Why Theo Walcott should leave Arsenal for Manchester City

There’s definitely a solution here which suits everybody.

Rumours are flying around that Theo Walcott has rejected a new contract at Arsenal. Ignore the the sums of money that are supposedly involved, because it’s the bigger picture that’s the important aspect of this – Arsenal can’t tolerate a player running down his contract on them. And if Walcott wants to agitate over the terms being offered to him, then Arsene Wenger should show him the door and kick him through it: he doesn’t contribute nearly enough on the pitch to play those sorts of games.

At this point, Walcott apologists usually start talking about the player’s assist statistics, but there’s a difference between what a player contributes and what he should be producing – and with Theo, there’s a chasm between the two.

Robin Van Persie’s talent and general contribution to the side warranted the protracted drama over the Summer and the club’s efforts to keep him, but the same isn’t true here. At some point, as much as the reality may sting, Arsenal have to put the collective good ahead of individual ego. The club have brought in a strong batch of new talent over the Summer, so just move on with Cazorla & Co and don’t let this melodrama dampen the optimism.

The transfer window shuts in three days, Wenger should dangle him in front of Manchester City and see if Roberto Mancini bites.

Talking of which…

Walcott would actually be quite a good fit at Eastlands, in a way in which he never has been at The Emirates. The crux is that City, unlike Arsenal, wouldn’t need him to be a consistent performer. Because of Wenger’s insistence on including him in the first-team, there’s always the pressure on him to make a consistent and pertinent contribution – which, because of the fallibility in his decision-making, he’s not really capable of doing. Put him in light blue however, and he’s just an impact player with limited responsibilities.

Maybe that’s his perfect role? Don’t think Theo, just run – give the opposition ‘something else’ to think about.

Pace is probably the one attribute that City don’t currently have enough of. They’re obviously stacked high with technical ability, but there’s nobody in that squad who possesses the kind of speed which truly terrifies defenders and forces them to play passively. Even more so than last season, opposing sides are going to set-up extremely negatively when they face Mancini’s side this year, and having someone like Walcott would really expand their options.

That’s the ‘everybody wins’ scenario. Arsenal avoid losing the player for nothing and cut a negative component out of their squad, City add to their depth, and the player would probably get the kind of contract he’s holding out for.

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