Theo Walcott Analyzes Arsenal's Performance Against Coventry City
Theo Walcott believes one late decision from Eberechi Eze will have irritated Mikel Arteta, even on a night when Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 win over Coventry City.
The Premier League champions opened their title defence with authority at the Emirates Stadium. Kai Havertz struck, Bukayo Saka did what Bukayo Saka does, and Martin Odegaard added the gloss. It was controlled, confident, and at times ruthless.
Eze, though, had to watch most of it from the bench.
He was introduced with 14 minutes to play, replacing Christos Tzolis, and handed a brief window to impress. Instead, what stood out to Walcott was a speculative, long-range free-kick in the closing stages that sailed high over the bar – the kind of decision, he suggested, that will not go unnoticed by Arteta in a season defined by fine margins and fierce competition for places.
“Creating that winning mentality is so important for this team because as soon as you start those habits it’s hard for these teams,” Walcott told Premier League Productions.
“You saw Coventry, they didn’t know what to do at times, there were too big gaps, too big spaces, Arsenal, when they play with the handbrake off, I wanted to see a little bit more, I felt Arsenal have so more gears to go into and that’s great.”
The dominance was clear. Coventry were stretched, chasing shadows, pulled apart by Arsenal’s movement and tempo. Yet Walcott’s focus quickly turned to those trying to force their way into Arteta’s core group.
“Even when the substitutions came on, that’s when their chances are to show Mikel, ‘don’t forget about me’,” he said. “I felt some could have done a little bit more coming on maybe, but it’s the first game of the season and you’ve got to give them the benefit of the doubt.
“It’s just a reminder to the guys who aren’t starting that it’s a big, deep squad. If you want to be in that starting line-up, there are standards that Mikel will be looking into.
“Eze having that shot at the end… I’m not sure he [Arteta] will be happy with that. I know it’s such a small thing but these are little details that he will look into each individual player if he’s going to be with them throughout the season, that’s just a sign to see.”
One substitute did catch Walcott’s eye, though.
Tzolis, making his first Premier League appearance for Arsenal after a £34 million move from Club Brugge earlier in the summer, drew a very deliberate comparison from the former Gunners winger.
“I like him a lot, he reminds me of Alexi [Sanchez],” Walcott said.
“The reason why I say that, when he gets the ball his first touch is positive, his first thought is forward, attack the full-back. Alexi would always give the full-back a headache and even wearing the number 17 reminds he of him, I know he moved to the number seven when Tomas Rosicky moved on.
“However, there’s something about the way he moves with the ball, he glides on the field, they want to keep on giving it to him as well, I think you can see the confidence is growing and growing, he has got a bit more pace about him than Trossard does, so he’s a bit of a hybrid between Trossard and Alexis.
“But very impressed, when he gets fitter and players get to know his game a lot more, but I like what I see so far, really impressed.”
On a night when Arsenal’s established stars set the tone, Walcott’s words cut to the heart of what this season will demand: a deep squad, relentless standards, and no room for wasteful moments – even from 25 yards out with the game already won.
