Szombathelyi Haladas v Arsenal

Szombathelyi Haladas 1-1 Arsenal

Szombathelyi Haladas 1-0 Kenesei
MediaFire

Arsenal 1-1 Walcott
MediaFire

Extras

Denilson Hits the Bar
Mediafire

Clichy Free-Kick
Mediafire

First Half Highlights here

Credit:Arsenalist and Iker91

Theo Walcott was on target for Arsenal as the Gunners drew 1-1 with Hungarian outfit Szombathelyi Haladas at the Haladas VSE Stadium.

The England international rescued Arsene Wenger's men from a surprise defeat when he cancelled out a Krisztian Kenesei opener three minutes before the interval.

The hosts had taken a deserved lead in the 25th minute when former Hungary international striker Kenesei broke through a static Gunners defence and chipped delicately over the on-rushing Manuel Almunia.

Justin Hoyte believed he had hooked the ball clear on the line but he was over-ruled by the assistant referee.

To rub salt into the defender's wounds, he then sliced a volley over from five yards just minutes later with the goal gaping.

But Arsenal equalised in the 42nd minute when Walcott - urged by manager Wenger to stake his claim for a regular place this season - rifled the ball home.

The former Southampton forward collected Nicklas Bendtner's short pass on the edge of the area and slammed a low shot across the goalkeeper and in off the far post.

An inexperienced Arsenal team struggled to create many clear-cut chances after the break, although Gael Clichy fired a free-kick narrowly over with 12 minutes remaining.

Wenger - Walcott must target a starting berth

Last season, Theo Walcott showed Arsenal fans the first real signs of his massive potential. This season, Arsène Wenger will ask the 19-year-old to barge his way into the first-team on a regular basis. The Frenchman freely admits he does not yet know whether Walcott will play up front or on the wing but, he argues, there are “no limitations” on how the England international can develop.

“Theo made a step forward last season and you expect him to improve again,” said Wenger after the 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday. “The target last year was for him to play 15 to 20 games and show quality. The target this year is to become a regular player.

“What position he’ll play in I don’t know. At the moment he looks more at ease wide than as a central striker. But we have to wait through the preparation games and see how ready he will be. The Barnet game was not a good opportunity to judge him.”

That is undeniably true. On Saturday, Walcott started up front alongside Nicklas Bendtner as Wenger fielded a more established XI in the first half and a younger one after the break. It appeared to be an “easing in” exercise for a rusty first-team squad. Arsenal trailed the League Two side at half time and had to rely on goals from Jay Simpson and Nacer Barazite to secure a comeback victory.

Afterwards Wenger spoke about the issues surrounding Walcott as a striker or a wide midfielder.

“He is not really a link player he is more a runner so you need to find a link player who can play close to him,” said Wenger. “It depends on who he plays with and you need to find the right combination. But he can play wide, right, left, central.

“Still I expect a lot from him, this season. At 19 years of age you have to improve. But how much better I don’t really know. You certainly don’t put any limitations on that."

England's dream teen

As effortlessly as he plays his football, Theo Walcott provides a little reassurance. Ronaldo, Dwain Chambers and the England rugby players in New Zealand have supplied the feel-bad headlines of the summer. An afternoon with Walcott casts a rather different light on the life of the professional sportsman.

For a start, he pulls up in front of the Hertfordshire home that he shares with his parents in a VW Golf, which in the ostentatious world of the Premier League footballer represents ludicrous restraint. He has returned from a gruelling double session at Arsenal's training ground, but immediately busies himself fetching drinks, asking me and the photographer how we are, were our journeys troublesome, do we mind which room we sit in. He runs upstairs to change and is back down in seconds. He is not the sort to spend 20 minutes doing his hair or texting his mates and, in the three hours we spend with him, he does not use his phone once. For a footballer, it is a little bit weird. 'What did you expect?' he asks, then stops. He knows the answer to that question.

Walcott is not the stereotypical footballer. He seems weary of those recent headlines - court cases, slaves, celebrity girlfriends - that have made footballers such an easy target for criticism. He sighs. 'Everyone is different, but the stuff you see some footballers doing, cheating on their girlfriends and stuff, I just think, "Why?" Why have a girlfriend, or a wife and kids if you're going to cheat?' he says. 'And drinking; when you've finished your career you can have a drink - obviously not become an alcoholic...' He trails off. 'I don't drink at all. I never have done. Back at school people would take the mick out of me for not drinking at parties and stuff, but that didn't bother me. It's only a short career and the way you are off the pitch makes a big difference.'

