With the news that Theo Walcott has signed a new contract with Arsenal, as confirmed yesterday via the club’s official website, here’s a look at why the England winger continues to be one of the most divisive players at the Emirates Stadium.
A quick look around fans’ reaction on Twitter tells the whole story, with some delighted at the news that he’s surely now staying at the club for the long run, while others question the logic in paying so much money for a relatively unreliable player, with rumours that his new deal is worth £140,000 per week, according to talkSPORT, who also detail the mixed reaction from Gunners supporters.
So, why does Walcott divide opinion, even among his own fans, to such a great extent? Here’s a look at four reasons he’s both loved and hated as a footballer…
1) Positive: Blistering pace
One of the fastest players in the Premier League, Walcott’s pace gives him a real edge in this Arsenal team. Not only is it an obvious strength against tired defenders, or indeed most opposition players, he is one of the few out-and-out wide-players in the team’s midfield, with others like Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil preferring to link up the play from deep instead of making runs of the ball. Time and time again, Walcott’s more direct approach has opened teams up and made the Gunners look more dangerous, so it’s clear this asset, though basic in itself, is potentially very important to how they play.
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2) Negative: Injury record
Playing just 27 Premier League games in the last two seasons, it’s clear that Walcott has a real issue with staying fit. It can perhaps be easy to miss as Arsenal have had rotten luck with injuries in general over the years, but the England winger really is one of the most injury prone players on the books at the Emirates, and a new contract on big money looks risky given that he could quite feasibly miss large chunks of the season again.
3) Positive: Good scoring record
A clinical finisher who rarely lets the team down when through on goal, Walcott has made a claim for playing up front instead of out wide with a good scoring return of seven goals in very limited playing time last season, including a hat-trick on the final day of the Premier League season and a well-taken opening goal in the FA Cup final win over Aston Villa. Prior to last season, Walcott also had his best scoring return of 21 goals in all competitions in 2012/13, when he was used up front and out wide to good effect. Of course, it remains to be seen how good a striker he would be over a longer period, as his injuries have often disrupted him from getting a clear run in the side, while increased competition for places meant he was mainly used from the bench last season.
4) Negative: Lack of footballing brain
Walcott has earned a reputation for lacking intelligence in his play, and was most notably criticised by England legend Chris Waddle (via the London Evening Standard) for lacking ‘a football brain’. Many agree that, while Walcott is blessed with natural talent and great physical attributes like tremendous pace, he does often let himself down with some poor decision-making when given too much time on the ball.