Arsenal legend Thierry Henry thinks it’s time for Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to seize starting positions or leave the club
Arsenal legend and Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry has hit out against current Arsenal players Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Henry believes they’ve been at the club too long to still be bench players.
Henry was quoted in The Mirror as saying “He’s (Oxlade-Chamberlain) been there for four-and-a-half years. Enough now. You have to be a starter. The same goes with Theo Walcott.” It’s clear that Henry, like many Arsenal fans, is frustrated with the lack of progress in the games of both players.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is the younger of the two players at just 22 years of age. He’s made 21 appearances on the season for the club and has only managed to produce one goal. His 6.62 Whoscored.com rating also illustrates his lack of impact for the Premier League’s third place side.
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Still, even though he’s been at the club for quite a while, it might be too early to give up on the young midfielder. Failing to beat out world-class stars like Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez certainly isn’t a reason to sell. Really, his only opportunity for regular playing time comes at the third attacking midfield position that’s most often manned by Joel Campbell. Oxlade-Chamberlain should be ahead of him in the pecking order given his experience, but it’s not outrageous for him to still be a substitute.
Walcott, on the other hand, is more deserving of Henry’s criticism. He’s no longer of prospect age. He is already 26 years old and is struggling to make a regular impact on the team. He has only managed to chip in three goals and two assists in 19 Premier League appearances.
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He continues to boast extraordinary pace, but nothing else. Despite his speed advantage on opponents, he doesn’t seem to manage to get in behind defenders all that often. Even when he does, he struggles to convert those opportunities into goals and assists.
It is fair to wonder whether or not Walcott will ever develop enough to become a full-time starter for the Gunners. In all fairness, he’s struggled with injury for much of his career and has struggled to establish a primary position under manager Arsene Wenger. Still, he’s of the age that he can’t be considered a prospect anymore. Henry is right when he says that he needs to be a starter already.
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Thierry Henry lumped Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott together as players that need to make an impact at Arsenal now or find another club. It’s a fair comment on the 26-year-old Walcott, but a premature criticism for 22-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.