Theo Walcott hopes he can win a regular starting role up front after proving his worth with a stunning hat-trick in the 7-3 defeat of Newcastle on Saturday evening. Walcott, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, was in irresistible form on Saturday night, book-ending the scoring as well as adding his side’s fourth as the Toon left the Emirates Stadium humiliated.
One of the sticking blocks in Walcott signing a new long-term deal with the Gunners is believed to stem around his desire to play a regular role up front instead of on the wing.
And while he insists he will do what is best for the team, he was pleased to show his talents in a forward role.
“I enjoy playing in whatever position but it was just telling the manager to give me the opportunities to play up front,” he told ESPN. “I’m not saying I’m always going to play up front but it’s just showing what I can do but hopefully I’ve opened a few eyes and it’s just a different option.
“Hopefully, I can start to take it a bit more often now.”
Arsenal took a one-goal lead on three occasions through Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski but were pegged back on each occasion by two strikes from Ba sandwiched in-between Sylvain Marveaux’s tap in.
But after Walcott put the London side ahead once more, the Gunners ran riot in the final 10 minutes thanks to two goals from Olivier Giroud and a further strike from Walcott. “It was just end-to-end and very open. When it’s open it plays into my hands to be honest,” Walcott added.
“We’re disappointed in the goals we conceded but to score seven, it doesn’t matter how we win. As long as we get the three points. “We’ve got a game in hand. I don’t know what crisis everyone’s on about.” It was Arsenal’s fourth consecutive Barclays Premier League win, which lifts them up to fifth, and midfielder Jack Wilshere insists they have not been stung by recent criticism.
“We just get on with it. We know we’ve got great players here and we showed it today [Saturday],” he said.
“Theo was great and okay we conceded three and we’re not happy about that and we’ll look at that but to score seven in any game in the Premier League is a great achievement.”
Wenger was thrilled with Walcott’s performance, although the Frenchman hinted he is not yet ready to pick the 23-year-old in a regular striking berth.
“We cannot ask much more than three goals and the performance he gave today [Saturday],” Wenger said.
“I said I’m convinced that he can play in there – he has qualities – and he can only improve the more he plays there.
“He can play in the other position on the left, right or through the middle and it is good because Giroud is basically a centre-forward only so I can play the two together.”
“Today [Saturday] just typifies what I think he can do through the middle,” Wenger said.
“The first goal was a Thierry Henry-type goal and he showed great determination with the third.
“He has become a good finisher. He has learned a lot because he is an intelligent player and because he is intelligent he will continue to improve.”
