So here we are, at the precipice of the week and about to jump lovingly into the weekend, the only real negative being that there is no Arsenal to embrace us warmly like a parent seeing their child come home from university for good. Still, let’s not let that get us down, eh? After all, if you’re a pen pusher like myself, the likelihood is that you’ve got two days off work with which to sleep in and enjoying doing the square root of naff all. Maybe. 

There is some football, but it’s not really football is it? Because cheering on players who were born in the same country as you, but play for domestic teams you want to fail miserably during most weeks, just ain’t natural in my book. But England play tonight and the middle of next week and I suppose I’ll have to endure the usual drivel if I want my footballing fix.

The only other stuff to talk about is Theo Walcott’s contract situation. Firstly he’s denied that any arguments have taking place on the training ground with Arsène – of which a public denial is usually tantamount to an admission that it did happen – then in today’s papers he’s been quoted as saying he hasn’t even been spoken to about a new contract by the club yet. 

I can see that as true, actually, because even Arsène has said that the process is long-winded and drawn out, so whilst a contract may not be freshly penned and on the table, I’m sure they’ve already had preliminary discussions. After all, given how long it took Theo and his representatives to draw out the deal a couple of years ago, it’s hardly surprising that the club are taking their time. They are probably expecting a war of attrition with Camp Walcott, so as Arsène already said in a press conference, negotiations with “the embassy” have to start first before they talk contract.

This time around it’s the club holding all the cards and as much as we’d all like to believe that they are without fault when it comes to player recruitment and retention – operating on a morally appropriate footing where it’s always the greedy player that is the cause of much anguish to the fans – I think we all know that the club is probably as culpable half of the time as well.

I must say though, Team Walcott are ramping up the PR activity well enough this time, with John Cross putting a piece together today that says Walcott just wants game time to sign rather than guarantees that he will play through the middle. I am not going to believe that in two years Walcott will have changed his mind and suddenly is happy with his lot, if only he was played more rather than through the middle, so I’m inclined to believe that this latest round of public gesturing from his camp is just there to curry favour with the fanbase. 

I wonder if Arsenal slapped a new contract in front of him for the same money, if he would sign it, regardless of whether he was playing regularly or not? I suppose that’s hypothesising on a scenario which would have a totally different outcome though. Because if Walcott was playing every week, you can bet your bottom dollar that he’d be stalling on a newly penned deal, so that he could maximise his return. It’s all ‘what if’ and ‘maybe’, but the reality we find ourselves in as fans, is that we’re safe in the knowledge that we have a squad who is not so reliant on Theo like we once were, that the club have been building a very good squad of players that are showing that when fit there is genuine competition and that there is every chance they could make this season very successful indeed.

For the record, I don’t think we should offload Theo. I think he adds something different to our approach and that despite his limitations, he probably should warrant more game time than he’s getting at the moment, but I suspect he won’t be an Arsenal player in a year’s time. If the club can get a premium price for an England international, I think they’d take it, so I think we are unfortunately drawing to a close in Walcott’s Arsenal chapter. 

On that somewhat sad note – and it is a sad note because he’s been good for the club in the main I think – I think I’ll call it a day for today’s blog thoughts. Have a good Friday and hopefully you haven’t been sent mad by boredom by this time tomorrow.

Byesie-bye.