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Shining Light In The Pit Of Despair

As most Gooners sit in the depths of despair similar to those experienced when Dave Seman got lobbed from 50 yards, Ryan Giggs took on the entire Arsenal team for a last minute heart breaker or when Wayne Bridge snuck in with minutes remaining, there remains one solitary ray of happiness, and he goes by the name of Theo Walcott.

The 19 year old front man has had is reputation as a top flight player questioned recently, some maintaining that he is not progressing as quickly as we thought he would, but over the course of the season, the little man has come of age.

Despite only appearing mostly as a substitute, Walcott has impressed, and continues to impress the more games he plays.

I'm not usually one for player bashing, but Walcott has produced more from a handful of appearance since the turn of the year than Eboue has given for the whole season.

The Englishman, labelled as a waste of money by many rival fans, has enhanced his reputation greatly with a string of exciting displays and has had Gooners on the edge of their seats with his speed and willingness to attack defenders.

I honestly can't think of another Arsenal player more deserving of a starting spot in the team this weekend, and if Eboue is picked ahead of him once again, who could question Theo for being mightily pissed off?

Tonight is one of the lowest points of my Arsenal supporting life, but Young Theo has lifted my spirits, and I pray he can do it again at the weekend.

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Writer: Rocky7

Date:Tuesday April 8 2008

Time: 11:19PM

Your Comments

Yup, he should have played today from the start.

ZeeNut

Good article mate, how Eboue gets in the side before Theo I will never know.

codchops

Wish I could read on and get involved in debate, but my head is going into the oven

GunnerBlood

Hehe GB, I completely understand. Cheers Rocky, we need to look at the positives from this as well and Theo's run was certainly one. I dont think he will be *****ed that Eboue starts ahead of him, coz he has made an impact as a sub taking on tiring defenders. You can argue that it was Wenger's strategy all along and the next step is to give him a few starts. Hope that happens this weekend.

prits

He deserves it so much. He has worked his ********* off to get into this team whilst Eboue has been lazy and disinterested, on top of all that he's a dirty cheat whereas Walcott is as honest as the day is long.

Rocky7

Walcott is good, but not consistent enough. Hope he can show us some magic vs manure this Sunday. many players looked too tired. in the 2nd half, some players did not even contribute much. this made those already tired players work even harder than ever.

fcdematthew

Good game actually, shame them feckin scousers won it, good game. Funny old game...

Blue is the colour

Matthew; Do you think that Eboue has been consistent enough?

Rocky7

walcott........ahahahahha good one, he might score a hat trick at OT and then surley youll win the prem aahahahahaha

spursinbarca

nope doesn't make me feel better at all.

hazzagooner

Theo might be showing brilliant flashes and he will surely improve, but I think what we really need is another leader on the field. That's what players like Theo and Cesc will respond to and up their game even further.

Andy-bayor

Yes Rocky Eboue is extremely consistent. Consistently *****E!!!!! Eboue is the first player in my 10 years of supporting this club that I have no problem in bashing.

gunnerkid107

boys and girls, i feel physically sick. its too hard being a gooner sometimes. i feel wengers frustration. countless times we have played the best football this country/europe has ever seen, only to be undone by a lack of concentration or inconsistency. why cant we just put a game to bed?this club is in need of an adrenaline purchase. i cant remember the last time i felt ecstatic about a signing. i can appreciate that this team is young but sometimes we need to have a real dog in our side. someone who can grab the bull by the horns and strike fear into our opponents. liverpool have it with torres and gerrard. man u have ronaldo and rooney. seasoned vets. ***** man....im in a state. heartbroken. arsenal till i die....but still heartbroken.

triceratops

There are no words to describe the run from Theo. Calling it brilliant just doesnt give it justice. I have always had faith in Theo and he will show it the rest of the season and next season. If there is one player that deserves to be the first on the team sheet on Sunday it is Theo.

gunnerkid107

We came so close. Add afew players, and take a few away, or should I say, Ebou-away, and we'll show 'em next year. Awful, depressing day, but Theo is going to be a star.

darinb007

He was used well I thought, brought on when the game was being stretched but i'd be wary about using him for 90 minutes - I don't think he'd be effective. In a full game i think he'd be bullied too much and a game like tonights for you lot would have been a step too far...Flamini's injury, Sendros' defending and Ady's finishing cost you tonight, not the penalty decisions you're bleating on about!

yiddogray

Blue is the colour, what's your problem with Liverpool?

Bosko-Macedonia

We came so close, the boys gave everything, our time will come soon. Here's Theo's run again, this one moment is making everything better somehow.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ffPe54eLI

Keplaz

Theo has gradually be gaining in confidence. Im not quite sure of when it was, possibly the 1st leg against Pool, but you could tell he has grown when he took unleashed a shaker from 25m out. Im really excited about his form in the future. Him and Vela could be an impressive duo

Aussie Gooner

For me it happened when he came on against Milan after an injury. There was an extra spring in his step, somthing that just wasn't there before. He seems to have matured so much as a player and more suited to leading the line next season. Him and Ade up front, Vela and Hleb or whoever we will have by then on the wings. Walcott will rule.

