Arsenal’s ‘Heroes Together’ mural adorning the outer wall of the Emirates Stadium is quite a sight. Celebrating some of the greatest names in the Gunners’ history, it is a beacon of excellence for anyone approaching the arena to take in. Bob Wilson, Liam Brady, Charlie George, Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Ted Drake, Steve Bould… the icons on display are woven into the fabric of a proud football club.
But there is one man who has played more games for Arsenal than every one of those aforementioned club legends and yet never gets a mention in the list of Gunners greats. Somebody with more goals than Paul Merson or Alan Sunderland, than Robert Pires or Kevin Campbell. With more hat-tricks than Dennis Bergkamp or Robin van Persie, Frank Stapleton or even Cliff Bastin. More trophies than Brady, more England caps than Wright.
Theo Walcott arrived in north London as a 16-year-old prodigy tipped for the big time and would go to a World Cup the following summer without a top-flight appearance to his name. Perhaps that was where the inability to take him seriously as a great player took root, but whatever the reason there ought to be more respect sent his way.
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His 108 goals in 397 matches in Arsenal colours came at a time in the club’s history when they were gradually falling away from their previous status as a true giant. In the eight years before his arrival they had won three league titles and four FA Cups. They had wowed the footballing public with the brilliance of Bergkamp, Henry, Pires and Patrick Vieira.
The Arsenal of Walcott’s era was more remembered for disappointments, for Gervinho, Nicklas Bendtner, Carl Jenkinson and Marouane Chamakh. There were successful signings too, and under Arsene Wenger they extended their record in the Champions League to 17 straight seasons of knockout football, but for the most part Arsenal’s reputation was on the slide.
Walcott was one of their stand-out stars during his time there. His hat-trick in a 7-3 win over Newcastle United was majestic, the goals he scored in either leg of a Champions League play-off success against Udinese were among the most important from any Arsenal player in the last 15 years. Whenever he ran at defences with that incredible burst of pace he possessed, they were immediately on the back foot. He was an attacking weapon of a type few Premier League teams could counter.
So why isn’t Walcott spoken about in the same way as Merson, Pires or Brady? Maybe it’s the fact he was there at a less successful spell in the club’s history. Or that he peaked young and by the time he was sold to Everton in 2018 he had long since reached his ceiling despite still only being 28. Or was he just playing in the shadow of true giants having arrived shortly after Vieira had gone and just as they were about to lose Bergkamp and Henry, whose number 14 shirt he would later by handed?
There was the episode which saw him spend years begging Wenger to play him up front as had been the club’s plan upon signing him, only to then ask if he could revert back to the wing after a short run playing up top, but for the most part Arsenal never got anything but 100 per cent from Walcott. Only 20 players have played more for the club, only 14 have scored more.
This weekend he could make his return from injury for Southampton against the Gunners. Now 33 and with a recent history for being regularly sidelined, his days at the top level might well be coming to a close.
But nobody should forget just how great a player he was for Arsenal Football Club, regardless of whether his image ever makes it onto the hallowed walls of the Emirates.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
