Arsenal winger Theo Walcott says he’s not a one-dimensional player who relies on his pace. He’s right, but he must continue to sharpen other areas of his game.
This season has been Walcott’s most productive to date, there is no doubt about that.
His eight league goals and nine assists, become 11 goals and 13 assists when you factor in Europe and cup competitions.
But he is right, that he must not rely on his pace alone to get him through, and must continue to work to develop other parts of his game.
He is heading in the right direction, but cannot afford a season of going backwards at this point.
England winger Chris Waddle famously accused him of lacking a ‘football brain’, a criticism which has stuck, and we are reminded of every time he picks the wrong pass, or elects to go it alone instead.
The correct choices are decisions which will come naturally with experience, and he has had two big games this season in which he has really hit top form.
In addition to a splendid performance at Molineux before his injury, his standout games have been in 5-3 and 5-2 demolitions of Chelsea and Tottenham, with him scoring once at the Bridge and twice past Spurs at the Emirates.
Although his tally of 11 goals seems high, it is actually below the 13 he bagged last season, but it is his assists which have tipped the scales to make this year his best yet, courtesy of a blossoming relationship with Van Persie.
Walcott should focus on his goalscoring as his route to long standing success. Really by now, he is approaching the age at 23 where he should be setting himself higher targets.
There is no reason why the winger should not score 20 in a season. It can be a tough feat for a midfielder or a winger, but former Arsenal man Robert Pires is one to accomplish it, and Walcott should at least be pushing the figure, rather than just breaking 10.
If he could do that he would become an incredible asset to Arsenal, and become perfect foil for Van Persie and Podolski.
His finishing at times can be instinctive and clinical, but at others, when he is given more time than he needs, he has been known to embarrassingly fluff his lines. He is close to being at the level he needs to be at, but just needs more focus on scoring goals and to dedicate practice time to it.
Pace will not be an attribute he can rely on forever. Michael Owen once had searing pace which made him the most feared striker in Europe. A succession of injuries took that away from him, and that should stay in the back of Walcott’s mind.
It is why developing other parts of his game are more important than ever. He has been fortunate enough to learn from Thierry Henry at two spells during his Arsenal career, arguably the greatest finisher ever to grace the Arsenal shirt.
There is no excuse for Walcott now. He is entering a crucial five-year period for his career which will make or break it. Scoring goals will not do him any harm at all, and this is an achievable area where he should focus his talents.
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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