Wednesday 2 January 2013

Arsenal's midfield should adjust to Theo

No matter how you spin it, 2013 has started disappointingly, with 2 points dropped at St Mary's. With all due respect, Southampton are relegation fodder, so we should be looking at maximum return against them. Still, we didn't achieve that against Blackburn last season, so we should almost expect to slip up against the 'lowly lights' of the Premier League. Theo Walcott put the ball in the net, but it was ruled offside, which brings me back to my favourite subject: the winger-cum-striker. One of the issues at stake, when considering Theo's ability to play upfront, is our midfield's willingness to play the right kind of ball to him. At Arsenal, there is a certain penchant for playing balls to feet, especially now the visionary Cesc Fabregas has gone. Santi Cazorla is well capable of playing passes for Theo to run onto, but it's important that all of our midfield adjust to playing to Theo. It shouldn't be the other way around. So next time some 'informed' fan tells you that Theo will never be a striker as long as he's got two holes for nostrils, ask them about the service he gets. This guy managed three goals versus Newcastle without the best of service and was unclucky not to notch another against his old club, Southampton. Never forget, striker rely on service, and often that area has been lacking, despite all the efforts of Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta. The irony is once the midfield adjusts to Theo, the England international will no likely be off elsewhere on a free transfer where he'll be valued as a striker from the start. Meanwhile, let's get goals out of him while we can!

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