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Arsene Wenger has made several references to deploying Theo Walcott as a centre forward this season, and the player shone brightly in that role in pre-season. This comes off the back of a few cameos in centre forward through his Arsenal career, most notably last season when he scored 4 goals in 2 games in that positions including one in the FA Cup final.
Theo said many times in the past he would like to eventually make the switch permanently, but his performances have divided opinion. Many supporters would argue that Theo is more effective on the wings with his pace in behind the fullback causing many problems and opening up space.
It is a fair shout, and I would be inclined to agree. Walcott’s pace and movement are absolutely devastating, and when he’s played out wide, fullbacks are forced to either withdraw and concede space for Ozil and Ramsey and co to run in to, or risk letting Walcott get in behind.
At centre forward, centre backs are sometimes able to squeeze him out of it and give him no space to run onto. This means he is forced to received the ball to his feet and attempt to hold the ball up, which we all know is not his strong point. It is no knock on Theo, he just simply is not a back to goal kind of player.
That was case in the Community Shield against Chelsea, where Cahill and Terry really did take him out of the match for the most part.
Not having the space and opportunity to use his pace takes away the majority of his effectiveness, and for that reason most would agree he is not the answer to Arsenal’s striking problem. Unless Wenger plays Theo behind Giroud in a two forward system, he is best on the wing.
What do you think gooners? Should Theo get his shot at centre forward this season?
No, Walcott gets moved off the ball too easily and is not ruthless enough to win the ball back as soon as he has lost it.winger is his best option.
Walcott has wasted too many chances.
We need a clinical finisher that can put away half chances more often than not.
This team can provide an astounding number of gilt edged chances .
This is a nonsensical nonsense infact comonsensically nonsense we have a good team now and all Asene cares about is experiment I should say that he is loosing his scope though there is a saying that when you do something for long that it will take part of you so I understand that experimenting has become part of the boss but someone should remind him that this maybe another arsenal time to shine so all he need is do the finish touches by getting a world class striker to help Giroud and a natural defensive midfielder to support my man Francis Couque and maybe Paulista to replace sluggish Per M and we are Good for great things. Don’t mean no offense to nobody. Thanks