Bye Bye Theo

"In 2012, at the beginning of the year, he will play games." Since this prediction, Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain has been electric for Arsenal.  Arsene Wenger saw it coming.  Now Arsenal fans see this coming: Theo Walcott will be relegated out of the starting lineup when Gervinho returns from the African Cup of Nation.  And frankly $100,000 a week for the 4th best striker on your team is not a good way of doing business, Arsene.



There are two reasons for this and they are very clear: The Ox is good, Theo is not.  Since the departure of Fabregas and the reshaping of the midfield around Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's play has become slowed and more balanced.  That meant less bombing forward, more deliberate attacks, and very few of the classic Arsenal fast breaks.  This also means Walcott is less effective because he is best in open games where he can use his speed and run at open spaces.  When matched up against top quality defenders or in tight games with less space to run at he struggles to contribute offensively.  He displays the ball to defenders, has sloppy touches, dribbles towards the corner flag, and sends blind balls into the box with no real target at the end.  How many times has he beaten Patrice Evra on the dribble?  Let me know because I can't remember an instance.  Yes Theo, he is giving you the real estate from the edge of the box to the corner flag because you're useless over there.  With this style of play now occurring on a game to game basis with Arteta in midfield Theo has struggled even more.  No touch, no skill, no brain.  He just can't unlock a defense consistently.

Enter The Ox.  He has everything Theo has: pace and....well, pace.  But he also brings a complete game to the table: the ability to consistently beat defenders, wonderful defensive cover, tricks (who knew?), and he can even pick out a decent ball into the box.  He has electrified the crowd at the Emirates and brought back the fast paced game Arsenal fans are familiar with. He is everything that Theo should have been.  Fuck could have been because let's be honest 22 year olds just don't develop ball skills at that stage.  So when Gervinho returns, it most likely means Theo will be the odd man out (or even man out?) of Arsenal's front three.  Just the thought of having players on both flanks with tremendous pace and ability to get balls into Robin van Persie from the end line is mouth watering.  RvP could see his already ridiculous goal tally climb much much higher if all parties stay fit (who nows maybe Shaquille van Persie can get in on the action, it might be that easy).

So if Arsenal push on the claim 4th spot in the Premier League it will be because of the Ox.  This isn't a fair expectation but there is no one else (besides RvP of course) that has that spark, that extra bit of class. And when the ball's at his feet, you anticipate that he can change the game at a moment's notice.