Twas Southampton whence you came
And Arsene knew he’d shape your game.
He’d bring culture to your deadly pace.
and thus we cheered your cherubic face,
Theo. Theo. Theo.
Against Blue Scum your first goal scored
one-two with Abou, and then we roared.
That Pringles (crisp and curly) finish, so, so dreamy
Had some calling you our “next Henry.”
Theo. Theo. Theo.
You were a lad of seventeen
when Sven filled your World Cup dream.
You came and went yet didn’t play
and pundits said you’d rue the day.
Theo. Theo. Theo.
For two years next, your career would stall
as injuries would take their toll.
Your run at Pool made Hyypia hoary,
And only defense saved Arsenal from glory.
Theo. Theo. Theo.
A hat-trick hero on your day
the next you’re a waste, they would say.
A cross-cum-shot or unlucky touch
It seemed your career would not amount much.
Theo. Theo. Theo.
But dropped by Blighty, you came back strong
And against Blackpool you won the gong.
Only to go down two weeks later
With injury to England you cater.
Theo. Theo. Theo.
The feet are fleet as ever before
but now from Arsenal you demand more.
“Gimmie glory, or gimmie cash,
or see how fast that I can dash.
I’ll skip along Gillespie road,
past the Spurs, covered in woad.
And kick a ball straight up north
where gleaming treasure they bring forth!”
Theo, Theo, Theo…
By your agent you’ve been played a fool,
Unlucky Theo, it’s just Liverpool.
T’was Sven filled his world cup dream wasn’t it not Fabio?
Anyway, ta ta T’eo. Good luck with your agents earnings expectation.
Thanks for the edit, fixed.
Beeb reporting “Winger set to stay after amicable talks”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19406655
Feo! Hope he doesn’t run into the door on the way out!
Don’t worry about him hitting the door, more likely to trip over a ruck in the rug and go through the closed window.
Now that he’s ‘done us a favour’ and decided to hang around like a foul smell I hope Wenger gives some of the better, more committed prospects in the squad games in the league/ champs/ fa cup and saves WalCock for the big league cup games. He’ll make a pretty bench warmer and we’ll see if his sweet cherubim whittles away along with his career, ungrateful boy!
Beautiful poem, and thanks for the excellent quantitative analyses. I think it would be great to get rid of Theo. He is too soft. (Like Diaby unfortunately, but unlike the Ox and Giroud, fortunately.)
Is there a good compilation of team salaries? I’m curious how ours stack up against the Big Three (ManU, Man City, Chels) and the other Second Tier teams (us, Liv, Newc, Tott), and where the fat is in ours (eg Arshavin, Bendtner, etc.?).
Also, I’d be curious to hear your analysis of whether any of the Big Three clubs is as much a business aimed at profit (as opposed to a football club aimed at trophies) as Arsenal seem to be. It seems obvious that Man City and Chels aren’t as profitable as us, but is Man U? And if so, why and what can we do to be more like them (profitable and successful)? I know it’s sacrilegious to put it that way. Is it just the stadium deal/sponsorship rights? If so, that suggests that the Big Three will again be a Big Four in a few years. I hope?
I am sure Tim has the details bit I know we are lower than ManU, ManC, and Chelsea, and yet believe it or not higher than Liverpool, Spurs, Newcastle. It surprised me that our total salary is higher than Liverpool. Can’t imagine how. Maybe we have more players on payroll, but the average pay is lower. That must be it. Don’t we have all these ‘homegrown’ teenagers you never heard of making millions?
Tim knows the answer.
Two years ago, Arsenal were 6th behind Spurs and Liverpool. We should have last year’s data soon and this year’s data next year.
Before Song had gone if you had said Theo was on his way it wouldn’t have bothered me but now the exodus needs to stop. If Theo goes then TV5 will certainly next and maybe Kos or even worse Jack when he’s fit. The only way to stop people jumping ship is to win something, the only way to win something is to keep your best players. Still hoping for some inward movement but am not terribly optimistic! Roll on Friday and we’ll she if father Wenger has got us a surprise present.
Song and Van Iscariot going don’t make Walcott a better player….that is the only criterion we should be looking at.
