Does Theo Walcott's New Contract ends the Saga?

Arsenal's longest serving player Theo Walcott finally signed a four year contract extension on Friday reportedly worth £140,000 a week.

However, his signing of a new contract should have put an end to this long drawn contract saga. Yet many of the Arsenal faithful are not convinced by the new wages that the new deal comes with.

The history of the player and how he has handled his contract negotiations with the club in the past means many are not convinced that he is worthy of the new wages. Many would have no qualms with players like Alexis Sanchez being on such a contract, because of his work rate and ability on the football pitch. But several Gunners have been left frustrated by a Theo Walcott who strolls most times on the pitch, neglecting his defensive duties, a player whose contribution to the club's famed combination play is also on the low side. And his pass completion rate not different either. While his attempted passes makes for grim reading also.

However, his present shortcomings as a player is something he can truly work on as his last injury seem to exacerbate whatever shortcomings there is to his game. Least it forgotten, it was when he was trying to make a tackle on Danny Rose in the FA Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur in January, 2014 that he sustained his cruciate ligament injury. The Walcott that led the line on that fate day certainly did not shrink from his defensive responsibilities. And it remains one of his best performance as a striker despite not scoring, but for his all round play.

The 26 year old has essentially been known as a speed merchant, and over the years at Arsenal, he has honed and perfected his skills of being adept at making intelligent movement off the ball that has yielded huge amount of goals. An attribute Arsene Wenger has pointed out as being one of his best.

While the misgivings about the terms of this latest contract are tied down to both his on and off pitch persona in recent times, because of the way he has proved to be difficult player to deal with when it gets to a contract extension as well as the fact that he has not matched his wages consistently on the field of play because of his injury record. It still holds much to the fact that apart from his goals, he does not do enough to help the team on the defensive side, something many Arsenal fans would want to change as he enters a pivotal time in his stay at the club.

While criticism have continued to be aimed at the player for his shortcomings and link up play with other players, his natural shortcomings as a player with limited technical ability, does not mean that he cannot help in defence. As much as he has been criticised for his lack of defensive awareness, the manager still has a responsibility to remind him of his defensive responsibility as a player to aid the team’s cause.

The Saints youth product has developed skills for getting huge contracts despite his limited football ability, the onus is on Arsene Wenger to also develop a specific skill tailored for Theo Walcott that his responsibility does not end at scoring goals, but he should also defend when the team is without the ball. 

This new contract means there would be intense scrutiny of how he performs in the coming season. And despite the fact that he is one of the most clinical finishers at Arsenal, a lot would depend on the position Arsene Wenger would field him in the coming season.

Already in the matches in pre-season, he has featured as a striker, which is a continuation of where he stopped last season against West Brom in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the FA Cup. 

His limitations as an out-an-out striker was reflected by the fact that his goal in the FA Cup final came when Arsene Wenger moved him to the left and Alexis Sanchez was moved to the centre.

He might be clinical in front of goal, yet his lack of tenacity and physicality means he would always struggle as a striker.

Although, the new contract should have been greeted with ecstasy, the announcement quickly turned into indifference as a result of the terms. But would those terms be remembered as not deserved if his goals become key to Arsenal achieving something great in the coming season?  Many would be quick to say he has repaid the fans and the club.

As a result of the scrutiny he is expected to go through this season where he would repeatedly be reminded of his huge contract whenever he performs poorly, this saga would run for sometime mainly in the sub conscious.

The main contract saga ended on Friday with a new contract extension, but attention shifts to how he replicates the new deal on the pitch. And that would be the new saga not between him and the club, but between him and the fans.