I have been wondering for a while about why Theo Walcott was not playing much for Arsenal. After getting about 10 minutes as a sub against Burnley in November, the England star’s long injury lay-off was finally over, but now it is nearly April and Walcott has made just five starts, two of them in the FA cup, and has only featured eight times as a sub.
Arsene Wenger has spoken about it taking a long time to come back after so long but we have seen the likes of Ramsey and Ozil brought back much more quickly and so when the talk of contract negotiations with Walcott came up, I suspected that there was a bit more to the situation than met the eye.
Then articles like this one in The Mirror started to pop up in the football media, suggesting that Liverpool could be interested in signing the flying Gunner, while their own contract negotiations with pacy England star Raheem Sterling are not going too well.
So I started to wonder whether this could be some plan of Wenger’s. The Frenchman does tend to think long term after all and with Alexis, Giroud, Welbeck and Ozil he is not short of options right now. When Walcott was stalling on signing two years ago, there was talk of a swap with Sterling but the Liverpool player had not really proved himself at that point. Now I reckon that Wenger would do the swap in a heartbeat. Sterling is younger and more importantly for Wenger, he is versatile and can play anywhere along the front three as well as the CAM role.
It is just my own theory, but by not playing Walcott the Arsenal boss makes the contract demands easier to turn down and makes him more likely to want a transfer away. Now imagine that Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League while the Gunners do. If you were Sterling, would you not fancy joining Arsenal? Can you see this surprise transfer switch happening this summer?
Way too much conspiracy theory and wrongly reading between the lines in my opinion. Theo is a squad member now and not an automatic first team selection. I suspect he is still adjusting to that fact – things have changed a lot in the year he was out. As for Sterling – we have our own very talented English youngster who needs to work on end product – the Ox.
The conspiracy force is strong with you my friend, lol.
Would take that player swap + cash in a heartbeat but POOL would never agree to that. Sterling is a younger, better player than Theo
Jones,
My previous comment wasn’t meant as a direct reply to your response.
But your forgetting that liv could be set to lose Sterling no matter, so if they could get Walcott to soften the blow and is a direct replacement who contributes more goals/assists… i think liv would bite our hand off…they want Walcott.
No problem – I did wonder cause I am not big on conspiracy. Agree re: RS > TW as an all round package. Hoping like mad that Ox moves up a few levels real soon because think if he does he will be way better than RS imo.
I dont think Sterling is better than Walcott. I think Sterling in Liverpool has the offensive play tailored to his type of players – fast and furious. He’s even one of the players they base their attack around, so ofcourse he’s going to be more prominent than Walcott. Walcott is more of an asset in Arsenal, with him being a bit of a different kind of player than what we really need for our style of play (possessive passing football vs. deeplying play with fast counterattacking play in the room behind the defenders, utilizing Walcotts speed to the fullest.)
As much as I think Sterling has the potential to become far better than what Walcott is now, I fear what Walcott could add to a team like Liverpool. If anything, I say keep Walcott, sell Podolski, Wellington Silva and Joel Campbell – and do whatever we can to get Sterling.
They might agree to it. Sterling is delaying cnotracts talks until the summer. Heobviously wants to be in a champions league team next year.
We don’t need Stirling, he is showing that he will happily hold his club to ransom and we do not need that.
If Theo wants to hold us to ransom then we should sell him and get money, we do not need another RAM right now as we do have some great potential who need a chance.
Gnabry is coming back to fitness and looks exciting, with game time and playing around players like Alexis and The Ox then how can he not learn more?
Wellington Silva is returning to us and although he hasn’t exploded on the scenes from loaning out, he hasn’t had chance to settle… he can get past his man and with a bit of fine tuning we will have a star if he can settle in the EPL.
Campbell wasn’t really given a chance when he was with us briefly, he signed a new contract before going out on loan and he is getting more game time now, at the end of the season he becomes an option for us again.
I’ve not said the Ox or Ozil or Cazorla as they all have said that they would like to play centraly, they are still options though along with Welbeck.
What you say is true but we have a player being difficult with negotiations and so does liv, maybe a swap would be best for both parties as we can offer more salary for the better all round player and liv can offer Walcott a starting role every week. I think a swap makes sense for both clubs.
@YingYang69
I see us benefiting more from a swap, as Sterling puts in an all round better shift, both offensively and defensively than Theo…
Don’t give Walcott any more money.Extend his contract,maybe but no increase. I sweat more than him watching the game.