As we talk, the European under-19 championship is on television. England are playing the Czech Republic. Walcott glances up occasionally to check the score. 'It's weird to think I could be playing for them right now,' he says. Instead he recently made his second senior appearance for England, against Trinidad & Tobago, following a successful spell with the under-21s and a string of impressive performances for Arsenal. 'It feels like I've been around for ages,' he says, 'but I'm still only 19.'

Perhaps it is his age, but there is something refreshing about Walcott. He is unguarded in his conversation, but too smart to be drawn into saying anything silly.

Apart from that England friendly in the Caribbean in June, he has had a quiet summer. 'It's been nice to get away from football and do other things. I don't even know who's signed for who, I'm just not that interested. I don't watch that - what's it called?' Sky Sports News? 'Yeah. I'm not interested.'

What does he think of Cristiano Ronaldo's 'slavery' comments? He laughs. 'Not bad, is it, being a slave on that much a year? Anyone would do that, I can guarantee.'

Walcott says a life in football is 'a dream come true' - which happens to be the name of a charity he supports - so why worry about money and contracts? He never has done. The charity arranges 'dreams' for terminally ill children, such as snow on Christmas Day, or waking up to find cows in your back garden.

In Walcott's case the dream was more a nightmare, a swarm of paparazzi after he became the most expensive 16-year-old English footballer at £9.1m, the figure that Arsenal and Southampton finally settled on earlier this year, following his move in January 2006. He did not make an Arsenal appearance that season, but became, at 17 years and three months, the youngest England player to be selected for a senior squad when Sven-Goran Eriksson picked him for the World Cup five months after that transfer. He soon became the youngest player to have scored for the under-21s, when he played against Moldova as a 17-year-old in August 2006.

The first time I saw Walcott play he was 16 and making only his second full appearance for Southampton, against Millwall at The Den. Four days earlier he had scored on his full debut away at Leeds and already there was a ripple of excitement around him.

In the press box the whisper was, 'This kid is going places'. From the whistle, Walcott did not disappoint. The afternoon was meant to be all about Dennis Wise - on his first return to The Den since joining Southampton - but as Wisey sat on the bench, Walcott stole the show. His darting runs terrified the Millwall defence. Their only response was to floor him. Despite this attention, Walcott put Southampton ahead after 18 minutes, his second senior goal in as many starts. Walcott says he has a bad memory, but he has not forgotten that day.

'I remember getting kicked about,' he says, grinning. 'I've actually got a scar on my knee from it. Someone put a hole in my knee, I can't remember the name of the guy who did it but he had no teeth.' He laughs at the stereotype. 'Yeah, proper Millwall.'

It is staggering how much life has changed for Walcott in three years. From Championship to Premier League aged 16, from a modest home to riches - although even now his home seems free from showiness or expensive James Bond-style gadgets.

At the time of the 2006 World Cup, a major breakthrough for Walcott that became mainstream news, his family could not afford to stay in the same hotel as the other England footballers' families. 'We didn't have the funds to stay there, and anyway the prices were ridiculous,' he says. 'To be honest it was nice to be out of the way. The World Cup was an experience for my family as well as me. Mel [girlfriend Melanie Slade] had to deal with the whole Wag culture - I hate that term, Wag.'

The media went crazy for them. How was it for Walcott? 'I was just a little 16-year-old running around on the pitch like a mad person, trying to impress. I didn't take any notice of anything else. You can't, people might say something you don't want to hear, or something really good that might go to your head and then your football goes downhill.'

As quickly as the excitement over Eriksson's young selection grew, it evaporated. Walcott did not play in the World Cup and resentment set in. In his autobiography, Steven Gerrard said that Walcott 'had no right to be there'. Headlines buzzed. Walcott was and remains unfazed. 'I didn't expect the call-up. I was only just taking my driving test at the time. Everyone always says, "He shouldn't have been there, blah blah blah," but it doesn't bother me. I didn't pick the team so don't judge me. It's not my fault.

'There was a lot of pressure straight away. With most young players their development is not on the telly or spoken about, but with me it was different. The England call-up didn't help my development, because everyone was expecting something straight away. In the end it was a good experience, but at the time it was like, "Whoa".'

He says he was starstruck when first picked by England. A keen Liverpool fan, he remembers showing Michael Owen - his boyhood hero - a photo of them together when Walcott had only just started playing football. 'When that photo was taken I was 11. When I showed it to Michael I was 17 - six years later. He couldn't believe it. The whole thing was so weird.'

When Steve McClaren took over from Eriksson and called to say that Walcott would be starting in the under-21s, he felt much happier. 'I was only 17 then anyway, so going into the 21s even then was a big honour. Doing well for them and scoring goals got my confidence back and people were just judging me on that.' Walcott missed the European under-21 championship finals in 2007 through a dislocated shoulder, but his contribution in getting the team there did not go unnoticed. Slowly, Walcott's reputation was being rebuilt.

