Prior to Sunday's Community Shield match between Arsenal and
Chelsea, lots of debate when into who Arsene Wenger would go with in the
striker's role. So when the team list came an hour before kick-off, with Theo
Walcott getting the nod over Oliver Giroud, there was a measure of surprise at
the manager's decision to go with the 26 years old England forward. It was the second
time in a row in a space of 65 days that Arsene Wenger had opted to go with Theo
Walcott in a Wembley showpiece while relegating Oliver Giroud to the bench.
Yet, despite the fact that Theo Walcott assisted the goal
that Oxlade-Chamberlain scored, he did little all game, and the very fact that
Arsenal could not build a sustained combination and passing pattern in the final
third only goes to show the limitations of playing him as a striker. During his
65 minutes on the pitch, Theo Walcott had one shot on target, just 10 touches,
he made just 5 passes, and Arsenal's forward line took just three shots when he
was on the pitch.
Theo Walcott's game is premised on receiving through balls
from midfield, when he runs into space. Although his presence and the fact that
his pace frightens opposition defence, by preventing them to push forward, as was evidenced by John Terry and Gary Cahill's reluctance to push forward. Yet
that presence in that position means Arsenal are unable to successfully execute
their possession based style with an element of consistency when in the opposition
half. Walcott does not have the ability to hold the ball for more than a few
seconds to either relieve pressure, or allow the other players in especially
Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil to come into the game.
The question is whether Theo Walcott can add something new
to his game beyond just running into through balls? His near disappearance in the
second half when Arsenal struggled to keep possession allowed Chelsea to build
some headway as the ball seem to return immediately to the Arsenal half as
there was no player who could keep the ball beyond the halfway line. The dance
of the match was essentially dictated by the tune of Walcott's limitations as a
striker.
However, Arsenal's struggles in the final third changed when
Theo Walcott left the fray. Oliver Giroud's introduction turned the dance
around, the tune of the possession changed, the combination play between
Arsenal's midfielders and forward line increased. And the statistics reflects
this.
Oliver Giroud had 17 touches, 3 shots, he actually made 2
clearances, something Theo Walcott never did, he made 10 passes, double what
Theo Walcott made and in less than half the time.
And to cap it up, the Arsenal forward line took 8 shots
during Oliver Giroud’s time on the pitch.
The dance of both strikers is very different, while Theo
Walcott will offer pace and very little else, Oliver Giroud's dance offers everything
else apart from pace. Yet on the balance of play, he is very instrumental to
the way Arsenal plays and wants to play.
However, Arsene Wenger has pointedly laid a marker of what
he intends to do in that position this season.
He remarked after Sunday's match,
"I want to
use him there [Striker] as well.
It all depends on the
opposition"
What Arsene Wenger has essentially said is that he would be
deploying a rotation policy between Theo Walcott and Oliver Giroud depending on
the opposition.
Yet, Arsenal's midfield and defence would have to be ready
to work overload in most matches when Theo Walcott is deployed as a striker.
Nothing much would be expected on the defensive side from him. Many would say
he is there to score goals whenever he is played as a striker. But with just
pace on offer from the England forward, plus little ability to keep hold of
possession for a sustained period up top, it would actually look like Arsenal are
playing with ten players at times.
One thing that is clear is that the team particularly Mesut
Ozil and Santi Cazorla still have to get used to playing with Theo Walcott as a
centre forward if that is the position Arsene Wenger would use him more this
season. Because the two matches at Wembley which he started has seen him offer
very little besides his goal and assist. Whether it is something Arsene Wenger
will persist with is another factor.
No doubt, there are times Theo Walcott's deployment as a
striker would definitely work a treat and it would be hailed, and there will be
other moments, it would end in disappointment.
The idea of him being Arsenal's first choice centre forward
would not sit well with most Gunners, because of his limitations, but if his
pace becomes a fear factor for opposition defences before a match kicks off, it
becomes itself a psychological edge for Arsenal, and it means no opposition
team would prefer playing a high line when they face Arsenal.
With Oliver Giroud a different variant in the striker's
stables, he could end up being the plan B for some matches this season if Theo
Walcott as Plan A fails. But one thing that should be noted is that if Theo
Walcott starts scoring consistently as a centre forward despite the fact that
he offers more as a winger, it would be difficult to keep him from not playing
as centre forward, yet as Arsene Wenger has stated, it will depend on the
opposition at the end of the day.
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