I do not see how Liverpool will sell Sterling to us. The Suarez saga is still fresh in minds. All Liverpool important personnel, administrative staff, current and past players ‘stood’ behind Liverpool to ‘win’ Suarez or better still ensuring that Suarez was not sold to their direct Top-four-finish contenders. That is a class.
Imagine Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Gilberto Silva etc were given a role in establishing contacts with Suarez on the need to join Arsenal and stepping into vacant shoes left behind by T.Henry. Do you think Liverpool’s Henry will be telling us that: “What are they smoking at Emirates?”
Wenger is too decent when it comes to transfer. He does not have enough backbone to fight opponents in transfer market. Chelsea refused to give us surplus Demba Ba (apology to Ba) because, we already bought Ozil, we will be a force to reckon with.
Chelsea also snap up Willian, who his need were not pressing then, from Tottenham. How many of us can still remember that Mata had visited Emirates with declaration by his Dad that his son is heading for Emirates, before Chelsea pull the rug off our feet.
In a nutshell, our transfer is at Wenger’s mercy
walcott hasn’t done anything to warrant his 90k demand. I remember people thumbed me down when i said the ox is more important to our game than theo that being said i don’t think arsene will let theo leave. Even though wenger is not known for his tactical brilliance, he is known for his immense faith in in his players and he will see walcott’s contract through.
Agree with you Midkemma. Walcott is no longer a shoo-in for the starting line-up. He is now a squad player, and has to perform in all aspects to get starts.
We have plenty of talent in the squad, but to seriously challenge for EPL or CL, we need to add even more quality to the squad.
An additional GK – Cech or similar
Another CB with European experience Subotic, Schar etc
Quality DM to support and develop LeCoq – e.g. Schneidelin or similar
Finally an additional proven goal scorer. I really rate Olivier who continues to improve his numbers, including scoring now against top sides, but if we are going to seriously challenge in all competitions we need to be able to rotate effectively.
Above all we need a REAL TEAM LEADER – some one who can kick ar*e on the field when the likes of Gibbs or Bellerin are doing headless chicken impressions.
£50M transfer kitty + £20M for Walcott should get us some decent additions for 2015/16
COYG
I, unlike the majority on this board completely agree with your observations on Theo and the necessity for Arsenal to aggressively reshape there squad this summer.
Lacazette, Schneiderlin, Schar(Dragovich, Van Djyk) and Cech are all more than financially feasible if AW finally accepts the realization that 5 or 6 current first team players are no longer of the quality to help the Gunnets lift silverware next fall.
i am in agreement with you. Those 4 additions can still be had without selling Walcott. However the Walcott situation is in his hands. He is home grown and therefor valuable. He will stay in england and could play against us.
Agree with that Barry. Do you think if FC keeps progressing he could be that big gob we need – looks like he could give both barrels but expect he is still feeling his way and just glad to be part of the team atm before he goes shouting off to the others.
According to Wengers words. Welbeck>Walcott, and i do agree. Enough said.
If all this contract stuff gets sorted i would like theo to stay
having said that I think the best summer buy for arsenal would be Lacazette from Lyon a 23 year old striker that scored around 23 goals in 26 apps
Hes a regular goal scorer with pace and strength and 23 is a good age because he is ready to be in the first team and he can still develop. He kinda reminds me of The King of Highbury. He’ll be a great upgrade to Podolski.
Also schneiderlin would be a great upgrade to flamini and diaby to provide some competiton for the Coq or they can even play together the way wanyama and sneiderlin played together vs chelsea and they were great
I’d prefer someone like Reus. He is as useful as Alexis (RW, LW, CAM, striker) and top quality.
I wouldn’t be unhappy to get Sterling though. We should not be upset to get more depth.
With santi nearing 30 we Will need a cam
Ross barkley or max meyer (schalke) will be fine. Sterling will cost some insane bucks. Also we can shift ramsey in that role and buy a solid cdm or cm.
Wenger has done good recently in transfer windows so i trust him!!!COYG
Actually Santi is already 30. And sterling, no thanks. Currently it seems he’s living up to his name, ££££.
As for CAM, there are plenty of players. Calcaglu (spelling?) of Leverkusen for instance.