When Fabio Capello named him for the Trinidad friendly, it completed that circle and Walcott felt the difference in the reception from the other players this time around.

'Whereas before I hadn't played in the Premier League, some players were probably thinking, "What's he doing here? He doesn't deserve to be here", now I'd been doing well,' he says. 'The players made me feel welcome; they trusted me on the ball, which was nice. I felt more part of the squad.'

Eriksson's World Cup gamble was not entirely wasted, though. While England played out their triumphs and woes, on and off the pitch, Walcott was busy making a video diary of his experiences.

'They gave us cameras, so I decided to record something every day about how I was feeling. Initially, it was to keep myself entertained and to show the family, but it's quite a handy thing to keep hold of,' he says. 'I haven't shown it to anyone yet... but I'm quite clever when it comes to those things.'

With the attention surrounding Walcott's emergence, there was a period when every newspaper seemed to carry photos of the young star and his girlfriend. They looked destined to follow the celebrity route. They graced the front of Hello!, appeared on the ITV gameshow Mr and Mrs, and Mel posed for the cover of men's magazine Arena. Walcott's father, Don, appeared on Celebrity Ready Steady Cook - in a face-off with Andy Murray's mum, Judy - and the whole family starred in a cameo role in the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Walcott survived the experience. He laughs about the Hello! photos. 'That was so weird,' he says. 'We look fake! It's the airbrushing. Actually we had some other ones done of us recently, no airbrushing, just us... except that Mel's ear was sticking out in one of them so she asked to have it covered up with some hair...' He looks at me quizzically. 'Girls are weird, aren't they?'

Together the two have learnt to deal with the paparazzi. They try to laugh it off. 'They want to see something go wrong, that's the thing. They want to see a reaction, and that's fine because we don't give them any. We had one who thought Mel was pregnant, it was so stupid. They were actually going to release it in the newspaper. I was like, "OK, go on if you want." I do not have a clue where they got that from. I think they were just trying to make us lose it.'

Despite all the things that make his life unusual, Walcott does not seem far removed from an average teenager. Chatting in the kitchen, he and Mel get excited about a new milkshake chain where you can get 'any flavour of milkshake you want!' Melanie is due to start a university degree in physiotherapy this year. Walcott received an art set for his birthday. 'What do you get a footballer?' he asks. In fact he loves art. He has a C in GCSE art and would like to open a gallery one day. He likes hanging out with his best friend, the Southampton midfielder Jake Thomson.

'We still go into Reading and get haircuts like we used to. We've been going to the same place for eight years. It's a black hairdressers, and I remember we took Gareth Bale with us once. They asked him if he wanted a haircut, he was like "Naaa", which was really funny. Jake and I like to make a day of it. We go to Nando's and then have a cinema day - watch two films back to back, really close to the screen until our eyes are funny.'

Outside the window, one of Walcott's dogs - they have four - starts barking. 'That's Sanchez,' he says. 'He's a pug crossed with a shih-tzu and he's always dominating the other dogs. We've had the dog whisperer round and he says Sanchez has got height issues, that's why he has to bark at everyone. One of the other dogs had his bollocks cut off the other day. Bless him, he's got one of those lampshades on his head.'

Walcott points at his Golf. 'I love that car,' he says. 'It's small and zippy. It reminds me of myself. Plus it's the R32 model, which is also my first squad number, although that's changed now.' He has just been handed the No 14 shirt, last worn by Thierry Henry. 'It's just a number in the end,' he says. 'It's just a number on the back of a shirt, that's what I think, anyway.'

It is quite some mantle, although Walcott has long been accustomed to sharing the insignia of a global sports star. He shares his initials with Tiger Woods - also his school nickname - and is often mistaken for Lewis Hamilton. Mel later confirms that he and Hamilton have exactly the same measurements. 'That's what Hugo Boss told me when I phoned up to get his suit,' she says. Instinctively you cannot help but wonder how long it will be before Walcott's achievements match those luminaries in earnest.

Where does Walcott himself think he is heading? 'In five years' time I want to be a regular for Arsenal and England, scoring 20 goals a season. That's a lot, but you have to set your sights high. I want to win the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup. That's the main thing, medals. People go on about money and contracts, but for me it's always going to be about the football.'

Source:Guardian

Walcott targets regular start

Theo Walcott has signalled his intention to secure a regular starting berth for Arsenal in the new season.

The flying forward has made steady progress under the watchful eye of Arsene Wenger, but he did not reach his target of 20 starts and 10 goals last season.

Despite falling short of his stated aims, Walcott was happy with his campaign and is looking to use it as a springboard.

