Walcott: The right choice
Posted by JamesB in Theo Walcott, Wayne Rooney, World Cup | 10 May 2006
When your best player, and one of the worlds best players gets injured something drastic has to happen.
Wayne Rooney is one of those special players that plays with flair, and he has it in him to make something happen. Lose him and you lose one of the keys to winning the competition. That is the situation Sven was left with, and he had to make a decision on someone who he can put in, in the hope that they might also make something happen.
Defoe? 16 caps, one England goal, and a fairly poor season does not do much to inspire. A fairly talented player yes, and in previous seasons his goal to game ratio has been good, although his goal to shot ratio tells more of the story if we are honest. But he isn't the kind of player that has what it takes to make something out of nothing on the world stage against the cream of world football. Sure he will get goals, but when you lose Rooney you lose a lot more than his goals. Owen can offer goals for England, as can some of the goal scoring midfielders, so its not having a lack of clinical finishers that is the real problem. Bent? Similar to Defoe really; yes he has had a great season in the Premiership, but does he have the capacity to be a match winner? Doubtful.
So Walcott, "He hasn't played a game for Arsenal yet" they all cry. Well so what, when you lose Rooney you have to bring someone in that can win a match against the best players in the world. Of course there are absolutely no guarantees that Walcott will do that, but there is certainly a chance. Take Defoe, Johnson or Bent and you know what you have got. Take Walcott and you have that unpredictable factor, a completely different option. Someone that the opposition will know nothing about. Someone with enough pace and flair to add that little bit more than the norm. Arsene Wenger is known as one of the best managers at developing young players, and if he has given Walcott backing to go to the world cup then that does not count for nothing.
This year is one of England's best chances to win the World Cup, which is why Sven has to go for broke. Losing Rooney was as big a dent to his hopes as he could have feared, so something had to happen. If he takes the risk and Walcott turns out to be a key player in helping England win the cup then he will be given praise no end. If he fails then he will face criticism from all over, but some people, myself included, will know that it was a gamble that he had to take.
Comments
"Arsene Wenger is known as one of the best managers at developing young players, and if he has given Walcott backing to go to the world cup then that does not count for nothing."
It might have a little more resonance if the guy had picked him, just once, to play for his club this season. After all, Arsenal haven't exactly had the best of seasons... there have been plenty of opportunities for Wenger to bring on a player "that the opposition will know nothing about". He chose not to.
Frankly, I think it's a ridiculous thing to do. Bent or SWP aren't exactly legendary names in European football. And they're both proven players in a top league.
Oh well. The little bastard will probably put Brasil out in the quarters and prove me wrong now.
Perfect! Thats exactly what i try to say 2 people. The fact that he hasnt played yet should be put into the perspective that England would do anything for any of Henry, Adebayor, Van persie, Bergkamp or reyes who have stopped Wallcott from playing.
Well, all the ones you mention bar Adebayor.