Any chance of Wolfsburg selling De Bruyne? They also have Arnold, a German home-grown talent in their ranks so I’d reckon he could replace him. But I doubt Wolfsburg will sell De Bruyne. He’s been phenomenal and how it would hurt Jose to see him in Arsenal red..
I thought Real Madrid were
going to pay mega for Stirling?
Wenger said 95% of the squad
will be here next season.
So if Diaby is released only one more of
the remaining 40 man squad will leave.
Which one?
Giroud Wellbeck Sanogo
Campbell Podolski
Sanchez Walcott Ox
Wellington Ryo
Ozil Cazorla
Arteta Coquelin, Flamini
Ramsey Wilshere
Debuchy Bellerin Jenkinson Gibbs Monreal
Chambers Gabriel Mertz Kos.
Ospina Szcz.
Martinez Hayden Bielik Zelalem Gnabry Akpom
Graiciar Niles Crowley Ajayi Toral Olson
i like theo and i dnt want him to go, i know sterling is young buh i still need theo around…..we have other young players like the ox serge gnary.
Arsenal doing any transfers to buy and to sell is still a little bit far away. It can happen between June and September, 2015. Let’s not be too eager for Arsenal transfer at this time. However, I implore every Gooner to eagerly continue to give their utmost moral support for the Gunners without letting. Moreso, as the Gunners will be visiting St James’ Park tomorrow Saturday afternoon to battle the Magpies of Newcastle FC for a 3 points that are to be put down as stakes for the taking. And the Gunners may not to go St. James’ with heavy weaponry deployments provided the Toon Army will not be attacking the Arsenal Gooners Army there. The Gunners should not be sold on any injury deception ploy of the Newcastle head coach – John Carver, and thus become complacent. Every Gunner MUST as a matter of necessities go to St. James’ Park with a shot gun each, that are loaded with enough caliber of gunpowder capable of downing any Magpie that may dare to be unruly to the Gunners by flapping their faces with their wings. At any rate, the Gunners are widely expected to return back home by the Emirates stadium Arsenal Gooners Army with at least 5 downed Magpies just enough to be prepared for parting by the awaiting Gooners waiting to welcome them back home hilariously. NUFC 0-5 AFC FT 90’+.
Is Wenger going to do that “plus £1” thing again with Liverpool? That was a bit embarrassing Last time. Especially when Liverpool owner asked what Wenger was smoking.
Like Walcott plus £1
The embarrassment should have been all liverpools as the broke a contractual agreement.
important things to note:-
1. liverpool must finish 5th
2.sterling likes to be with equal quality and Sanchez is amazing as a winger to learn from.
3.Liverpool have the pressure to perform now and the end of the season
4.Sterling knows he not only has competition but has in quality as well
5.He has likes of ozil and Cazorla to play with
6.Ramsey can be the henderson for him by playing intensity football
7.koscielny plays the best football as a defender after Ivanovic and terry.
8.He can develop a unique footballing capacity to higher level.
Ain’t happening as simple as that.1st Liverpool will do everything they can to keep Sterling and rather sell him overseas unless forced too!! 2nd sure Walcott has become a squad player and it doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon!But even thought he is less important than he used to be thanks to some youth prospect finally stepping up (Ox) and our new transfer policy ($$$) he still has that pace and ability to score and create havoc after 1 to 1,5 year out your rusty but obviously if he’s dead on a pay raise I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s holding us ransom but it is too much considering he’s current impact and importance to the squad…Sure we could argue that he will rediscover his form and give us 20+ goals a season and not sustain an injury anymore but how sure are we? It is a gamble that could prove costly!
I will be honest thought, If that is what Le Prof is planning I wouldn’t mind at all…I like Walcott a lot and seeing him retire a gunner would be fantastic but I prefer Sterling has a higher ceiling…he would be box office if he stays focus and worked hard like let’s say a Ronaldo.
Theo will go. If pool get in Champs league he will go to them and potentially sterling to us.
Otherwise he can bag ££$££££€ at the eitihad with shitty whilst warming their bench.
Have to say I’ve always thought Walcott is a bit over rated. Decent player on his day, but like Michael Owen before him, he can be completely anonymous in games far too often for my liking.
I wasn’t happy with his last contract negotiation, believing him to be a decent squad player but not a guaranteed starter. TH he ain’t. A Sterling swap would be good business for us, but it does sound a bit far fetched tbh…
You just never know.