Robin Van Persie’s summer battle with Arsenal over whether he stays or goes can’t have come as a surprise for many Arsenal fans after witnessing the same thing happen with Cesc and Nasri. What is more interesting is the growing likelihood of Theo Walcott entering a similar situation.
There are obvious similarities between the circumstances of Robin and Theo, yet despite this, Arsenal fans haven’t reacted in the same way. However, after reviewing the facts, I can’t help but think to myself ‘why not?’
Frustrating Theo
It is certainly true that Theo has been nowhere near the player Robin has for the club. It is also true that Theo is not treated with the same unanimous adoration as the Dutch maestro. In fact when I heard about the proposed £15 million move to Liverpool my initial thoughts were that we should cash in on a player that has been a long-term frustration of mine.
Thoughts of Ljungberg and Pires flew round my head; Theo isn’t a patch on the Arsenal wingers of my youth. While this comparison might be correct, it is also unfair. I turned instead to the realistic alternatives to Walcott: Victor Moses, Junior Hoilett, Charles N’Zogbia. Suddenly Walcott begins to look like a must keep.
A change in standards
At first I thought this second batch of comparisons appeared to be a patch below the Arsenal standard, but then I pondered, what is the Arsenal standard nowadays? Who are our ‘star players’? Sagna, Vermaelen and Arteta spring to mind immediately, but isn’t Walcott a player of similar ability? I think so and I think that while we still have players such as Chamakh, Park and Squillaci at the club we shouldn’t be thinking of selling Walcott standard players.
Powerless to stop him?
Despite my newfound faith in Theo, two things still make me think that the transfer could still go ahead. Firstly Walcott is NOT Robin Van Persie, therefore a wage rise from 65k tom 100k seems audacious. My second and most dramatic point comes in the form of an 18 year old wonder kid from the south coast…
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has a very similar story to Theo Walcott but seems to be the 1st choice of the two in the England squad despite being 5 years his junior. One thing I took back from the Euro’s was that surely Alex will get MUCH more playing time next season, and Walcott is the only player who will realistically be replaced. I certainly can’t imagine Theo sitting on the bench week in week out.
You’ll never Walcott alone
So I sat down to write this blog with my ‘Walcott out’ hat on, but after much deliberation I’m just not sure we’re in a position to sell him. Brendan Rogers on the other hand has been making loud noises about the Liverpool type of player and the qualities they possess. Some of these qualities do make you think of the Arsenal number 14. A few examples, ‘Someone who can ‘add value for many years’? Walcott’s only 23. Players who have the required ‘capacities and capabilities’, Walcott’s certainly showed this at times. Rogers also comments that he would like his players to be role models, a quality that I would one hundred percent ascribe to Theo as he is rarely making negative headlines.
Despite this apparently masked attempt to perhaps big up Theo before signing him, a couple of qualities mentioned by Theo do seem at odds with an Arsenal fans perception of Theo. He firmly believes players must have the highest technical and tactical qualities and must be focused under pressure. Perhaps the best thing to do to dissuade Rogers would be to send him a montage of Theo’s famous cross come shot.
If I were to stick my neck on the line I would say that if Theo moves it will be to Liverpool but I think Arsenal will offer Theo an improved contract before too long.
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