Theo Nation

Having, shamelessly, watched a lot of Arsenal on the television recently and, please keep it quiet, entertained the most comfortable football seats I have ever sat on at the Emirates Stadium I rather enjoyed myself. As an vivid and long suffering, well not really, Reading fan and an armchair Liverpool one, this has caused a lot of ordeals, I was amazed to see classy football played how God intended it. Thank you Arsenal.

I did see Emmanuel Adebayor finish a penalty against Real Madrid in the Emirates Cup; it was a friendly but no less entertaining. The good things is I went up with a very good friend of mine and we got off out trolley while watching this monastery, I say that because I am sober. Maybe.

My next game as an honorary (input a high pitch or sarcastic laugh here) Arsenal fan, it was the second leg win against FC Twente that really captured my eye though. It is blatantly obvious that they are missing Mathieu Flamini in that midfield and has no one actually realised how useless Nicolas Bendtner is. I cannot believe he can claim two assists and goal from that. He gives Joey Barton a bad name.

Whilst I just shimmering in the heaven sent cushioned seats, I admired Theo Walcott for many reasons. Apart from the fact that he was born mere miles away from me and somehow he slipped though Reading’s useless youth academy of previous years, he has such a big opportunity to place himself in folk law and the o, o to be, o to be a, gunner (sorry people) fans love him. Not wow he scored let us cheer but I mean full blown out affection for one so young. Before we make any Gary Glitter references, we need to still understand he is still at a tender even though it seems he has been around for ages.

Taking into accounts that he has his biggest responsibility this year – stepping into the departed Thierry Henry shirt – his is doing very well. The prestigious number 14 shirt has become a global expenditure, now it is Theo’s. His goal against Steve McClaren’s gimp men looked very Henry-esque as he used his pace to devastating effect before coolly slotting home into the far corner. He looked like he has done than thousands of time.

Therefore, has this number 14 shirt given him maturity, a sense of belonging, a chance to emulate his hero? That path has not been clearly defined as of yet but with no doubt he will be ‘that’ good.