Wenger: Walcott must wait
ARSENAL 6 vs COVENTRY 1
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger last night lauded the “amazing” performance of winger Theo Walcott but regardless refused to reveal if he would get his desired run up front.
The home side had already secured victory over Coventry when the England international scored the first of his two goals with 16 minutes to go but despite encouraging the 23-year-old to sign an extension to the countract that expires at the season’s end, the Frenchman was reluctant to commit to a permant change.
“He’s a great finisher now and in front of goal he is amazing,” said Wenger, for whom Olivier Giroud, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrey Arshavin and Ignasi Miquel had also scored. “I’m not against it.
“We’ll try but at the moment there’s big competition. The team is doing well and his time will come. We have to be patient.
“We want him to stay so let’s see. Let’s sign him and extend him. It’s part of every professional situation. I speak to Theo of course, to his agents, we are always in touch.
“It was in everybody’s mind that the sooner he [Giroud] gets [his first goal] the better. It was in his mind more than our mind. That’s positive. It was a good finish. He’s a good finisher. I believe he is looking for confidence and that goal will help him.”
It was Callum Ball who scored Coventry’s consolation goal with the score at 4-0 with 12 minutes to go but for Giroud, who scored his first goal for the club, the occasion could have been even greater but for his missing of a penalty. While waiting to take his kick two fans ran onto the pitch in only underwear to delay the resumpton of play and when eventually taken the effort was saved by goalkeeper Joe Murphy.
At 1-0, Oxlade-Chamberlain gave Arsenal full control when scoring from a total of 25 yards and Arshavin’s soon followed with a similar level of style when chesting the ball and scoring six minutes later. Two from Walcott and Miquel’s late finish would follow, with an away trip to Reading the ultimate reward.