da fezbet： It seems perfectly clear that Arsene Wenger is trying to lessen the blow of potentially losing Theo Walcott next summer by forcing the squad to play to their strengths around what Walcott can offer. If not, he’s doing a really good job of hiding an injury.
da dobrowin： Arsenal have been in excellent form so far this season, picking up points in all four of their Premier League games and getting a very good result away to a tricky opponent in the Champions League. The trip to Montpellier in midweek also promised a number of changes in the starting XI. Wenger looks to be doing a good job of rotating a small handful in and out of the first-team while not compromising performances and results on the pitch. With the recent international break and the constant threat of injury, it’s necessary and smart management of the squad.
The message from the manager to Theo Walcott seems to be this: If you want to be part of the team and play a big role then that’s fine, sign the contract. If not, then you’re welcome to enjoy the best part of the season as a bit-part player. You’ve got to hope, at least, that this is the Arsenal manager’s thinking. How many times do the club need to be bullied into submission by want-away players before the management finally take a stand? It seems that Walcott is being used as a device towards the rest of the squad that Arsene Wenger is firmly in charge of these situations from now on.
If Walcott wants to leave at some stage over the next year then that’s fine, but the club are not going to become reliant on his abilities whereby his departure acts as another blow to the morale of the squad. Nip this one in the bud appears to be Wenger’s thinking, and why shouldn’t he behave in a remorseless way against a player kicking up a fuss. Walcott is certainly not worth £100,000, especially if the club have players on lower wages who perform much more consistently and effectively than Walcott ever has. His importance to the club is not equal to Cesc Fabregas or Robin van Persie, but the England forward clearly sees himself as one of the pillars holding up this Arsenal team.
If Walcott is only used in a limited capacity this season, how much will that impact a possible big-money move away next year? Will the Manchester Citys or PSGs still see use in a player that has performed so little over the previous season? How will it effect his England career for in the short-term? Yes, Walcott is still young and should have no problem finding his form once again, but Arsenal appear to be freezing out the player and, importantly, sending a message that the team don’t necessarily need him in their plans. The goals are coming and the football looks to be creeping towards the fluid and exciting game that Arsenal so regularly used to play. Whatever Arsenal apologists may say, the football at the Emirates hasn’t been of superb quality for a number of seasons, at least not on a consistent basis.
How much of this good football with Santi Cazorla, Gervinho and Lukas Podolski is down to the absence of Walcott in the first-team? Walcott hasn’t a prayer of matching the technical skills of the aforementioned players, and in turn, how much of a negative effect on their game will he have if he’s played regularly? Walcott certainly doesn’t offer the same enthusiasm to track back and help his defender as the other wide players in team.
Arsene Wenger is showing Walcott exactly what he believes his worth to be. The Arsenal manager has hardly broken his beliefs on the valuation of a player when chasing them in the transfer market, so why would he do it for a player who really hasn’t realised his potential in the six years he’s been with the club?
But that’s another problem, though; Walcott has been with the club so long and taken so much effort and tutoring to become a Premier League and international footballer. It would be a blow to part with him for a good fee, but how disappointing would it be if he were to leave on a free? His pace is worth something, even if not in every game. He’s also an excellent player to have at the club due to his marketability and seemingly quiet private life, at least in comparison to his international colleagues. But Walcott needs to understand that the club don’t need him as much as he thinks they do. It would be great if he signed a contract and stayed with the club, but there will be replacements and even better prospects than the former Southampton forward.
Right now, Arsene Wenger is managing the situation impeccably. Importantly, he’s not allowing the Walcott contract situation to cloud over the very good and extremely promising work of others in the Arsenal squad.