Keplaz

I second BITC's thoughts. You were unlucky and I was looking forward to meeting you!

Fan of Blues

hats of to gooners 2nite! a brilliant game to watch. Well i must say it's temping to ask 'now you believe in the myth...?' :) That's what an intimidating stadium (or KOP to be precise) can be influenced on any man on the pitch. make it to our favour or against our opponents. It's hard to argue whether the 'men in black' also influenced... but 0.05% intimidated soul can sometimes swayed his decision in our favour (...and with that statement, Chelski fans will defo remind us the 'ghost goal of 2005') :P well good luck lad meeting MU... obviously i'm rooting for u guys! p/s - between Spuds & Gooners... Men in Red all the time :P

Inoue Takahiro

Cheers Rocky. Theo's great run and assist today for Ade's goal was like what he did in Milan. I'm still very very proud of the team. I still think going out on CL QF against a side like Liverpool or coming third on the league after ManU and Chelsea is no shame at all. It's just the way we lost out on both trophies, plus those blatantly wrong decisions, that hurts. True, if we had grabbed our chances better, or had we maintained better concentration at the back, we wouldn't have had to rely on the officials to get things right. That's our job not done well enough. But neither have they done theirs tbh. The fact that we came so close by playing the type of football we play with this team is an achievement in itself. I'm just gutted we've got nothing to show for that and we've got no medal for Eduardo. No doubt, with as few as 1-2 good signings, we'll be really strong next year. But so will our opponents. Keep the faith guys.

Lou the Gunneress

I've been a gooner longer than most of you have been alive- which isn't a boast but a sad fact about my age. That said, I am proud of the effort the lads put in and I am proud to be a gooner.

elbondo

And I have to agree with you Rocky, Theo is a real talent. He has come on as a sub a lot lately and has always caused problems for the other side. Arsene didn't buy him because he was english, he bought him because he is really, really good. I hope we'll see a lot more of him between now and the end of the season.

elbondo

His run for our second showed how much he has improved over the course of the season. He utilised not just his pace but also displayed some body strengthed, which last season was hampered by a shoulder injury, and then a precision pass to Adebayor. This boy needs more game time. Our season is effectively over, we lose nothing by playing him more and noone deserves it more then him.

gunnerdownunder

We shouldnt go overboard though. Remember that Theo is still developing. He started the League game against Liverpool and lost the ball too many times when he tried to run with it. He still has to develop when it comes to running past a defender, some basic ball skills etc. However, these impacts that he makes can only do good for his confidence in his long term progress.

prits

Impact player for you guys at best. Great run for your Secound goal though...

Real Deal

that waz a gr8 run by theo the onli other run ive seen that haz suparsed that run is messi's 1 for barca if theo doesnt start against manu ill be suprised

gunner24

I still think he is an impact player for now. AW wont go overboard and start playing him evert game. Good that AW has been playing him on the wings to develop his dribbling, e.g. what he done in Milan and Last night.
When AW finally moves him up front, whenever that is, he is gonna have it all! Well done Theo!

ian7

you guys were unlucky lastnight. makes it even more sweet. your boy theo aka hamilton done well for the second. wenger gets on my tits. moan moan moan, its football, if the scouser had lost they would have also been unlucky (it was that even) but i dont think rafa would been so ungracious in defeat!

locky

Tbf i don't think you can bemoan Arsene's choice of words in the interview Locky.

AFC85Lew

The next stage for Theo is to produce over 90 minutes. But, as Paul said,he looks infintely more capable of scoring or creating something than Eboue. Eboue does a solid job down the right, his ball retention is decent and he helps his full back. But he offers nothing going forward, we have to accept that he is a right back. You need your attackers to make the difference, Theo can do that and the time is right to test his sea legs with a start. Most of our attacking players are crocked or knackered anyway, we have little choice but to play him on Sunday. A big positive is that he is delivering on the big stage, it's not just Brum he tore apart, but Liverpool at Anfield and Milan at the San Siro, That bodes very well for the future.

Little Dutch

He's starting to shine brightly, and he's still only 19. If he carries on progressing the way he has, he will soon make himself invaluable to the team, and i echo the point that he provides a far better attacking option than eboue, who played well as RB cover for Sagna on Saturday. Good work Theo! he gave us a positive to take from all the recent negatives.

Cesky

Whilst I think theo does more than Eboue in terms of making things happen for us, I do question weather he would be as effective in a starting role, i could be talking complete bol***s here but Eboue does provide more of a prescence when we are soaking up preassure than Theo, but of course theo is the man you want when you are chasing a goal. Perhaps theo sould come on from the bench, but next time a little bit earlier? maybe 2nd half or after the hour?.

ArsenalRob

And he helped you lot achieve ......................................... nothing again. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

YidEdy

Anyone think that he and ade could make a wonderful partnership UP FRONT? Noy on the wing which i have been moaning about for ages. Put him through the middle (like against Pool) and he is class.

Goofle

Hopefully he and Ade can make it because they rarely get injured for long periods and with eduardo unlikely to be anywhere near the player he was, Van Persie being a constant cripple and Bendtner being a stiff idiot (hehehe) we may as well use him with Ade for the rest of the season.

Goofle

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Writer: Rocky7

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