Injury-plagued Theo Walcott wants to silence fans’ doubts about how much of a contribution he makes to the team by playing in any position that manager Arsene Wenger asks him to.
The England international, who has been selected in Roy Hodgson’s squad for the nation’s upcoming European Qualifiers against San Marino and Switzerland, has struggled to cement his place in the starting XI after several severe injuries limited his play-time.
Despite announcing his intentions to become a recognised striker in mid-2012, Walcott told The Arsenal Weekly Podcast that he relishes playing for the side and will take any opportunity he gets to play football, even if it is not in his preferred sole striker position.
I think you’ll see a mixture of me playing in those three positions, on the left, right and centre, depending on how the game is and who the opposition is. That’s why the manager is the best man to pick his team. I’ve shown the manager what I can do on the left, right and centre.
It’s obviously well documented that I want to play up front but there’s a lot of competition for places here. I will do my best in any position when I am given the opportunity to play for this club.
However, the 26-year-old has been given a boost in his quest to become the Gunners’ first-choice number nine, after Wenger’s lack of activity in the summer transfer market left the fans lusting for a world-class striker – something that Walcott believes he can be.
The former Southampton winger feels that he is judged too much on ‘goals and assists’ in wide midfield but thinks that he would ‘score a lot of goals up front.’
I will always be judged on goals and assists but I feel like I would score a lot of goals up front.
Walcott scored a hat-trick in the Gooners’ 4-1 home victory against West Brom at the back-end of last season and has appeared in three of the North London’s opening four Premier League fixtures.
