Arsenal man Theo Walcott in embarrassing U-turn to boss Arsene Wenger: ‘I don’t want to be a striker put me back on wing’
The Arsenal star— who had insisted he was the man to play up front — admitted he wants to go back on the right wing
THEO WALCOTT has made an embarrassing U-turn and told boss Arsene Wenger: I don’t want to be a striker any more.
The England star — who had insisted he was the man to play up front — admitted he wants to go back on the wing.
Walcott’s campaign to play as a striker for Arsenal led to a bumper £140,000-a-week, four-year deal last summer after a run of goals.
But he flopped last season and bore the brunt of fan fury as he lost his starting role for club and country before missing out on Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad.
Some frustrated Gunners fans argue the one-time England wonderkid has never been a great finisher after a return of just 55 goals in 236 Premier League appearances during ten years at the club.
Now Walcott says: “I want to make my position on the right — that’s where I know where I am now. I’ve told the manager that I want to be known for playing on the right again, although I can play up front.
“I want to 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.”
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Walcott, 27, revealed his change of mind with Wenger desperately hoping to sign a striker this summer. Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette and Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi have been linked with a move to the Emirates.
But Walcott had previously pleaded to play up front, saying: “I’m a striker. I have done my trade out on the wing. I’m not a winger, I was signed as a striker, I want to play up front.”
This summer, he responded to his miserable season by working with top personal trainer Bradley Simmonds.
Then he reported early for pre-season training. But the benefits are yet to be seen after he failed to score in Arsenal’s first three pre- season games.
He was not at his best on the two-match tour of California, subbed both times by Chuba Akpom, who went on to score.
But Walcott said: “Last season? It’s gone. We don’t have to worry about it any more.
“If we dwell on the past, we are not going to get anywhere, we have just got to look forward.”
He also hopes a return to form will earn him more England caps.
What Walcott said
NOV 2010: “For me, personally, I’m a striker. Hopefully, in the next couple of years you’ll see me up front.”
JULY 2011: “I think I have done my trade out on the wing. A lot of people forget I’m not a winger. I was signed as a striker. I want to play up front. My target is to get 15 to 20 goals.”
SEPT 2012: “It is a case of having trust in me up front. I was signed as a striker and want to play up front.”
FEB 2013: “It would be a dream to play up front for England. I just love playing up front.”
Walcott said: “Sam Allardyce has come in and everyone starts on a clean slate.
“I’m excited to see what he is going to bring. He gets the best out of his players. He knows how to get results.
“His teams were always difficult to play against. That is what you want going into an England team. You want England to be difficult to break down.
“I’m sure he is going to get results. At times, it is not all about pretty football.”