After 344 appearances and 85 goals, Theo Walcott’s Arsenal career looks like it may finally be over after 10 years at the club.
Recently, reports in the news have linked Walcott with potential moves away from Arsenal, with West Ham looking the most likely destination; after a frustrating season for the 27-year-old, which has been hampered by injuries and lack of game time.
This has been the first time in Walcott’s career at Arsenal that his departure has seemed imminent, but now he must think about what he wants to do next.
Alex Iwobi has been preferred to Theo since Christmas and with all the attacking players Arsenal have, Walcott does not seem to be guaranteed a start anymore.
Walcott signed for Arsenal in 2006 after impressing at Southampton in his early teenage years and made his first-team debut as a substitute against Aston Villa, on the first day of the 2006/07 season.
Walcott went on that season to feature for the England National Team, at the time being the youngest to ever play for England at 17 years and 75 days old. He also won BBC’s ‘Young Sports Personality of the Year’ award in 2006 and scored his first Arsenal goal.
Unfortunately for Walcott, things have never really progressed from his early Arsenal days. Injuries have resulted in him spending large amounts of time off of the pitch. No one disputed that he had plenty of potential, but he never really lived up to those high expectations.
It has not helped that Walcott has never really found his position. Arsene Wenger originally signed him as a winger, full of pace and skill but his delivery would remain a problem throughout his career.
Walcott always had pace to beat defenders but his end product was not good enough for him to be played as a striker, which is where he thought he could play more often. Wenger would toy with the idea of him as a striker but whenever he played there, he would consistently let chances go begging and would prove to those around him he was not made for the striker’s role.
There is still no doubt that Walcott still has more to offer as a player, but Arsenal seem to be moving on without him, with the likes of Iwobi and other youngsters coming through the academy who will need to be given their chance to play also.
Walcott is no longer the ‘young talent’ that he once was and a move away, may be what he needs to hit the standards we know he is capable of. The fact that Wenger picks Iwobi ahead of him in the Premier League suggests that his place is currently among the substitutes.
West Ham and Liverpool, among others, have reported their interest in the England international and Walcott needs to consider his offers carefully before deciding to leave the club he has served so long for.
The England international may well be tempted to stay put for one more season and try to fight for his place back in the team. At his age, he should be entering his peak form and so with a steady run of games, and the right support from the fans, he may well be able to revive his Arsenal career and finally live up to some – if not all – of his potential.
