Sick of this discussion all the time, when he is fit, he walks into the team. We looked good yesterday, there were also times when we looked like we desperately lacked pace both on the counter and as an out ball to relieve some pressure.

When we lose 'We need Theo ASAP'
When we win 'Theo won't get in to the team'

Make up your minds.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Walcott provides a different and very important dimension. Walks into the team for me (even though we will concede possession more regularly with him in the side)

Everybody should be picked on their form and if Theo performs like he did like the early part of last season then he starts for me and the casualty would be Roiscky unless he can change his game and become a deep lying central player like Ramsey and Arteta occupied yesterday

Walks straight back into the team.

If he was on the team yesterday with pool pressing high the score could of got messy with him on the counter

There was a moment yesterday, when Ramsey got the ball in an advanced position and it was 2 v 2, he had a clean run at the liverpool centre backs. However, no one really managed to catch up with him. Ozil, Cazorla, Rosicky were way too slow in joining Ramsey. Only Giroud was up there with him and he's not the ideal striker when it comes to a counter-attack.

This is why we need Theo. Like people have pointed out, a lot of our attacks die out because it's too much tika-taka and no one to release the ball to.

comment by 50P-iÖi (U1147)
posted 3 minutes ago
When we lose 'We need Theo ASAP'
When we win 'Theo won't get in to the team'

Make up your minds.

------------------------------------------------

I don't think it has to be so black and white, but instead it comes down to being a tactical decision.

There are so many times when Theo has played and the opposition have parked the bus and he has looked totally and utterly useless. Our lineup last night is far more preferable in that situation.

However there are times when our opponents let us play on the counter, in which case Theo is the most important player.

I would argue:
- Theo starts the biggest games
- Theo starts benched against the teams who need breaking down, but comes off the bench when we're defending the lead against them

I feel this a far more strategic approach that takes into his strengths and weaknesses, rather than simply saying "let's just play Theo in every match no matter what"

I make up my mind long before. Theo is an automatic starter when fit for me. We need his pace in some games. Yesterday we could compensate that because our FB's especially Sagna were class. But we cant expect Sagna playing on this level all the time.

And it's not alone Theo we need back. We need Pod and Ox on the other wing back as well.

comment by Verminator_05 (U5985)
posted 3 minutes ago
There was a moment yesterday, when Ramsey got the ball in an advanced position and it was 2 v 2, he had a clean run at the liverpool centre backs. However, no one really managed to catch up with him. Ozil, Cazorla, Rosicky were way too slow in joining Ramsey. Only Giroud was up there with him and he's not the ideal striker when it comes to a counter-attack.

This is why we need Theo. Like people have pointed out, a lot of our attacks die out because it's too much tika-taka and no one to release the ball to.

--------------------------------

Perfect example of when Theo is useful, I believe that opportunity arose after we had scored? Prior to the first goal though, he would have been on the pitch instead of Rosicky, Cazorla or Ozil and I can only think this would have reduced the number of opportunities we created

comment by Günnerthrü - Arsenal thrü and thrü (U6675)
posted 3 minutes ago
I make up my mind long before. Theo is an automatic starter when fit for me. We need his pace in some games. Yesterday we could compensate that because our FB's especially Sagna were class. But we cant expect Sagna playing on this level all the time.

And it's not alone Theo we need back. We need Pod and Ox on the other wing back as well.

----------------------------

If we have Theo on one wing and Ox/Pod on the other, we are sacrificing the style of football we played last night. There has to be a balance drawn between having creative players and having direct players.

I feel your suggestion would be, for the majority of games, far too unbalanced in favour of direct players. No point having players who can score if you don't have enough players setting them up.

Saying that, against the likes of Bayern Munich, Man City or other attacking teams, we could set up with direct players with the purpose of being dangerous on the break and that would be a very effective lineup

If Walcott starts consistently, Ozil's assist stats are going to become scary.

Walks
into the team for me (even
though we will concede
possession more regularly with
him in the side)
-------

not necessarily. If you have pacy outlets on the flanks, you can spread the play and decongest the middle. It's easier for teams like Dortmund or even the battling West Brom to squeeze our midfield when there is no out-ball.

Whether against a team parking the bus or a team having a go at us, Walcott has to start EVERYTIME. He makes by far the best runs off the ball among our players. The others like to play it infront of the opposition. Walcott likes to get behind the opposition and this also creates space and options for those on the ball. I genuinely believe we wouldn't have drawn with West Brom or lost to Dortmund with Theo on the pitch. In the latter case, Sagna wouldn't have overcommited himself upfield for the 2nd goal if Theo was there.

It's not all about technique. Pace and the willingness to run the channels is important too. We've had 2 good games against Napoli and Liverpool without Theo but you can't tell if we would have been even better with him.

Theo is carp. You lot are better off without him. He is the welbeck of arsenal. teams play well when they are off injured

And all these neglects the fact that we won't see the best of Ozil until we have willing runners behind the opposition defence. Pod and Ox would thrive on the vision of Ozil but none more than Walcott.

Very well-argued point there sheriff. I love that we have options in this team and that even with a few, 'key' players out, we have a team that can compete with the best

"There was a moment yesterday, when Ramsey got the ball in an advanced position and it was 2 v 2, he had a clean run at the liverpool centre backs. However, no one really managed to catch up with him. Ozil, Cazorla, Rosicky were way too slow in joining Ramsey. Only Giroud was up there with him and he's not the ideal striker when it comes to a counter-attack.

This is why we need Theo. Like people have pointed out, a lot of our attacks die out because it's too much tika-taka and no one to release the ball to."

This

"not necessarily. If you have pacy outlets on the flanks, you can spread the play and decongest the middle. It's easier for teams like Dortmund or even the battling West Brom to squeeze our midfield when there is no out-ball."

And this

As well as we played yesterday, it's easy to forget that it wasn't all plain sailing. For the first 15 minutes in particular, I thought Liverpool pressed us well and we found it difficult to get our of our own half.

It's testament to the technical ability of our players that despite a lack of pace, they were able to retain possession under pressure and gradually work their way up the pitch and get into the final third.
But with a pacey runner in behind, a la Walcott, the transition from defence to attack could have been a lot more straightforward.

For me, assuming he doesn't look completely out of sorts, Walcott has to start when fit.

Theo is carp. You lot are better
off without him. He is the
welbeck of arsenal.
------

Except Welbeck got like 2 or 3 goals last season while Theo had over 20. And more assists too. Not that good a comparison, is it?

comment by Sheriff John Brown - bring back David Dein (U7482)
posted 42 seconds ago
And all these neglects the fact that we won't see the best of Ozil until we have willing runners behind the opposition defence. Pod and Ox would thrive on the vision of Ozil but none more than Walcott.

-------------------------

I wouldn't want to see 2 out of those 3 players on the pitch at the same time though, except if one of them is Ox (in a few years time) who I believe is the the only one of those 3 with the potential to up his creativity to Cazorla/Rosicky levels

When Walcott returns, we will have options. Something people have complained about in the past.

There will be games where Walcott's pace will be more effective, and other games where we will want to have more creativity or a more defensive minded player instead.

The important thing is that we'll be able to make changes without necessarily weakening the team.