Arsenal’s 3-0 win at Upton Park last weekend not only had Arsene Wenger talking up his team’s increased maturity it also confirmed that Robin Van Persie has taken over penalty duties from Cesc Fabregas. With three goals, one assist and 4 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Bonus Points in his last three games, the Dutchman has wasted no time at all in returning to the form that makes him such a favourite amongst Fantasy Managers and, with his spot-kick duties regained, Van Persie’s Fantasy appeal is on the up.
With a wildcard still available to most up till the start of Gameweek 27 and with Arsenal looking at a kind run of fixtures from now till virtually the end of the season, many have no doubt been contemplating different Gunners permutations in light of their upcoming games. Providing he can stay injury-free (granted, it’s a pretty big ask) Van Persie, priced at £9.7m compared to Cesc’s £11.8m, certainly looks a viable option for Fantasy Managers looking to refresh their sides with the season’s second wildcard, but there is also, whisper it, another Arsenal option worth running the rule over: Theo Walcott.
Like Van Persie, Walcott’s season has been blighted by injury and the winger has struggled to get a run of games together. Similar to the Dutchman, however, the past few weeks have seen him explode back on to the Fantasy Scene and a look at his Fantasy Stats this season may raise a few eyebrows.
Walcott has started seven league games so far and returned a fantastic 66 points from those matches, grabbing six goals, four assists and six Bonus Points in the process. At a mere £6.8m, it seems he has now, finally, nailed down the Arsenal right wing berth as his own, mainly thanks to the performances of Samir Nasri on the left, which have subsequently seen Andrei Arshavin as the attacking midfielder dropped to the bench.
With so many big names and points magnets in the same team, though, how has Walcott fared when playing alongside the likes of Cesc, Robin, Samir et al?
Here’s a breakdown of the seven Gameweeks he’s started and the points hauls of Walcott and the other major players in the Arsenal team:
| Player | GW 2 | GW 3 | GW 11 | GW 19 | GW 21 | GW 22 | GW 23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theo Walcott | 21 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
| Cesc Fabregas | N/A | 4 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 4 |
| Samir Nasri | N/A | N/A | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Robin Van Persie | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | 7 | 2 | 16 |
| Marouanne Chamakh | 10 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Andrei Arshavin | 11 | 8 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
The table is fairly self-explanatory: as mentioned above, Walcott has started seven games and scored 66 points.
In short, regardless of whatever Arsenal player Walcott has started with, he has outscored every one of them on a cumulative basis.
Finally, here’s a rundown of the same Arsenal players and a look at each player’s Goal Attempts and FPL Points per start.
| Player | Starts | Total Shots | Shots per Start | FPL Pts when Started | FPL Pts per Starts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theo Walcott | 7 | 22 | 3.1 | 66 | 9.4 |
| Cesc Fabregas | 13 | 29 | 2.2 | 79 | 6.1 |
| Robin Van Persie | 5 | 16 | 3.2 | 30 | 6 |
| Samir Nasri | 17 | 32 | 1.9 | 98 | 5.8 |
| Andrei Arshavin | 17 | 42 | 2.5 | 89 | 5.2 |
| Marouanne Chamakh | 17 | 36 | 2.1 | 83 | 4.9 |
In terms of Shots per game, Walcott is only just second to Van Persie; his 22 shots in 7 starts averages just a touch less than Van Persie’s 16 shots in 5 starts, though it leaves the rest trailing in his wake. Considering Van Persie is fielded as the lone forward (albeit a false nine) it says a lot for Walcott’s attacking potential.
When it comes to FPL points per start, though, Walcott is in a league of his own, averaging 9.4pts per start, with Fabregas next best, way back on 6.1. It’s an average that will be practically impossible to maintain over the course of the season, but nevertheless, a clear indication of how he’s been performing when he’s fit and ready to go.
Wenger himself has been full of praise for the player of late, saying:
His efficiency has improved, if you look at the number of games he has started and the number of goals he has scored. He is efficient in providing and scoring and his understanding of the game has certainly, vastly improved.
It’s more than likely that the likes of Fabregas and Van Persie will continue to dominate the Bonus Point hauls, but Walcott looks enough of a viable option to at least be considered seriously. Certainly, when it comes to hitting that “Play Wildcard” button, maybe it’s not too much of an act of folly to dismiss any notions of Theo quite so out of hand.
