Watchlist

The Watchlist – Theo Walcott

It hasn’t quite been the season Theo Walcott had anticipated. After a series of frustrating campaigns at the Emirates, the winger had finally flourished as a Fantasy force last term, with eight goals, 11 assists and 19 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points earning him an overall haul of 169 points. Walcott’s link-up play with Robin Van Persie was a crucial aspect of the Gunners’ forward forays in 2011/12, but the Dutchman decided to “listen to the little boy inside” in the summer and promptly upped and left for Old Trafford:

A resultant restructuring of Arsenal’s attacking options has seen both Gervinho and Aaron Ramsey selected ahead of Walcott on the right flank, with the former Southampton man afforded a single league start, all the way back in Gameweek 1. Brief cameos off the bench have hinted at his potential, though; finding the net against Norwich and West Ham, Walcott’s two strikes are the equal of Lukas Podolski, despite featuring in just 249 minutes to the German’s 723, while Arsene Wenger’s main frontman, Olivier Giroud, has notched once in 628 minutes.

Handed a rare starting berth in the midweek Champions League game at Schalke, Walcott opened the scoring in the 2-2 draw and opined post-match that he’s more than deserving of a regular role right now. Looking at the stats so far, it’s hard to argue – in all competitions for the Gunners this season, Walcott has produced eight goals and four assists over 13 appearances; bearing in mind Gervinho and Santi Cazorla, with three goals apiece, are Arsenal’s top league scorers after 10 matches, it’s difficult to understand just why Wenger has been reluctant to utilise Walcott more freely.

With Gervinho ruled out due to an ankle problem and Ramsey a likely deputy for the suspended Jack Wilshere at home to Fulham this weekend, the stage looks set for Walcott to make a statement of intent. Coming in at 8.7 in FPL and 7.5 in the Sky Sports game, he offers an intriguing alternative to Cazorla and Gervinho in the Gunners midfield, providing he can reclaim his regular role once again. The upcoming schedule affords Arsenal plenty optimism – four home games in the next six (FUL, TOT, SWA, WBA), in addition to a trip to Villa, gives Wenger’s side plenty opportunity to improve upon their current seventh position. If the Gunners boss finally relents and allows Walcott his preferred central role, the bandwagon could well be in overdrive.

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755 Comments Post a Comment
  1. King Nemanja
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Anyone know if there was ever an article on Gaston Ramirez?

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    1. MICHELIN
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      WATCHLIST – GASTON RAMIREZ Oct 3rd

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      1. King Nemanja
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Great, thanks

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  2. 42 Rules
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    For f**ks sake Lawro, please predict a premiership team to score more than 2 goals.

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    1. Bun Rab
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I'm stunned, that goes against his usual sunny and optimistic outlook!

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  3. Stevee10001
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Afternoon FFS would like your opinion on what i should do with this defense (if anything) over the xmas period.

    Bego , Jussi

    Rafael , Ridge , Hange , Clyne , McCartney

    Mata , Michu , Cazorla , Pienaar , Maloney

    RVP , Ba , Jelavic

    £1.3M in the bank

    Im more than likely going to do Jelly to someone over the next week or two but long term i would like to switch my defense up but im just unsure on who to dump and who to get?

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    1. pekka
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Hangeland to Sagna?

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      1. pekka
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        or Zabaleta even, although city is rather unpredictable in who they play…

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    2. Hackerrs
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I have more or less the same team. I'm going to drop Ridge for a 3.9 defender who i'll never play (Gorkss or someone like that). Then take out Maloney for a 4.3 mid who'll never play and upgrade Jelly to Suarez. So then my main team will be Jussy, Rafael, Ivanovic, McCartney, Haz, Mata, Fellaini, Michu, RVP, Ba, Suarez.

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  4. Hitman MHK
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Foster | (Federici)
    Baines | Cameron | Cuellar | (Demel, Hangeland )
    Hazard | Cazorla | Michu | Pienaar | (Kacaniklic)
    RVP | Ba | Lambert
    £1.2m in the bank, 1 FT.

    Decided I need work on defense. Thinking I'm going to get rid of Hangeland basing on Fulham's fixtures opposed to Cuellar.
    What do we think? Cheers 🙂
    a) Hangel --> Sagna
    b) Hangel --> Steven Taylor

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    1. pekka
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      sagna

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      1. Hitman MHK
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers 🙂

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        1. pekka
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          or Zabaleta even, although city is rather unpredictable in who they play...

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          1. pekka
            • 12 Years
            11 years, 4 months ago

            replay fail...

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  5. rdpx
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Is it worth a 4 pt hit to get rid of flagged Simpson?

    Other defence:

    Baird, Boyce, Ivanovic, McCartney

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    1. pekka
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      no

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  6. droginexile
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Pretty happy with my team now and have feeling that my season starts this week, two questions,

    1) is it worth risking a szczeny start and having jussi on bench in case mannone plays, or will i take the jussi save points and be happy?

    2) Is it just me who has a feeling michu might run riot against southampton this weekend and am i mad for considering him as captain over RVP??

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    1. pekka
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      1) no risk... if he doesnt play jussi will autosub...

      2) probably not cracy... probably.

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  7. Sulk
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Can someone look at my team and tell me who i should get for marc wilson. have 1.5 to spare and want more manu coverage but can't afford evra and i feel the rest are rotation prone.....

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    1. King Henrik
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Bro get Rafael ! He is solid and floss down that wing with valencia

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  8. King Henrik
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Begovic -Ruddy

    Rafael gorkss hangaland - cuellar jenks

    Fellaini michu bale cazorla - sterling

    Rvp jelevic crouch

    Is this team ready to go !! Thanks

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    1. King Henrik
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Thinking of changing jelly to Ba ???

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