With Tuesday approaching and another Champions League tie ahead, Arsenal are hoping for another victory to make it four on the bounce in all competitions. Flourishing finally in the Premier League, Arsenal look to have a new collection of ideas in attack and are looking stable despite their defensive absentees.
Two clean sheets in two, and 5 goals in 2, 4 scored by Alexis Sanchez, there is only one man the spotlight will be on against Anderlecht, and surprisingly it may not be the little Chilean. Arriving back from injury against Burnley, was the ex-nine month casualty Theo Walcott. He’s certainly been eased back into the squad, and I don’t expect him to start, but a cameo appearance with 30 minutes to go is definitely on the cards for the Englishman.
This week, Wenger labelled Walcott with “a lack of physical competition” and in all honesty that’s a fair assumption. Walcott has only been performing in training, despite recent quotes signalling he has come back faster and stronger, so by all means it’s good news for Arsenal fans. The return of Arsenal’s number 14 has been heavily anticipated. He’s a game changer, a player to get in behind defences and unsettle them, and also a player to do serious damage with his final product. He showed great signs in his 10 minutes on the weekend, so half an hour of Theo is something all Gooners will be excited to see.
It’s not been a great season for poor Santi Cazorla so far. Often the cult hero at Arsenal, he hasn’t registered a Premier League goal since January, an astonishing 11 months ago. His position in this Arsenal team is usually situated on the left hand side which I’m sure will now be occupied by the in-form Alexis Sanchez. Operating on the right is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who has been in roller-coaster form of late. Oxlade will certainly start, but it will probably be him being replace on 60 minutes to give the other Englishman a breather with Swansea away approaching. Walcott fits into this team like a glove, so there’s no doubts of a quality impact performance.
Anderlecht looked like a decent, compact side when we visited them last month. A young and energetic team no doubt, but will need a miracle to come away with a good result at the Emirates. It’s a tough night for any opposition in the Champions League Group Stage, especially when their team looked narrow in the reverse fixture. After 60 minutes of chasing the ball, sweating and aching as the gracious Wengerball is in full flow, they will be tired. What better time to announce the arrival of pace-demon Theo Walcott?
It will be a great run out for Theo as well to gain some match-fitness. Working hard in training and the gym to improve some physical strength he may have been missing, the man will come back a monster and will certainly be a favourite to get on the score sheet. It’s a shame there will be no Mesut to play supplier for the wide-man, but he’s most definitely capable of going solo. Walcott is my man to watch versus Anderlecht, assuming he gets enough game time. It’s time us Arsenal fans are delighted with some squad depth, and we have a bundle of talent within our option of Number 14: Theo Walcott.