“My target now is to start, rather than doing what I do coming off the bench,” Walcott told the club's official website. “That is the next target.

”I set myself a target of 20 starts and 10 goals (for last season). I did not quite get there.

“You have got to set yourself different goals every season and I will set a new target and push on.”

Walcott believes senior experience will help Under 21s

Theo Walcott hopes his experience with England's senior squad will benefit the Under 21s as they aim for the European Championship finals.

The Arsenal forward has been named in Fabio Capello's squad to face the United States and Trinidad and Tobago in friendlies this week.

But the 19-year-old still has his sights set on helping the Under 21s to glory in the European Championship in Sweden starting with the play-offs in October.

Unsurprisingly Walcott is relishing the challenge of playing at both levels but he insists it hands an advantage to Stuart Pearce's Under 21 side.

"It's just good to play really," Walcott told The Times. "Maybe the experience we get with the seniors will help with the Under 21s, because there's quite a few of us from the Under 21s in the seniors.

"Also, it gives us the opportunity to try to win the tournament as well, if there are senior squad players still young enough to play for the Under 21s who Stuart Pearce can call upon.

"We've still got to qualify but it'd be good to get the experience of winning a tournament under our belts."

Walcott concedes he may not start in this week's friendlies but maintains that his top priority is improving at club level.

His Arsenal starts have also been sparse with 14 appearances from the bench this season, something that Walcott hopes to increase.

"It'd be a dream come true, to play for England at Wembley this week," Walcott added.

"I know I probably won't start but hopefully I will do well. If I work hard and play well for Arsenal, then hopefully I'll get my chance and why not?"

Wenger - Walcott can now be a regular starter

The 19-year-old striker has had an excellent end to the season and capped a fine individual display with the winner at Sunderland on Sunday.

Walcott is increasingly influential as a starter these days; a far cry from his role as impact substitute at the beginning of the season.

"I think he started as a promising young player and he finished it as a guy who can fight for a regular place in the side," said Wenger after the win at the Stadium of Light.

"The next step for him is to be a player who can produce regular performances and efficiency. I am very hopeful he can be that.

"Sometimes he can be too much 'in and out' of the game still but we have seen when he is in, he is completely in now."

Sunderland V Arsenal 11 May BPL

Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal

Theo Walcott 23' View / Download


Extras

Emmanuel Adebayor's chance

Highlights

More highlights(Not english commentary)

MOTD highlights

Complete Match here

Credit:Mr.Mercury and fred54


This was the last game of the season and we finished the season on the high with a win against sunderland. It was good to see that theo scored. That would give him a lot of confidence for the season ahead.

We started the season on a high, and ended it on a high, that thing that we didnt do well was in the crucial month of march and april. That cost us the title.

I cannot give you a detailed match report, as i was not able to watch the match(Cable operator choose to telecast Man U and Chelsea match!! )

ManU have won the BPL title and Chelsea could not avoid that. Now the focus shifts to Moscow for them and to summer signings for Arsenal.

It looks like a lot of promising players have been linked with us, all i hope is we get decent enough players, who can help us win the BPL title that we deserve.


Match reports

Skysports.com

Arsenal.com

Setanta Sports

Player Ratings

Wengers comments

Vela will be a hit in Arsenal says Walcott

Theo Walcott believes Arsene Wenger will add to his squad this summer, but highlighted one player already contracted to the club who could make a major impact next season.

Mexican winger Carlos Vela is due to return to Arsenal this summer following two years spent in Spain on loan, first with Salamanca and then Osasuna, and Walcott is excited by the potential of the 19-year-old.

Walcott told Arsenal TV: "There may be a few players coming in and we will have Carlos Vela coming back so he will be a nice player to work with.

"Carlos is a very quick player - a left winger - and he will definitely fit into the squad. We have got plenty of flair players.”

A disappointing finale may have coloured opinion of Arsenal’s season, but Walcott believes The Gunners should consider this season a work in progress.

"We started the season brilliantly and you look back at some results and think we could have done things differently. But no-one expected us to do this well.

"We are getting experience this year and can take a number of positives from this season.

"We are all getting to know each other's strengths and will hopefully take that into next year."

Theo: Gunners won't blow up again

Theo Walcott has warned the rest of The Premier League that Arsenal’s youngsters will not make the same mistakes again in their pursuit of the league title.

Arsenal topped the table for the majority of the season before blowing up in March, drawing four straight games to fall behind Manchester United and Chelsea.

Manager Arsene Wenger has cited crippling injuries and a small squad for his side’s inability to stay the course of the campaign, with the likes of Cesc Fabregas showing clear signs of tiredness at the business end of the season.