Agreed, but what message does it say to the younger players and potential targets if all the experienced players are abandoning what appears to be a sinking ship. Song on for his debut let’s hope he gets sent off or gives a goal away. In terms of Theos ability which is a debate in itself let’s not forget that Madrid just played silly money for Modric who only scored 4 and had 4 assists last season.
This is exactly the problem.
Song in particular was not on a contract run down and we did not exhbit the gumption to keep him.
A performance bonus recognising his efforts and making up some of the potential pay differential for a year (with a caveat to visit the contract issue next summer) may have suffice and also provided incentive for others in the team to emulate in terms of performance on field.
Instead, we have set ourselves a bad precedence. Walcott’s move is unsuprising since to his mind, he has had a good season. Yet we cannot renumerate him to the level that he would enjoy at certain select clubs (whether they shell out the sort of wages for him is another issue)
This is the issue that bears tackling. We are vulnerable because of our wage differential to toher clubs. We need to find more creative ways to brdige the gap better. We will never meet their wages but we should be able to get closer. The gap at current is just too far.
We cannot blame Walcott for getting his head turned. He has another 4-5 years to consider taking him to 28/29. His arsenal is his speed which when it runs out (Owen) will sharply depreciate his price.
So why stay at Arsenal collecting half the sum he would enjoy somewhere-else? He won’t get another bite of the cherry.
I guess he’s staying now. Phhttt. I am not a Walcott fan, he’s always struck me as best used as a super-sub when opposing defences are tired and you want to inject some pace into the game, similar to how Mourinho used to use SWP at Chelsea. He doesn’t have the nuance to play centrally, and is too inconsistent otherwise.
Oh great, he’s staying now. Silly little boy who sometimes plays good football. Mind you, a summer in which we lost three starters would look pretty bad.
I just read we have signed Cabaye and Dentihno, probably crap, but I’d be happy with them.
Reputable link?
Doubtful, haven’t seen it anywhere else, live in hope.
Alas another perennial Arsenal underachiever with over inflated estimations on his value and importance. For Theo to command the wages he desires, he should be able to change games consistently, not just when teams are open and attacking without regard for their defence (not the usual PL opposition). He is a bit payer at best and has not demonstrated any significant development of his tactical game or his tight play ball control. I think it best that we get some money for him, assuming there are actually buyers in the market for him.
Alas, another top performer from last season we are unable to keep.
Hey Tim et al,
Here is my view on Walcott, for what it is worth. He is *probably* worth it to keep. I want to start by setting out my view that no player, and I mean no player, is irreplaceable and every player has his price. I set this out before but if the players and agents are going to treat this like an open market (which it is) and one in which they have considerable power (which they do) then the only thing the club can do in response is to treat it like a market where players are interchangeable or at least fungible commodities. If that is right, we have an advantage as Le Boss is a Masters in Economics holder. So, the real question is “is Theo worth keeping for the price”. Or “what are others willing to pay”?
My friend, who is a Liverpool fan, asked me this morning “Do we want Walcott?”. To which I replied: “at what price?”. Do I think Theo is worth a 5 year 75,000/week extension? Yes. Just barely. The wages seem a little high to me but his numbers are progressively improving. We are starting to come out of the financial limits imposed on us by the Emirates construction. I expect that in 2014 we will see new and much improved commercial deals for shirt sponsorship and kit supply when we can negotiate with a strong position with Nike and Emirates. We will start to see a period where we can afford to offer greater wages than we have been able to and it is good timing because while we can’t compete with the Citys and Chelseas of the world we do want to be able to attract good players with good wages outside of the stupid oil money (which is not sustainable in my view anyway). 75,000 is not outrageous for a player who scores decent goals and assists returns.
There is also the possibility that Walcott will continue to improve. Let us not forget that he is only 23. It seems like an age that he’s been with us and people have criticized him for lack of a “football brain” but that is only because he’s been with the team since age 16 and in the first team as a regular since age 18. There are lots of players that have been late bloomers. Titi, anyone? A little patience on Walcott might yet bear some fruit if he just happens to be one of those late bloomers. Arsene obviously saw serious talent potential when he signed him from Southampton and I can’t believe that isn’t still there to be developed.
