Theo Walcott’s six month long injury lay-off may be a major loss for the England international side, but it’s also a big deal for Arsenal. The Gunners have limited options upfront and would likely have tapped Walcott’s versatility over the coming months.
At the moment, the Gunners have Olivier Giroud, Nicklas Bendtner and Yaya Sanogo, all of whom have had to deal with their own injury issues this season. Theo was handed a trial role upfront during the third round FA Cup clash with Spurs and he excelled. He looked lively, held up the ball well and kept Michael Dawson on his toes for the entire 90 minutes.
So it’s a shame that his season is over. But it does rather force Arsenal’s hand. If Arsenal’s forwards pick up any more injuries, the club’s title race could well be over. Wouldn’t Arsene Wenger kick himself if his side dropped out of the running because he didn’t recruit during the January transfer window?
According to The Star, Arsenal are still on the hunt for Chelsea striker Demba Ba. Arsene Wenger made an attempt to sign Ba on deadline day of the summer transfer window, but he was shot down by Jose Mourinho. The Chelsea boss thought that Demba Ba could turn the Gunners into title challengers.
As it happens, he was wrong: Arsenal didn’t need Ba to challenge for the title. But there’s no doubting he could help ease the Gunners’ progress. That’s surely why Wenger is still interested. Heck, the bookies have provided odds of 2/1 that Arsenal will bid for the Senegalese striker again.
This begs the question: if Mourinho vetoed the move when he thought that Arsenal could be title contenders, he’s unlikely to have changed his mind now that he knows it for sure.
Still, money talks. If Arsenal want Demba Ba enough and are willing to cough up a decent sum of money, they could still get their man.
What’s more, Chelsea may well feel that they owe Ba a move. In one and a half seasons at Stamford Bridge, the former Newcastle striker has made just 36 appearances, many of which were as a substitute. Ba will certainly be disappointed that he’s only found the back of the net 9 times, but his irregular game-time don’t exactly set him up for success.
It’ll be interesting to see how this one pans out. Will Jose Mourinho play fair, or will Arsene Wenger miss out again? Time will tell.
What’s your take?
Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.