walcott OR Giroud as our starting CF, each obviously giving us very different options. BTW if the wide players could cross as well as they did on Monday when Giroud was in the team, he will score plenty. Sick of hearing people criticise him when all the crosses into the box either hit the first man or go 6ft over his head.
This is the great problem with Arsenal, Arsene Wenger and Arsenal fans (I am one!)
We decide someone is either good enough or not based on our predetermined ideas and tactics.
Walcot is good enough to play as a central striker against some teams. Giroud is good enough to play against others and Podolski likewise. Chamakh posibly not
The point is for years now we have become so inward looking, so obsessed with ourselves. We need to step back and look at the opposition and assess our best weapons against them. Against a team with a slightly sluggish back four the Walcot will be the man, his pace of the last defender’s shoulder will cause chaos. Against a more nimble defence maybe Giroud. Against the defence who rarely give you anything but half chances in the box the Podolski’s finishing comes in useful
Wenger should have a chat with Walcot which explains he is both a striker and a winger. There will be times when pace on the wing is more effective than through the middle and vice versa.
Imagine an arsenal side with tactical variation!
He could be a good frontman in a tight away game as his pace allows him to get behind a back four,but thats academic if he doesnt resign this month
I think theo can be a good striker gioud a bit slow he good in the air but lacks a bit of pace where as walcott is quick and can out pace many defenders making them think twice about meeting him outside the box giving him more time to either shoot or set something up give him a chance I say !!