Keown: Walcott is too easy to play against

Keown: Walcott is too easy to play against

Former Arsenal and England defender was not surprised to see Theo Walcott axed from the England squad for this summer's World Cup.

Walcott, who scored a hat-trick for England against Croatia in the qualifying stages, has struggled with injuries and form for his club and country this season.

Keown is one of many former players concerned by a lack of progress being made by the 21-year-old.

The winger has not lived up to expectations since signing for Arsenal from Southampton as a 16-year-old, and Keown believes Walcott has simply become too predictable and easy to defend against.

Keown told the BBC: "He runs at a frightening pace, he is rapid, but when he gets into those positions he is not able to think quickly enough, does he pull it back, does he shoot or does he go on his own?

"His decision making is the problem, he hasn't been able to do that. He has become a bit of a one-trick pony in terms of going for the line. People just double up on him.

"When he has got time and space then he finds it a problem and he has got to sort that out with his game."

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Written by Mark Brus on Wednesday, June 2, 2010

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He has become a bit of a one-trick pony in terms of going for the line. People just double up on him.

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