Everton signed Theo Walcott from Arsenal during the 2018 January transfer window.
talkSPORT pundit Ryan Mason has stated that Everton ace Theo Walcott has ‘relied on his pace’ during his career and he’s not ‘intelligent’ enough to adapt or change his game.
The 29-year-old came through the ranks at Southampton before moving to Arsenal as a teenager before leaving the club for Goodison Park during the 2018 January transfer window.
Many would feel that Walcott, who was picked to go to the 2006 World Cup for England, has not lived up to expectation and not produced what might have been expected of him.
Speaking on the Final Word to talkSPORT (05/03/2019 at 6:30 pm), former Tottenham midfielder Mason provided an utterly damning assessment of Walcott’s career.
“He’s been in the game 13 or 14 years already and he has had a lot of miles on his legs,” Mason told talkSPORT. “You can see that now by the way he plays. He’s not as committed to certain sprints & certain runs as he used to be.
“Walcott is not a technical player. He is a pace player. He gets on the end of things by sheer pace and his clever runs.
“Walcott couldn’t play as a central midfielder because his attributes don’t allow him to. He has always relied on his pace. So for him to change that, I think it’s very difficult. I don’t think he is intelligent enough to adapt and change that.
“Those types of players, once their pace goes then they are not as good a player because they can’t fall back on other attributes.”
During his career, Walcott has won three FA Cups, all during his time at the Emirates Stadium, but like Arsenal, he struggled to bring any other silverware home.
Over the course of this season, he has scored three goals and supplied two assists for the Toffees, but has found the back of the net on only one occasion since August [transfermarkt].
For large parts of his career, the former England international has been deployed on the right wing, but he has also been utilised in a forward role, mainly under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.
Over his career, Walcott has made 312 Premier League appearances for two different clubs, scoring 71 goals and supplying 54 assists [transfermarkt].
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