One shining light for The Gunners has been the form of impact substitute Walcott, and the England youngster is adamant Arsenal will have learnt a lot from the past 12 months.

"Hopefully the young players will take this experience into next year. We will know how to cope with things if they happen again,” stated Walcott.

"Our main ambition is to win a trophy next year. We have been playing brilliant football but not winning things. Hopefully next season we can go one stage further and get a trophy."

Walcott has scored six goals and made 38 appearances for The Gunners in his best season to date, and he now feels he is physically ready to handle English football’s biggest stage.

"I have been working in the gym to help my shoulder after I dislocated it and go twice or three times a week. I feel stronger in games and it has definitely helped me.

"I just want to keep doing what I have been when I have come off the bench and have enjoyed playing.”

Walcott warns title rivals

Theo Walcott has warned Arsenal's title rivals that Arsene Wenger's side will emerge stronger next season.

The Gunners began the 2007/08 campaign in impressive fashion only to suffer a detrimental drop in form during the latter stages of the term.

But Walcott is adamant that Wenger's men - who take on Everton on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 - will learn from their mistakes and come back fighting next season.

"I think we are the best footballing side in the country," he told the Sunday Mirror. "We have made mistakes this season and we'll come back stronger next time.

"We have a fantastic team spirit, which is down to players coming through the ranks. I think this has been a transitional season."

Walcott went on to discard condemnation of Gunners skipper William Gallas, insisting that the France international's leadership skills have paid dividends this season.

The 19-year-old said: "William Gallas has been a great captain and the criticism of him has been unfair. There are 11 captains on the pitch but you need someone to lift our heads up.

"William has done that - he introduced huddles at the beginning of the games, which have been a great motivational tool."

Walcott also commented on rumours linking Barcelona's Thierry Henry with a return to Emirates Stadium after the striker endured a disappointing first season in La Liga.

"I think we have blossomed without him this season. Some players have come out of his shadow," Walcott concluded.

Derby County V Arsenal 28 April BPL

Derby 2-6 Arsenal

Derby

Jay Mceveley 32' View / Download

Earnshaw 76' View / Download

Arsenal

Bendtner 24' View / Download

Van Persie 40' View / Download

Adebayor 59' View / Download

Walcott 78' View / Download

Adebayor 80' View / Download

Adebayor 91' View / Download


Extras

Arsenal Chance

Van Persie miss

Toure's shot over the goal

Highlights

First Half

Second Half

Full Match

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3



This game was a miss match on paper. Arsenal should have outplayed Derby from the 1st minute of the match, but it was not to be. We did not start the game very well as we had some chances in the starting line-up. Adebayor,gilberto,Jens were rested. Hleb suspended and the rest of the regular first team players are out injured.Bendtner took Ade's place alongside RVP. Denilson filled the midfield role alongside Fabregas(who has recetly crowned the ypun PFA player of the year award) Fabianski was making his BPL debut today.

We started to play some football after a defensive mistake from Derby(how many times have we seen that??) Moore gave the ball to Bendtner who played a one-two with RVP before slotting home. Before the goal, our defence was all over the park,we just could not hold off their aerial balls from the wings. If they had played like that all season, they would have survived the drop.

There was a golden opportunity for RVP to make the score 2-0, but he missed it. It was almost a open goal. All he did was hit it wide on his left foot!!!

But as usual, we conceed just after we score. We gave away a free kick, and from a set play they scored. I really cannot pronounce his name. Fabianski should have come forward and collected the ball, but it was his first game, so he can be excused.

Then came the 2nd goal. It was a superb pass from Kolo to pick out RVP. RVP took it down brilliantly and slotted it home with his right foot just before the half time. We had couple of good chances but it wasn't taken.

The start of the second half was much better. We started to play really well. Unfortunetely RVP had to be subbed because of a thigh strain.(Not again!!) Adebayor came on for him.The passes were going to the right people, there was urgency in the play, it was all free flowing stuff. It was such a pleasure to watch this team.Only thing we lacked this season was a trophy. Theo missed 2 sitters and ade missed 2 as well. Although it was practically everyone had a go, and none scored until adebayor poked it in.

Adebayor added the 3rd goal, and his first of the night after a good tackle from denilson got the ball back to arsenal, from which we created the goal.Word on denilson, he can really be strong in a tackle, although he has a slight frame. He needs games to grow and this was a easy one. He should get a run in the remaining two games. He might be the answer if flamini leaves.

As usual we let in a goal again!!! This time it was our captain Gallas mistake. He let earnshaw slip through and he finished it coolly. It took about 30 seconds for theo to restore the lead. It was a neat finish from a boy who missed two sitters early on in the half.