Finally, there is a lack of good replacement options on the market for wide wingers like the role that Theo occupies. I have wracked my (albeit small) brain for the last two days to find a serious possible replacement for the kind of role we want Theo to occupy. I can’t think of a good one that is remotely realistic. Pedro from Barcelona would be good, but will they sell him? Obviously not. Who else plays down the right, has the pace to burn teams that press us (notice how much better Walcott is against the Barcelonas and Chelseas of the world than the Stokes), but also the trickery to get the ball in for crosses? I know Theo is not a master in that last category but his assist numbers show there is something there. I think Ryo might be a possible player in future, but not for a year or two yet. I can’t think of a player from any league from a team that is willing to sell who would fit the bill. Is Jesus Navas that big an improvement? Is he worth 25 million in transfer fees plus wages higher than Walcott’s? Dzagoev? What would he cost?
So for the prices mooted, I think that is his value is good enough to keep. Aside from the psychological blow of losing a 3rd player this summer, which I don’t really put much stock in. So, I would probably keep Theo.
That said, if someone else wants to pay him wages of 100,000/week, that is more than I think he is worth. If they come in for a transfer fee of greater than 15 million, then I think they are overpaying for Theo’s value and would need to see significant development from him to justify the cost. At that price, I would sell. He’s not irreplaceable even within the club. Let AoC play there until January, at least.
So my verdict on Walcott is good player, good asset for Arsenal. Worth keeping on a deal worth 75 – 80,000 a week. Not irreplaceable and worth selling on wages higher than that and any transfer fee over 15 million.
Cheers,
Jon
Sorry but I have to agree with you with your brain size.:D
Plenty of players available to sub Walcott.
Chamberlain for one strikes me as a player that will learn his craft quicker than Theo. Santi can also play out wide (when Rosicky or Jack returns)
A season down, we may be looking at fitting Ryo in (plenty of speed). Serge Gnabry is also an extremely gifted talent with lots of speed and power.
In the market, one Ibrahim Affelay is available for loan. He plays across the midfield (backing up Santi) and is techinical offering us craft and guile to match the more direct wingers currently.
I’d say get him, but the guy. Forget about the loan. We have goodwill with Barca with the Song sale (and to some extent Fabregas). In fact, we should have at very least worked this in as an option when we sold Song their way.
Quite why we did not use this as an opportunity to accelerate a Walcott resolution is beyond me.
…sorry about the brain size quib….you left an opening there.;)
Sorry but if the BBC is correct all the agreement is is that they will have talks following the end of the window. So the situation would appear to be that the player has not signed a new contract but has made “assurances” as to his commitment to the club.
Smacks of agent bullshit: ” I am so committed to the club that I won’t sign”. The assurance of any player as to his commitment is worth not a rub. Ronaldo, Tevez, Adebayor (serially), Fabregas, Van Iscariot, all these players at one time or another gave assurances.
Sign or feck off, Walcott. Stand strong, Arsenal.
I have to agree with ClockEndRider that a players’ ‘verbal’ assurance is about as reliable as an umbrella in New Orleans right about now. I’d still be shopping him especially to Pool since Man City have a hard on for Sinclair. Arsenal have the upper hand right now and in a year, our leverage such as it is will be lost.
Speaking of Pool, I found the hilarious bit: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/future-news-stewart-downing-may-play-accountant-wants-064729950–sow.html;_ylt=ApcakhAWCoqtm.xttK844HCpb8p_;_ylu=X3oDMTE4NWRia245BG1pdANCbG9ncyBJbmRleARwb3MDMQRzZWMDTWVkaWFCbG9nSW5kZXg-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpMm9iMzh1BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANibG9nBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3
Fiorentina has a signed contract for Berbatov and have made their first payment for the player and were expecting him to get off the plane in Florence (they paid his way) and voila, no Berbatov. Seems he was ‘mugged’ by some ‘old lady’
Label me a cynic and a pessimist, but this kind of namby pamby posturing seems very transparent to me.
I’m committed to Arsenal but I won’t sign on the dotted line for now? WtF is that?
He’s got one foot out the door, and if we don’t get some results and move up the table in the next few weeks, mark my words, Theo Walcott will have mentally checked out and his performances (or lack thereof) will prove the point.
