Arsene
Wenger has praised Theo Walcott for developing into an "absolutely
deadly" finisher in his time at Arsenal, as the England forward
celebrates a decade at the club.
Walcott is marking his 10-year anniversary as a Gunner on Wednesday, having signed as a 16-year-old from Southampton on Jan. 20, 2006.
The pacy forward has spent most of that decade as a winger but has been increasingly used as a central striker over the last two seasons, and Wenger said his improved finishing ability is the biggest difference between Walcott now and then.
"He is absolutely deadly compared to 10 years ago. He needed many chances to score a goal and today he can finish very well," Wenger told the club's official website. "His final ball and his technique are much better."
Walcott has scored 81 goals in 326 appearances for Arsenal, including 53 Premier League goals, despite his career being interrupted by several major injuries.
Critics argue that he still has not fulfilled expectations, though, after being called up to the 2006 World Cup squad before even having played a Premier League game.
But Wenger reiterated that he thinks the best is still to come for the 26-year-old.
"I'm convinced that he'll give us much more in the next five years than he has done in the last five years because he is a player who is always moving forward, and always tries to be better," Wenger said. "He has a very positive attitude.
The Arsenal manager said he first spotted Walcott when watching him play for Southampton in the FA Youth Cup final and was impressed by his natural reading of the game.
"He played on the left side where he plays now and I liked his movement off the ball. It's very difficult to find, that intelligence and the timing of his movement," Wenger said. "That is something that is really Theo's brand."
While Walcott has had a couple of drawn-out contract negotiations during his time at Arsenal, defender Per Mertesacker said the forward has shown "his love for the club" by staying for so long.
"Ten years, it's an unbelievable achievement to play on a consistent level for such a long time in the same club," Mertesacker said. "That is rare in modern football and we are happy to have him. I think what kept him here was the spirit of the group and his love for the club, and that is something I look up to."
Walcott thanked Wenger along with teammates and supporters on Twitter for standing by him over the last decade.
Walcott is marking his 10-year anniversary as a Gunner on Wednesday, having signed as a 16-year-old from Southampton on Jan. 20, 2006.
The pacy forward has spent most of that decade as a winger but has been increasingly used as a central striker over the last two seasons, and Wenger said his improved finishing ability is the biggest difference between Walcott now and then.
"He is absolutely deadly compared to 10 years ago. He needed many chances to score a goal and today he can finish very well," Wenger told the club's official website. "His final ball and his technique are much better."
Walcott has scored 81 goals in 326 appearances for Arsenal, including 53 Premier League goals, despite his career being interrupted by several major injuries.
Critics argue that he still has not fulfilled expectations, though, after being called up to the 2006 World Cup squad before even having played a Premier League game.
But Wenger reiterated that he thinks the best is still to come for the 26-year-old.
"I'm convinced that he'll give us much more in the next five years than he has done in the last five years because he is a player who is always moving forward, and always tries to be better," Wenger said. "He has a very positive attitude.
The Arsenal manager said he first spotted Walcott when watching him play for Southampton in the FA Youth Cup final and was impressed by his natural reading of the game.
"He played on the left side where he plays now and I liked his movement off the ball. It's very difficult to find, that intelligence and the timing of his movement," Wenger said. "That is something that is really Theo's brand."
While Walcott has had a couple of drawn-out contract negotiations during his time at Arsenal, defender Per Mertesacker said the forward has shown "his love for the club" by staying for so long.
"Ten years, it's an unbelievable achievement to play on a consistent level for such a long time in the same club," Mertesacker said. "That is rare in modern football and we are happy to have him. I think what kept him here was the spirit of the group and his love for the club, and that is something I look up to."
Walcott thanked Wenger along with teammates and supporters on Twitter for standing by him over the last decade.
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