Arsenal: Theo Walcott’s Best Brought Out By Alexis Sanchez

Arsenal demolished Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday night with Theo Walcott at his absolute best, something that is brought out by Alexis Sanchez.

For many years, getting the best out of Theo Walcott has been a task that has plagued the great mind of Arsene Wenger. He has tried a range of positions, varied partners and differing tactics all to maximise the talents of his pacy forward, and yet, while Theo has shown in glimpses throughout his ten-year career with Arsenal, he has not hit his very best form.

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That is until now. Throughout the season, Wenger has stated that we will see a new Theo Walcott this year. Motivated by his Euro squad omission and a failed career quickly fading away, judging by how he was judged when he first came to the club as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, Theo has hinted that he may be about to break into a world class streak of form. Well, this past week has proven such.

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Against Hull City, Walcott was electric, consistently threatening in behind, linking up well with Hector Bellerin down the right flank and even getting on the scoresheet. The next week at home to Chelsea, though, Theo really decided to turn on the style. He ripped Cesar Azpilicueta, one of the finest full-backs in the land, to shreds, burning him repeatedly with intelligent movement and dynamic speed.

Once more he scored and he also undertook many of his defensive duties, something that has been missing from his game when played out wide. However, neither of these impressive displays match up to the lesson he gave on Wednesday night when he and his teammates demolished Basel in a comfortable 2-0 victory.

I had the pleasure of watching the game with my Dad, something that I seldom get to enjoy nowadays, and with him not being an Arsenal fan, he does not catch as many games as I do. When he saw Theo play, he described him as £60 million player. That was how good Walcott was.

So where has such an upturn in form come from?

While there are many answers to this question, there is a clear tactical nuance that has helped developed Walcott’s game so rapidly. The deployment of Alexis Sanchez as a lone striker has provided Theo with ample opportunity and space off of the right flank. With the Chilean often dropping deep or drifting wide, that allows space for Walcott to run into, usually off the ball.

With the Chilean often dropping deep or drifting wide, that allows space for Walcott to run into, usually off the ball. However, he is still playing as a winger and therefore does not have the constraints of having to play with his back to goal and hold the ball up, bringing others into play.

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Theo now has the opportunity to make those ever so dangerous runs in behind without the responsibility of leading the line. Much of that is down to the other-worldly ability of Sanchez. Alexis assisted both of Walcott’s goals against Basel and the two have displayed great chemistry so far this season. Walcott seems to be back to his blistering best, and we have Alexis Sanchez and a tactical shift to thank for it.