Former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry believes that Theo Walcott has really struggled to take his career to the next level.
The England international was left out of the squad for the Euro 2016 by manager Roy Hodgson. It does not come as a major surprise since Walcott has not been a first-team regular for Arsenal. Henry believes that one of the reasons for Walcott being unable to make a major impact is the lack of positional clarity. Walcott has been used in a number of positions across the pitch, but he clearly wants to be used as the centre forward.
However, Henry says that Walcott is unlikely to get his wish at Arsenal since manager Arsenal Wenger no longer appears to trust him. The Arsenal legend says that Walcott being out of the squad even when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck are on the sidelines shows a lot about the place he has on the manager’s mind. Walcott came close to leaving Arsenal a few years ago, but he was convinced by Wenger to stay. Transfer rumours have once again begun of the former Southampton winger and it is highly unlikely that Wenger or anyone from Arsenal will persuade him this time around. Henry concluded by saying that the 10 years at Arsenal has been a mixed bag for Walcott.
“He has struggled.His 10 years at Arsenal have been a weird one. Apart from one season where he played more than 30 games, he wasn’t really a starter. If Welbeck is out and Oxlade-Chamberlain is out, we all know how important pace is in the way (England manager Roy) Hodgson wants to play.If you go, you have to have performed. By now he should know what his position is, but it is not clear,” said former Arsenal forward Henry.
