Theo Walcott...

The Phantom

Now that Theo Walcott has finally signed for Arsenal... the question is: Is he really that good?

Now I'll admit I haven't really seen the lad play yet. Only small clips from highlights, but surely he can't be worth £12.5m? I know his initial fee is £5m but it's still alot for a 16 year old.

So have any of you (looks at Bulldog in particular) seen this boy in action? Is he Englands saviour? Can he live up to the hype? Will he be the next Thierry Henry?

Quack Handle

Great signing, he's the first next English Thierry Henry!

3D

Hmm..

Well, I've watched Theo play about 6 or 7 matches. One thing that he has in spades and that is essential to really prosper as a striker in the modern game is speed. You look at Defoe and Owen - he'd cream them both in a 200 metre dash. The lad is electric, I think he almost matches Henry and Silvestre in terms of pace - and I think they are the 2 fastest players in the Premiership.

Has the lad got the skills? I really think he could develop into a great player. He reminds me a lot of a young Owen - wiry, quick as hell, good touch, and he can finish clinically. Would I pay that much for potential though? Christ no. I mean, the lad looks good, but I don't know if he looks much better than Defoe did at his age. Still, who needs Walcott when you have Roon-aldo and Mikey, Mikey Mikey OOOWEEENN?

3D. Wrestling Clique, Monksdiner, JimmyVan and KnowYourNews' Crafty Old Veteran.

The Phantom

Well if you're going to be like that Wales will have him! lol

I'm looking forward to seeing him play, so I can judge for myself what he's actually like. Unfortunatly when he was down here last, with Saints to take on Cardiff City I was out of town. I had planned on making a trip to Reading to watch him against them, but maybe that trip will be put off too.

Anyone else find it funny that this shirt number is double his age? lol

Tyler Durden

He looks really talented, but £5m rising to £12m....not sure, Arsene is probably a better judge!!

I guess they figure that getting him now and at that price is a lot better than getting him two years down the line at a potential £20m plus, but any signing of a 16 year old "wonderkid" is always fraught with risk.

The game has been riddled with those kind of risks (albeit maybe not so financial huge) on teenagers down the years and it doesn't seem like an awful lot of them fulfil their potential. Here's hoping though....from a neutral point of view it would be nice to see another young Englishman coming through at Highbury