After the 4th goal, it was exhibition stuff. We just controlled the game and looked like scoring any minute. Adebayor completed his hattrick, one from an assist from clichy, and one from a superb through ball from fabregas. The dance after the goals we some what peculiar.The last goal was the 30th goal of the season! For ade's doubters, its a slap in the face. Not many players can accomplish that feet.

Thats it then, it was a easy match from which we came through 6-2 winners, although some questions can be raised against the defence. Overall the game was supposed to be won,ane Arsenal dully won it.

Wengers post match comments

Match report

Arsenal.com

Skysports

Setanta

I know I must produce for 90 minutes - Walcott

The 19-year-old has broken his Premier League and Champions League ducks and produced several game-changing performances from the bench. It appears, though, that is not enough for the ambitious youngster.

Arsène Wenger hailed Walcott’s display against Reading as his “most complete yet”. The forward tormented defenders from start to finish with his nimble feet and blistering pace; that is exactly what he has been waiting for.

“I don’t want to be coming off the bench all the time,” Walcott told the matchday programme. “I want to get in the starting line-up and I know I need to produce what I do when I come off the bench into practise when I start the games. That's my next target.

“At the start of the season, I said I wanted to make 20 or 25 starts, and score 10 goals. At the moment I'm on 16 starts (Walcott was speaking before the weekend match) and five goals, so it looks like I will fall just short of that.

“I thought that was a reasonable target for the season, so I would have liked to have played a bit more than I have, especially lately because I feel I have been playing quite well, but not starting.

“The boss actually spoke to me and he said that my development is going really well at the moment. That's nice to hear. If I keep doing the right things, people will notice even if we don’t get the right results.”

One such occasion where a disappointing result overshadowed the teenager’s brilliance came at Anfield. Walcott ran practically the length of the pitch leaving four Liverpool players in his wake before squaring to Emmanuel Adebayor to convert. Within minutes, though, Steven Gerrard lashed home a penalty sending the Gunners crashing out of the Champions League.

“It's a shame obviously that we didn't go through, but I know myself what I have done. My display up at Liverpool is the sort of thing I want to do when I start the games — get the defenders on the back foot so that they don’t know what I'm going to do next.”

And where on the field does he feel most comfortable in doing that?

“I think I am more dangerous as a striker, and the boss sees me as a striker so I don’t think I have anything to worry about. I think I will play up front more next season which will be nice but I have to work hard to get in the right positions.

“I've been training and practising a lot at home too, because I have an Astroturf area there now as well so I work on things there and try to take it into training, and then into the games.”

Walcott hungry for more

Theo Walcott admits that he has not lived up to what he hoped to achieve this season, but has his sights firmly set on engineering a regular starting berth for himself for both Arsenal and England.

Walcott turned in a sprightly display in a rare start for The Gunners against Reading on Saturday, with Arsene Wenger describing it as the 19-year-old’s best performance since moving to North London.

Wenger has been pleased with Walcott’s steady progress, but the player himself is chomping at the bit to go to the next level.

"At the start of this season I wanted to make 20 to 25 starts and score five goals,” he said in The Daily Mirror. “At the moment I'm on 17 starts and five goals, so it looks like I will fall short of that.

"I would have liked to have played more, especially lately because I feel I have been playing quite well.

"I don't want to be coming off the bench all the time. I want to get in the starting line-up and I know I need to produce what I do in practice when I start the games. That's my next target.

"Hopefully I can start some games for Arsenal and show Mr Capello what I can do. I want to concentrate on Arsenal first and foremost, but England have a couple of friendlies coming up and I would like to be involved."

Theo Walcott is a man now but not a monster - Wenger

Theo Walcott is a man - but not a monster - on the pitch for Arsenal now, according to Arsène Wenger.

The 19-year-old has put in a number of eye-catching cameos in recent weeks and, on Saturday, sparkled from the start in the 2-0 win over Reading.

Walcott has been under the microscope ever since he signed from Southampton in January 2006 but now, Wenger argues, he is fulfilling his sky-high potential.

"It was his most complete game," said the manager after the weekend win. "One where he looked most 'the man', the most mature.

"At the start of the season, when Theo was on from the beginning, you did not see a lot from him. There were only glimpses when you could say 'there is something there' and you wondered when he would come out. Now he is starting to show that.

"Theo is not a monster, but he has great body power. When he starts on the first five yards, it is like you throw him away. You do not see him, he is gone. That is more important than just more power. But the way we play, we can take advantage of his qualities.

"Before he was always a bit out of the physical contact side of the game, now he looks for it. I told him he had to be more aggressive and determined. He is that now.

"I feel next season began on Saturday for him. I don't know yet if I will start with him for the rest of the season, but there is a good chance yes.

