Walcott to give up on central striker role
The 27-year-old has told Arsene Wenger that he no longer wants to be considered as a solo striker at the Emirate
He was once hailed as the next great thing in English football, a teenage wonderkid with the world at his feet.
Ten years later, after a difficult journey of highs and lows, Theo Walcott is ready to abandon dreams of being the next Thierry Henry or Ian Wright in an attempt to rescue his career for Arsenal and England.
The 27-year-old forward has told Arsene Wenger he no longer wants to be considered as a solo striker at the Emirates.
He is happy to play where selected, but wants to go back to playing wide on the right again after a decade of failing to establish himself as a successor to those great names of the club’s recent past.
Walcott had a miserable season last term after winning a bumper contract only last summer on the back of a great goalscoring run.
Walcott struggled last season
But he believes the way to win his way back into the hearts and minds of Wenger and disgruntled Arsenal fans is by working hard and going back to what he does best.
He has failed to impress in pre-season so far, going three games without a goal but gets a chance to impress again when the club departs for a two-game tour of Sweden on Thursday culminating in a weekend showdown with Manchester City.
Arsenal forward Theo Walcott (14) battlles for the ball with MLS All-Star Team midfielder Giovani Dos Santos (17) during the first half of the 2016 MLS All-Star Game at Avaya Stadium Reuters
The England striker has yet to find the back of the net this pre-season
Asked if he feared for his place again with Olivier Giroud the preferred solo striker and Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette possibly coming in, he revealed: “That’s a question for the manager.
“I have told the manager that I want to be known for playing on the right again, although I can play up front.“As for myself, I know where I want to play. The manager has said I can play up front. It depends on what game it is. I know I can do a job up front as well as on the right.
“I want to make my position on the right; that’s where I am now.
“I have been here 10 years. There is always competition for places. It doesn’t matter what club you are at. I always believe that I can get back to where I want to be. I’m sure if I keep working hard then I will get there.”
Walcott marked a decade at Arsenal in January and has attempted to recover his starting role for club and country, spending some of his summer with expert personal trainer Bradley Simmonds. Then he reported back early for pre-season training.
Speaking at the end of Arsenal’s tour in Los Angeles, Walcott says all he wants now is to fulfil his potential with Arsenal’s first Premier League title since 2004.
He added: “Last season? It’s gone. It’s in the past, isn’t it? We don’t have to worry about it anymore.
“Is there any need to go on about the past? There generally isn’t, is there? If we dwell on the past, we are not going to get anywhere, We have just got to look forward.
“We can’t be dwelling on this silly trophy (title) drought. We have to forget about that. We won the FA Cup twice a couple of years ago. We have to forget about that as well.
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