Arsenal: Theo Walcott Goals A Classic Misdirection

Arsenal has a first-class poacher in Theo Walcott, but is he really what the Gunners need or is he just a recurrence of a similar problem?

Theo Walcott, man, we go way back. I have been harping on this man for years. When Arsenal wins I shut up and appreciate what Walcott does manage to do. But when we lose, I will dig in and pull apart everything more he could have done.

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Through it all, I have realized a couple things. Mainly, that no matter how much you want from or believe in Walcott, he has a very set ceiling. He is only as good as the team around him. He does not create for himself. He does not dribble, defend or pass particularly well.

What he does is poach. He will put himself in positions to put the ball in the back of the net. Pretty important, granted, but that’s only when it’s coming off. And it most certainly doesn’t always come off.

I was livid with Theo after Everton. 25 touches all game and nothing to show for it. But even after that match I acknowledged that I was digging myself a hole to criticize the man. He was bound to come back and score a goal or two and, lo and behold, he did.

But I’m getting to the point where I see his goals as little more than a misdirection. It’s like asmoke and mirrors show where he scores these goals and looks like a productive member of the offense, but when you really get down to it, what does he provide?

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He can’t create like the Ox or Iwobi. He can’t pass like either. Give him a ball and one man to beat and he will lose. So what does he provide?

Theo Walcott creates 0.7 chances per game. That is ninth on the team. Ninth! You want to know who has created more? Any player who has started at any front four position this year, other than Lucas Perez. Any single one. Walcott is second to last.

It reminds me of Lukas Podolski. The German knew how to poach a goal but ask him to do much of anything else (other than social media) and he would be unable to comply.

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It’s frustrating, because yet again we are going to be confined to the whims of Walcott with the Ox and Ramsey out. And when he bags a brace against the Baggies, we will all be singing and having a grand old time.