"It is down to him now, how much he wants it. But I hope he continues to produce this type of performance and on his account are 10 or 15 goals, because that is what you should aim for."

Gilberto urges Walcott to wait

Arsenal veteran Gilberto believes that Theo Walcott must bide his time if he is to reach the top.

"Apart from being a great player, Theo is a very nice guy - but I think people need to give him time," he said.

"I read some things and people try to put pressure on him and between him and the manager, but if they let him do his job freely then he can be one of the best players in England.

"Sometimes people forget that he is very young. Theo needs to progress in the way he plays."

Gilberto declared: "Theo will do it, but if I was him then I would be very calm because he's playing for a big club, he's doing very well, he's got plenty of time to learn things and improve himself.

"The pace he has got and his ability he's got for such a young guy, it's amazing - but he must concentrate on his job, do it without any pressure because I know he wants to play games.

"He has got time on his side to develop a bit more.

"Theo has got the talent and the more he works, as I've seen him work on the training ground, the better he will become.

"He will be prepared and more ready to take his chance when he is in the starting XI."

Gilberto is hoping that he will be around to see Walcott's development, as with just a year left to run on his current contract at the Emirates he admits that his future remains unclear.

"I will sit down with the boss at the end of the season," he confirmed.

"But for the next few weeks, I will keep focused on doing my job, trying to help the team as much as I can whether it is on the pitch, or in training working with the players.

"We always speak very nicely, Arsene (Wenger) is open and we will talk.

"I don't know whether you can get assurances, but I want to talk about my prospects and whether I have a chance to play, if the manager thinks I can be a good player for the team or
not."

Gilberto added: "To be honest, I really want to stay and I've always expressed that.

"Of course I'm upset that I've not played much this season because last year I played the whole season and this year has been really frustrating.

"But you need to be professional, respect the manager's point of view and help the other players as much and to the maximum that I possibly can."

Theo Walcott just wants his chance at Arsenal

That run. Arsene Wenger called it the worst week of his managerial career as Arsenal crashed out of contention in Europe and the Premier League to arch-rivals Liverpool and Manchester United. But if there were such a thing as a glimmer of consolation, maybe it was in "that run" by a teenage whippet prematurely written off as too fragile in some quarters.

He's no bull, Theo Walcott. He is a polite, neat, almost delicate young man with matching diamonds twinkling in his ears, immaculate sideburns and unscuffed white trainers. So far, so the image. But for one brief, perhaps life-changing moment at Anfield 11 days ago, this young footballer turned into a charging rhino. Liverpool players were knocked down like red skittles as he vented a season's fury and frustration upon them. Eighty yards later, a slipped pass inside to Emmanuel Adebayor set up the goal that meant Arsenal were six minutes from the Champions League semi-final. It was the kind of transformation that only happens in Disney films. It was his Cinderella moment.

"I dunno how it happened. I wasn't thinking. Gerrard miskicked the ball, then I got past Alonso, then Aurelio - he should have taken me down, really - and then Mascherano tried to keep up - I've seen it on telly loads of times and he's busting a gut trying to catch up, bless him - then I've got past Hyypia as well and crossed to Aby. Hyypia come up after the game and wanted my shirt, so that was nice. It was mixed emotions for myself. Shame we went out.

"It was lack of concentration really, wasn't it? We were all on a high and we weren't focused. I think I was still up the other end of the field celebrating." His honesty is disarming. No doubt Wenger was livid that his inexperienced Arsenal team were able to hang on to their advantage for no more than a minute before Kolo Toure gave away a penalty. But he must have appreciated Walcott's effort. So did his former England manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson. "It was a bit like Maradona, wasn't it?" he said, breaking a lifetime's habit of boring quotes. Walcott laughed. (He is half the width of Maradona, for a start.) "That's a lot to live up to," he observed calmly. "But people did take notice of that run. Lately, I've had a lot of stuff that's overshadowed me - like the awful Eduardo situation and getting a draw in the last couple of seconds against Birmingham when I'd scored my first two Premier League goals."

For every sweet moment, there has been a bitter aftertaste. Walcott has been what they call these days "an impact player", a position known in simpler days as super-sub. He has only started 16 games this season, appearing 19 times from the bench. It happened again in that fateful contest against Liverpool. He came on in the 72nd minute for the erratic Emmanuel Eboue and suddenly started playing like the Incredible Hulk.

"Maybe I was just angry because I hadn't started. I just wanted to show what I could do. I've only ever started two games in a row before I'm dropped again. I wasn't really thinking about anything before the game, or even during it. In previous days, I'd be thinking too much. It would all get caught in my head and put pressure on me. But lately my mind's been clear. I don't know why. I am just enjoying playing more.

