Walcott developing the arrogance of Henry

Theo Walcott turned the air blue in Milton Keynes after being told James Milner would take the 82nd-minute penalty he had won with a dazzling run.

The pair briefly wrestled for the ball before Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce gave Newcastle striker Milner the nod to seal England's 2-0 win over Bulgaria and their fifth successive qualifying win.

Pearce, nicknamed Psycho during his playing days, reckons Walcott's reaction shows he is coming of age.

He said: “The more he comes out of himself the better.

“The way he played I am not surprised he wanted to score. I'm sure James Milner has heard worse anyway.

“He is the penalty-taker and Theo knows that. If anyone was offended I apologise but I look at the reaction as a positive. A year ago he would not have put himself up for a penalty.

“Now he feels a real part of the team. He got me off my seat all night and was a real thorn in their side.”

Walcott, 18, admitted: “I was full of adrenaline and wanted to take it but I knew James would score.”

Hlebanukkah wrote:Yeh, what a bastard. Wanting to score a goal. In a football match. Whatever next?
Mwaurani first, now Walcott. Disgraceful people.

Reindeer wrote:

Hlebanukkah wrote:Yeh, what a bastard. Wanting to score a goal. In a football match. Whatever next?
Mwaurani first, now Walcott. Disgraceful people.

It's not the wanting to take a penalty, it's the reaction after being told he couldn't.

Of course, you can't accept that all of Wenger's players are like this - spoilt brats who can't take not getting what they think they are owed. Otherwise you'd have read the article and realised that I couldn't give two shits about him wanting to take a penalty.

Hlebanukkah wrote:

Reindeer wrote:

Hlebanukkah wrote:Yeh, what a bastard. Wanting to score a goal. In a football match. Whatever next?
Mwaurani first, now Walcott. Disgraceful people.

It's not the wanting to take a penalty, it's the reaction after being told he couldn't.

Of course, you can't accept that all of Wenger's players are like this - spoilt brats who can't take not getting what they think they are owed. Otherwise you'd have read the article and realised that I couldn't give two shits about him wanting to take a penalty.

I'd missed sweeping generalisations like that, "all of Wenger's players are like this - spoilt brats who can't take not getting what they think they are owed."

Naturally, it could have nothing to do with being a response of someone who was quite psyched up and full of adrenalin when playing. You haven;t seemed to answer my point: it's not a particularly worrying reaction.

Reindeer wrote:

Hlebanukkah wrote:

Reindeer wrote:

Hlebanukkah wrote:Yeh, what a bastard. Wanting to score a goal. In a football match. Whatever next?
Mwaurani first, now Walcott. Disgraceful people.

It's not the wanting to take a penalty, it's the reaction after being told he couldn't.

Of course, you can't accept that all of Wenger's players are like this - spoilt brats who can't take not getting what they think they are owed. Otherwise you'd have read the article and realised that I couldn't give two shits about him wanting to take a penalty.

I'd missed sweeping generalisations like that, "all of Wenger's players are like this - spoilt brats who can't take not getting what they think they are owed."

Do you want me to cite specific incidents?

Naturally, it could have nothing to do with being a response of someone who was quite psyched up and full of adrenalin when playing. You haven;t seemed to answer my point: it's not a particularly worrying reaction.

You didn't make that point, you made a sarcastic and disdainful remark. If you want people to answer a point, try making it first.

I've criticised Rooney for his foul mouth before, and you weren't leaping in using adrenaline as an excuse for him. Funny how you do it when it's an Arsenal player...

Hlebanukkah wrote:Yes, please cite specific incidents of each Arsenal player. All of Wenger's players.

Besides, it's hardly as if Walcott arguing with a team mate over a penalty and Rooney launcing a tirade of abuse at an official is the same thing.

Christ the Redeemer wrote:

Hlebanukkah wrote:Yes, please cite specific incidents of each Arsenal player. All of Wenger's players.

Gimme a couple of days to draw up a list with references.

Besides, it's hardly as if Walcott arguing with a team mate over a penalty and Rooney launcing a tirade of abuse at an official is the same thing.

It isn't the same thing - verbally abusing a referee is more justified, because referees can f@ck up games quite easily, and do so quite often. Verbally abusing a team mate because of your own selfishness in wanting to get on the score sheet is far more petty and stupid and immature.

Hlebanukkah wrote:
Make your mind up, first he was arrogant. Now he's petty, stupid and imature.

Sure, what Walcott did was nothing to be proud of. In fact, i agree with those three adjectives - -it wasnt the clerverst thing. However, it isnt arrogant and it isnt particularly important.

Christ the Redeemer wrote:

Hlebanukkah wrote:
Make your mind up, first he was arrogant. Now he's petty, stupid and imature.

That's the second time today someone has said 'make your mind up' to me. I wonder if they're the same poster with two IDs...

