Former Players Views

[GP]

You can't blame fans for moans and groans. It's a natural reaction to a player earning more each week than we get in a year not being able to pass a football.

Agreed. Theo wasn't playing badly because the crowd were on his back. The crowd were on his back because he was playing badly.

First half, he had a holocaust.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

The moans and groans must have been messing with him. He was getting everything wrong and it was a terrible performance because the crowd were on his back. Being ineffective is one thing but Theo looked totally unsure I himself in that game. If you think booing players during a game is counter productive, the constant groans and moans have the same effect.

But anyway....time for Theo to play up front. I agree with Wright.

He looked that way all season lets not make excuses for him, he has been shite end off and if the fans feel it they should say it, just like if they feel wenger makes wrong choices they should boo him.

even Wenger says he nearly too theo off at HT cause he was notplaying well.

[Ollie the Optimist]

You can't blame fans for moans and groans. It's a natural reaction to a player earning more each week than we get in a year not being able to pass a football.

there is this, but then htere is the fact he is reportly asking for a lot more money to play for us. i dont think that will help keep the crowd at bay. of course it could be media bollocks but when a player not playing well and then demands more money the crowd arent going to be forgiving

[Syn]

He messed up a few times, but it was that one where he had a clear run at goal and decided to pass to Van Persie who had 3 defenders near him. That really pissed everyone off. As Letters says, Wenger is probably one of the only managers who is so patient with repeated mistakes (which is one of his repeated mistakes) because although it does pay-off sometimes, it usually has not been. Must admit - nevermind half-time, I would've hauled him off at that moment. He has to learn. A bad first-touch, a wayward pass...things like that you can forgive because he's not the most gifted player. But a complete lack of cojones, nope, he can do one (though it did take some cojones to keep making those runs in the second half and keep at it).

The crowd will definitely groan when players fuck up a promising attack. It's just what you do. You can't really help it. It doesn't matter who it is that fucks up - Van Persie, Walcott, whoever. It's just that it happens to be Walcott far too often. If you make too many of them, people will start shouting out "FFS Theo". Big fucking deal, either stop fucking up or leave.

I don't think Walcott has got any unfair criticism from Arsenal fans. ****s like Hansen who decide to lay into him after he scores a hat-trick...yeah, that's a bit out of order. But otherwise, given this is his 6th year of top flight football, I think the fans have been quite good to him. And rightly so. He should grow some balls but otherwise, he's ok. Not good enough for us IMO but that's Wenger's fault for sticking with him. It's not his fault he's shit but he is a tryer. This season especially himself and Gervinho do work hard tracking back. But the only aspect I think he has improved on since joining is his finishing...when he actually decides to shoot instead of bricking it and passing up the responsibility, he's quite clinical. Maybe his runs are more intelligent now too (Van Persie's goal came about because Theo made a great run from out wide to centre...Ljungberg style).

[Letters]

there is this, but then htere is the fact he is reportly asking for a lot more money to play for us. i dont think that will help keep the crowd at bay. of course it could be media bollocks but when a player not playing well and then demands more money the crowd arent going to be forgiving

A combination of:

Arsenal being on a terrible run and the fans being pissed off anyway.
Going 0-1 and then 0-2 down to Spurs.
Theo reportedly (and it doesn't matter whether it's true or not, fans will read it and it will effect how they feel) wanting a salary hike to £80k a week despite not being consistently effective all season.

and

Theo then having an awful first half.

It's not going to make people kindly disposed towards him. I like Theo and I think he can be effective but he hasn't been so far. Not consistently. And while he's young he's not that young and he should have developed more than he has.

[Power n Glory]

It still effects a players confidence and especially when he's being asked to do something that isn't suitable to his game. He's not a winger and that should be the discussion instead of people getting defensive especially when I've heard the same people critcise others for booing during a game. Theo was getting abuse and that won't help his confidence one bit. But forget all that. The discussion should be about Wright's main argument. Playing him up front with RVP.

[Kano]

It still effects a players confidence and especially when he's being asked to do something that isn't suitable to his game. He's not a winger and that should be the discussion instead of people getting defensive especially when I've heard the same people critcise others for booing during a game. Theo was getting abuse and that won't help his confidence one bit. But forget all that. The discussion should be about Wright's main argument. Playing him up front with RVP.

the "he's not a winger" argument has nothing to do with it. controlling, passing or making a decision is not based on where you play but who you are as a player. i was a big fan of the boy but have lost faith in him due to his inability to do the footballing basics on a consistent basis.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It still effects a players confidence and especially when he's being asked to do something that isn't suitable to his game. He's not a winger and that should be the discussion instead of people getting defensive especially when I've heard the same people critcise others for booing during a game. Theo was getting abuse and that won't help his confidence one bit. But forget all that. The discussion should be about Wright's main argument. Playing him up front with RVP.

What has missing a pass or failing to beat his man having to do with him being a winger ? he was booed because he was poor in the 1st half same as anyother player would be if they were frustating as him.

This him not being a winger talk is getting tedious now.

[Cripps_orig]

The discussion should be about Wright's main argument. Playing him up front with RVP.

This

Dont understand why Wenger doesnt do this. 4-5-1 has killed our game and we need to go back to basics. To 4-4-2, a formation that won us trophies. Theo up top with RVP just behind, a baby version of Henry and Bergkamp and who knows, in time might be as good. Stick Ox on the right, Gervinho on the left until we get someone better and Song and Wilshere in the middle.

Pretty simple

[Olivier's xmas twist]

This

Dont understand why Wenger doesnt do this. 4-5-1 has killed our game and we need to go back to basics. To 4-4-2, a formation that won us trophies. Theo up top with RVP just behind, a baby version of Henry and Bergkamp and who knows, in time might be as good. Stick Ox on the right, Gervinho on the left until we get someone better and Song and Wilshere in the middle.

Pretty simple

Because walcott is shite no matter where you put him end off, just not good enough.