I’ve seen in this workplace all too often and if I am to be honest, I’ve done it myself. Nothing to proud of, and it took a bit of life experience to make me an honest man in that regard. Something which Theo needs to learn.
I’ll label you a ‘realist”.
We should have honestly put the gun to his head. Sign on the dotted line or we’re moving on. This should have been done start of season (first day. Keep to the deadline)
Simple.
I for one want Theo to stay. For marketability (totally commercial) and for his pace. I think he still has a part to play at the club in the next 2 to 3 years. I believe that Theo knows he can still improve his unrealized potential wearing the no. 14 shirt. And for club image, because I don’t want to hear or read about “club in crisis after selling top 3 offensive players and three successive scoreless draws.” We are too close to the end of the transfer window for suitable replacements for TW14
Walcott is easy to replace. Song is a bit more tricky.
We are not brutal enough.
Why we have allowed Theo and his agents to drag this piece of business out is beyond me. Do we need to give him another 48 hours? Is he that lethal a weapon?
To me, we should have set the date for a decision on the first day of season,. Therein, if he’s still dodging bullets like tha matrix, we should move for a replacement to make it very clear. Take it or leave it.
Walcott’s position is thoroughly replaceable, unlike Song’s. (who occupied an important fulcrum between attack and defense requiring more nuance and understanding)
Some would say we already have replacements in Chamberlain, Ryo, Gnabry ( a season down)
There are also viable (and economic) options in the market which include Affelay on loan (to bridge ayear into assessing Ryo’s potential next season)
If we wanted a good price for Theo, the time to have let go would have been around the time just after Rodwell and Adam Johnson hit the market. Instead we are now scurrying for a buyer and fretting at Walcott extending his decision to next January What gives?
I’m not sure why we have delayed a decision on Theo for so long but the double wammy of first losing RVP and then Song has surely not helped. What this says for our ‘ambition’ is anyone’s guess
We should have at very least kept one of these 3 top performers (yes Theo) and the one I would have kept would have been Song to keep familiarity just ahead of the back 4.
Walcott is expendable and we should have moved him on quicker instead of allowing him to toss us over.
Who is better: Walcott or Adam Johnson?
Debatable.
Expecting him to stay for another 4-5 years @75K is completely unrealistic. Even doubling the pay, he is on 140K which isn’t breaking any records at some clubs.
If we don’t think we want to keep players for 100K, we should have shipped him out earlier and got us someone willing to come in for less.
I’m just not sure I agree with the management that we can sustain our team with the top performers earning around the 75-90K mark.
Granted we have to live within our means and balance our books, we are being preyed by teams that can offer triple. We need to at very least get closer to ballpark.
I don’t think Song or Walcott were expecting more than 80K and 100K respectively. Considering they are some of our top performers last season, at very least we should be considering getting closer to the mark they may be agreeable upon (They are not asking for 180K or even 140K)
Some of it could also be creatively done with performance bonuses making up shortfall.
I just don’t get where we are heading with constant chop and change every summer. It will most deinately continue to frustrate our efforts to brdige the gap to the very top.
we are not going to pay him, our club will send out a defiant twitter message, some deluded “positive gunner” types will beat out their chests and cheer at our…I don’t know. but they will cheer, because they are morons. then, we will struggle in the season, finish 6th (mark my words), and wonder where it all went wrong. we are a club with no ambition to win anything. that LFC is able to beat us to players, and outspend us, should be telling. i’m not talking about Wenger, but the rest of this organization is utterly rotten. we’re not willing to pay an England international, who created 20 goals last season in the Premier League, and then we’re going to get all namby pamby about it, rolling out the “ungrateful” and “not good enough” shit? we have been rendered into a fanbase of teenage girls. Why would he possibly want to stay at a club that sold its captain to its supposed chief rivals!? and now we’re going to get arrogant about wages? staying at Arsenal is no longer a privilege. It means you will never win a thing, and when we get close, we will sell our best and start over. Ox to City, Barça in for Wilshere in July 2013, just you watch.
For one of the top posts on any Arsenal blog:
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/arsenal/centre-of-attention-but-will-he-be-centre-forward-the-theo-dilemma/
Read ArsenalAndrew August 30 @ 12:14
Fear no team but would prefer not to see Juventus or Dortmund in our group.