Sure, what Walcott did was nothing to be proud of. In fact, i agree with those three adjectives - -it wasnt the clerverst thing. However, it isnt arrogant and it isnt particularly important.

It is arrogant to get pissed off at your manager and another player because you didn't get what you wanted. Milner is the penalty taker for the U21s, Walcott already knew that. It is important, because this is a side to Walcott that we haven't seen before, but will blossom under Wenger.

Hlebanukkah wrote:
So tell me, what is my other identity?

Hlebanukkah wrote:

Christ the Redeemer wrote:

Hlebanukkah wrote:
Make your mind up, first he was arrogant. Now he's petty, stupid and imature.

That's the second time today someone has said 'make your mind up' to me. I wonder if they're the same poster with two IDs...

Sure, what Walcott did was nothing to be proud of. In fact, i agree with those three adjectives - -it wasnt the clerverst thing. However, it isnt arrogant and it isnt particularly important.

It is arrogant to get pissed off at your manager and another player because you didn't get what you wanted. Milner is the penalty taker for the U21s, Walcott already knew that. It is important, because this is a side to Walcott that we haven't seen before, but will blossom under Wenger.

So tell me, what is my other identity?

L r d wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Apparently Walcott delivered "a foul-mouthed tirade" when he couldn't take the pen.

Is he really suprised given the usual accuracy of his shooting ?

I suggest a team mate fills in the gobby little c**t next time it happens.

He was only signed by Arsenal to satisfy Wenger's depraved lust but seems to have got carried away with the idea of being a serious footballer.

El Gaffer wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Apparently Walcott delivered "a foul-mouthed tirade" when he couldn't take the pen.

Is he really suprised given the usual accuracy of his shooting ?

I suggest a team mate fills in the gobby little c**t next time it happens.

He was only signed by Arsenal to satisfy Wenger's depraved lust but seems to have got carried away with the idea of being a serious footballer.

Has he scored in the EPL yet ?

Still waiting...

Hlebanukkah wrote:
He's in a bit of a no win situation here. If he doesnt score then he'll be a laughigng stock and if he does, it'll be a question of why he took so long to score.
To be fair, he should've scored by now.

Alive and Kicking wrote:To say that he picked this up from playing at Arsenal and from playing with Henry doesn't make any sense.

It's easy to see that you don't like Arsenal. Yes, Henry is/was arrogant but Van Persie isn't neither is Sylva, Gilberto, Flamini, Clichy, etc. Bullshit argument.

The-Frankinsense-Tavern wrote:i really don't see the big issue here, the kid is 18. can anybody honestly say they didn't make a mistake as an 18 year old? He made an error, but i bey tou pearce would rather see him wanting to take that pen and being annoyed that he couldn't rather than him shying away from it. ffs pearce knows the elation and the hurt from missing a crucial penalty, he'll admire the passion, disappointment and fact he wanted to take it. quiet word with theo (who prob realises he was wrong anyway) is all thats needed. prefer to have somebody wanting to take it than not for sure

The Real Martin Troll wrote:

The-Frankinsense-Tavern wrote:i really don't see the big issue here, the kid is 18. can anybody honestly say they didn't make a mistake as an 18 year old? He made an error, but i bey tou pearce would rather see him wanting to take that pen and being annoyed that he couldn't rather than him shying away from it. ffs pearce knows the elation and the hurt from missing a crucial penalty, he'll admire the passion, disappointment and fact he wanted to take it. quiet word with theo (who prob realises he was wrong anyway) is all thats needed. prefer to have somebody wanting to take it than not for sure

This has nothing to do with Arsenal in my opinion. A will and desire to win is a very good thing to see in a young player, even if it channelled in the wrong way.

Personally, I think Theo is developing very nicely at the correct speed - he is not being forced to play too many games too early, and the whole situation where he was sent to the World Cup has now actually relieved a huge amount of pressure and expectation off his shoulders because people are writing him off as failure for not doing a "Rooney" and taking the competition by storm.

For longevity's sake, Walcott should have a good future ahead of him. Reminds me of when Joe Cole first burst onto the scene- huge amounts of hype and expectation, died down over a few seasons and the guy has been able to mature nicely into a very very good footballer. Not the World Beater he was originally painted out to be, however I would not be complaining if there were more Joe Cole's being churned out in England

El Gaffer™ wrote:It's all well and good comparing him to Joe Cole - but at least he had the natural abilitry to begin with...

Tweesus of Nazareth wrote:

El Gaffer™ wrote:It's all well and good comparing him to Joe Cole - but at least he had the natural abilitry to begin with...

Did Henry? According to you he was just a pace merchant. I'm sure all us England fans wouldn't mind having a pace merchant that can chip in with 20-30 premiership goals per season.

The Real Martin Troll wrote:[Quite often this board gets stuck into a way of thinking that begins to drift further and further away from reality. The Thierry Henry debacle only goes to prove that. You'd think the man was a pub player by some of the comments that get made on here.