Arsenal vs Bolton - Match Reaction

[Coney]

also anohter thing from yesterday was that chesney save. what a fucking save. that gone in, we dont win the game. he really is saving us points this season and last. so glad he is ours

Not so sure about that - we came back from a goal behind earlier in the week.

Czasd\zz\ny is definitely the main man for us - he is repeatedly showing why he is number 1 keeper and will be for the next decade or two if we have the ability to keep him at the club. I've mentioned before that the first time I saw him play, his talent and confidence was just so obvious. Our other keepers aren't in the same league as he is. He had better get the No1 shirt next year.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

@ Ach: I doubt anyone who watched the full hand could use the word awesome to describe theo's performance. Though he was probably the player that had the most effect on bolton, he was easily the most frustrating and IMO the worst footballer on the pitch. ATM he's no better than the day we bought him and theirs a strong case for regression to be made. It's quite sad because even a fool can see he could be something really really special, but we've been at it 5 years now and we're not getting any closer to turning him to even an average footballer. Definitely something fundamentally different needs to be done in our approach as i'm afraid in a few years we run the real risk of him running backwards.

[hobson's choice]

Didn't get a chance to see the game(work), but it looked like we sped the play up in the 2nd half. Which is what they need to do more off, this slow delibrate build up play, will not work period.

[Niall_Quinn]

Had he scored that one on one yesterday, you'd be the first on here to say he had an excellent game, looking dangerous all game, getting their player sent off, having an assist.

He missed and hes no better than what he was when we got him

Lets ignore everything hes done since we got him and you'd be right

Im a bit more realistic than that

Theo had been playing shit long before he fluffed that chance you mention. We seem to be getting to the stage where if one of our players does one decent thing in 90 minutes that gets marked down as a good performance. It's what you do over the 90 minutes that counts. Theo was awful in 90% of what he tried yesterday, even simple passes. This far outweighs him getting the odd pass on target, putting in a cross or diving when through on goal. He should spend less time talking in the papers and more time doing his talking on the pitch.

We at Arsenal, of all people should be able to judge genuine talent. We've had the likes of Henry, Bergkamp, Pires wear the shirt. Theo isn't and will never be in the same universe as those players.

But Jack might.

[Power n Glory]

Theo had been playing shit long before he fluffed that chance you mention. We seem to be getting to the stage where if one of our players does one decent thing in 90 minutes that gets marked down as a good performance. It's what you do over the 90 minutes that counts. Theo was awful in 90% of what he tried yesterday, even simple passes. This far outweighs him getting the odd pass on target, putting in a cross or diving when through on goal. He should spend less time talking in the papers and more time doing his talking on the pitch.

We at Arsenal, of all people should be able to judge genuine talent. We've had the likes of Henry, Bergkamp, Pires wear the shirt. Theo isn't and will never be in the same universe as those players.

But Jack might.

If you had watched Pires, Henry and Bergkamp from there teens to eary 20s and seen the highs and the lows then I'd say you have a point.

[Niall_Quinn]

If you had watched Pires, Henry and Bergkamp from there teens to eary 20s and seen the highs and the lows then I'd say you have a point.

I do have a point. I'm saying we know what the top end is and Theo is making no progress towards it. It's completely fair to say he's going backwards, based on his performances. If anyone thinks they have a future Pires or Henry on their hands in the shape of Theo Walcott then they need to look again. In fact it's a big stretch to suggest we even have a future Ashley Young on our hands. Theo raises the same sort of questions that are raised about Wenger himself. Primarily, how much longer do we put up with him the hope something changes when, in fact, there's not a single sign to indicate the possibility of change.

[Dog Toffee]

Dont get all the Theo and Ramsey bashing, especially Theo, he was part of nearly all our attempts on goal (tho not himself, his finishing is still poor). He was skinning their right sided players, got a player sent off, got an assist and should have scored a few, christ we have more to worry about.

[Niall_Quinn]

Dont get all the Theo and Ramsey bashing, especially Theo, he was part of nearly all our attempts on goal (tho not himself, his finishing is still poor). He was skinning their right sided players, got a player sent off, got an assist and should have scored a few, christ we have more to worry about.

Personally I'm frustrated his potential (or what seemed to be potential) has not been realised and we've ended up with another nearly player. How many of those have we had?

With Ramsey I don't blame the player, I blame Wenger and the board for leaving us so short we have to rely heavily on a kid who has just returned from a major injury. But Theo's had plenty of opportunities to make a mark and he's failed. He wouldn't get into any of the top sides, he's too inconsistent and unproductive. We're settling for second best again with this guy and I'm a bit fed up of it. I'd love to see some genuine quality on the pitch rather than players who are great one minute and then appalling the next. How can you build anything with that kind of inconsistency?

[Ironing]

I think he needs to play down the middle, his technique is poor for a right/left sided player

Despite his immense speed advantage, he still makes a meal out of getting past someone... it is actually baffling

Oh well, at least he doesn't leave the ball behind him when he runs anymore

[Power n Glory]

I do have a point. I'm saying we know what the top end is and Theo is making no progress towards it. It's completely fair to say he's going backwards, based on his performances. If anyone thinks they have a future Pires or Henry on their hands in the shape of Theo Walcott then they need to look again. In fact it's a big stretch to suggest we even have a future Ashley Young on our hands. Theo raises the same sort of questions that are raised about Wenger himself. Primarily, how much longer do we put up with him the hope something changes when, in fact, there's not a single sign to indicate the possibility of change.

You can't compare a 22 year old player whose just come off from having his best season to a manager in his 60s that abides by a philosophy. Your acting as if we just lost that game. Even on a bad day, Theo had a positive effect on the outcome of the game. But there is no point in taking about this because the next time Theo pops up with a vital goal or plays a blinder all will be forgotten. And if you can't understand how a striker playing out on the wing effects there overall game and approach then I can't help you. The story about Theo playing down the centre didn't appear in the match programme for nothing. If you can't dribble, you shouldn't be playing out on the wing but our manager has decided to play him there for some reason even though he's played and trained as a striker before moving to Arsenal. Can you imagine Owen or Defoe being asked to play on the wings in their early years and the effect it would have on their careers and confidence? His pace should be used for getting behind defenders and on to through balls like what we saw yesterday when Bolton had a man sent off. You don't see Fergie starting Hernandez down the wings do you? Watch Theo's game look at his strengths and instead of just saying he's shit with no thought or analysis behind the post, think where he'd be best played. Something constructive for a change because we shouldn't be having such discussions about a player that has just come off a season with 13 goals and 8 assist. A player that scares defenders and changed the Barca tie around for us. If Wenger is getting it wrong with our tactics week in week out, then why comes you haven't stopped to think that he's messing up with certain players and where he plays them?