When Henry first arrived he took 6-7 games to adapt then there was no stopping him.Originally Posted by dazthegooner
Walcott has had 5 years+
I saw Henry in the 98 World Cup and could see he was a terrific player then, he was also very good for Monaco.
Walcott just doesn't have the skills Henry has and never will have, like I said before his asset is pace, he's a little predictable but it's useful sometimes especially when teams become tired.
Not that theo's going to be the henry, but your making it out as if Theo Walcott who I think isn't even the age Henry was when he joined us, is now in is prime?
I'm not really, I also so Henry way before we signed him...he didn't end up at Juventus by chance, he was a quality player.
Walcott may not be in his prime but he's had 5+ years at a big club (most kids don't get that) so you'd expect him to be more advanced then some of the others of his age. What strikes me is that he's very predictable, he's quick so once he gets behind a defender they won't catch him but most of his game is average, there's no sparkle about him.
Same couldn't be said for Henry at his age.
It's stupid comparing anyone to Henry, he was one of the best players I've ever seen.
Theo's not consistent but he's clearly got some ability, his progress has been hampered by injuries but his stats are decent and if he can stay injury free this year I reckon he could do quite well.
He'll always have games where he's crowded out and is basically a passenger. But if he stays fit for once, he is a great asset.
If Henry had stayed at Juve where he was played out of position we'd see a different player.
Theo is a striker playing the role on a winger down the right. I don't think you understand how difficult that is. Henry was a winger converted into a striker. Taking on players and dribbling comes natural to him so all he had to do was sharpen up his finishing. He didn't even have to get used to playing with his back to goal because he'd pick up the ball from wide positions or deep his positioning and movement improved over the years.
Theo's off the ball movement, ability to exploit space and finishing are his best assets. Asking him to play on on the wide right won't get the best out of him. It's like asking Owen or Defoe to play as a right winger. He's done well to cope, but it time to push him over to the left or to the centre as a striker.
You've never been a supporter of Walcott and even after scoring a load of goals and setting up players, you still won't budge. I said before, if he stays injury free, he'll do well. Was I wrong? His stats are as good as our top wingers and he also shows up for the big games like yesterday, like last week, like the Tottenham derby and the Barca game. He'll have stinker of course, but cut him some slack at least. Credit where it's and that.
Henry was a fantastic player even as a winger as he demonstrated for Monaco and France before he moved, it's what earned him his move to Juve in the first place, sometimes players move to a club and it doesn't work (Bergkamp at Inter for example) but they usually earn a move to top clubs (and Juve were one of the best at the time) because they have performed.
I don't think the two are comparable, one was a very special footballer the other isn't. Walcott will play his role, scoring a few goals along the way but IMO Ox-Chamberlain has more potential, he's young yes but he seems to have more awareness of players around him, can beat players and generally appears to have a better grasp of the basics.
It's early day but I think he could be very very good (Oxo)
exactly, like the first leg, except that time the other way round. instinctive in front of goal and missed a late shot when he picked his corner.
You missed my final point about Henry being a natural winger. Theo isn't a winger and doesn't think like a midfield player so he hasn't got the basics of a midfielder but he has the basics of a striker. Theo has had to learn how to beat players, dribble with the ball to feet and cross. It's the reverse of Henry and much harder because your asking a player that isn't used to dribbling on the flanks to do that. Again, it's like asking Owen to play as a winger. I'm not even going to bother with Oxo because he hasn't made his debut for us yet and he's a midfield player. Also, I think he prefers the middle and is more of a passer type, but we will see.
But it's down to the players at the end of the day. We can talk all day, so far, Theo has been our most dangerous winger and the one most teams fear.
He's not instinctive in front of goal at all though, you'll often seem him miss those chances a goalscorer would put away.
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