"It was an aggressive run. I've been going to the gym a lot more. I'm getting stronger. People don't realise I'm only 19 and still growing. I'm 5ft 9in and I've been working on my upper body really hard. That run could have been taking out all my frustrations on Liverpool. " He has no idea if he will start today against Reading at the Emirates, but the chances are that both manager and supporters are reassessing the teenage prodigy bought for £5?million (a world record for his age) from Southampton a little over two years ago. Maybe Bambi is growing antlers after all. There were signs he was growing (politely) impatient.

"I had a word with the manager in October. I basically said: 'What do I have to do to start a game?' He said: 'You've got to be a bit more aggressive. Not kicking people. But running at players, doing defensive duties and tucking into midfield when we haven't got the ball." Of late, I've been doing all those things, but I still haven't had a run in the starting line-up. Hopefully this weekend I will, and if not I'll knock on the door again and say: 'Now what do I have to do?'

"The Boss is a brilliant man to talk to but I am scared really. I was on Mrs and Mrs [the new ITV show] with my girlfriend, Mel, and one of the questions was: 'Who are you most scared of? Mel's Dad, my Dad or Arsene Wenger?' I said Arsene. Mel got it wrong. She said my Dad. But it shows that I should have respect for myself for approaching Arsene. It's quite difficult for a young player to knock on his door, so it was quite scary. But nice." 'Scary but nice' is an appropriate motto for Walcott's Emirates career.

Source:Telegraph

Wenger wont buy David Villa from Valencia

Arsène Wenger was pleased to hear David Villa compliment his team but he is not making a move for the Valencia striker.

On the contrary, the Frenchman believes goalscoring has not been a problem for his side this term and his improving young strikers need room to grow.

"We are not in the transfer market for David Villa," said Wenger at his pre-match press conference. "He has said some very complimentary things about us which we take as a big honour. I rate him highly as a player but I will not make concrete investigations for anyone at the moment."

The manager went on: "I feel up front I need to give time to Walcott and Bendtner because they have made big improvement for me this season. Theo is coming on so I need to give them a chance or they will not come out."

In fact, the Arsenal manager argues goal-scoring is not where his side need strengthening. It is more the other end of the pitch that has been his concern.

"We were leading at Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United plus we were leading at home against Liverpool," he said. "So we can score goals. What we could not stop is conceding goals in big games.

"You know that nine times out of 10 the team that wins the big games is the team who scores first. But we lost these games after being in front. We suffered more as a team defensively rather than offensively."

Wenger - Walcott must be given time to mature

Arsène Wenger led the applause for Theo Walcott on Tuesday night but Arsenal's manager has urged the football world not to expect too much, too soon from the teenager.

Wenger enjoyed Walcott's assist as much as anyone and is weighing up whether to start the young forward against Manchester United on Sunday. However, the Frenchman warned that Walcott must be given time to fulfill his undoubted potential.

"Theo started last Saturday and nobody talked about him on Sunday, then he had a big impact on Tuesday," said Wenger.

"You have to accept that the player has to mature to have an impact at this level consistently.

"What he has done on Tuesday night deserves plenty of credit, it is absolutely fantastic and I am happy for him, but you want him to be a team player who makes a consistent contribution and keeps that special thing that he can produce.

"Then he will not only be a good player for Arsenal Football Club, he will be a world-class player.

"I think that's in him and you want that to come out with him, but maybe you have to be a little bit patient."

Fabio Capello 'delighted' with Theo Walcott

England manager Fabio Capello has pronounced himself "delighted" with Theo Walcott following the Arsenal winger's cameo appearance as a substitute in the Champions League against Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday evening.

"I was delighted with the impact that Theo Walcott made on the game," Capello said. "The run he made for Arsenal's second goal was incredible. To go past so many players with such speed and balance is one thing, but to have the composure and awareness to pick a pass at the crucial moment showed great skill and maturity."

"There can be no disputing Walcott's ability."

Arsenal pair hail Walcott

Arsenal's Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor have heaped praise on team-mate Theo Walcott.

Walcott, on as a substitute, embarked on an incredible run before cutting back for Adebayor, who levelled to make it 2-2.

The Gunners' joy was short-lived, though, as The Reds went on to claim success following late goals from Steven Gerrard and Ryan Babel.

But both Toure and Adebayor have hailed the youngster, praising his recent development.

"Theo's run was fantastic, with a great pass at the end," Toure told the club's official website.

"He is a good player and is improving every time. I think he is going to be one of the best players in England."

Adebayor added: "For a few months now Theo has been on fire.

"He is very quick and is playing some good football. Playing up front alongside him is brilliant."