Five reasons Theo Walcott would be CRAZY to join Liverpool
Brendan Rodgers has claimed there is "nothing" in rumours Liverpool are poised to bid for Theo Walcott, saying, "He's an Arsenal player." That statement is not only fact, but also goes a long way to explaining why Walcott would be crazy to swap Arsenal for Liverpool anyway...
1) There's no way Liverpool will qualify for the Champions League
Walcott finds himself competing in his seventh consecutive Champions League campaign at Arsenal (and the club's 15th successive entry in the tournament). Last week, Arsene Wenger argued that top players only aspire to join clubs who can offer Champions League football rather than those who have won a League Cup in recent years. A thinly veiled dig at Liverpool, maybe, but Le Professor makes a valid point. At Liverpool - where an expensively assembled squad contains a string of high profile failures - the chances of qualifying for the Champions League are remote and don't look like improving fast. In fact, barring an unfeasibly dramatic upturn in performances and some incredibly clever work in the transfer market, it's difficult to envisage Liverpool qualifying in the next two or three years.
2) Chances of winning a trophy this season are slim
Theo Walcott is yet to claim a winner's medal and, while Arsenal haven't won a trophy for seven years, he'd have even less chance of winning anything with Liverpool this season. Walcott and Arsenal have a great chance of ending their trophy drought in the League Cup, with Chelsea are the only other top club left in the competition, while Liverpool were dumped out by Swansea. The Reds could yet win the FA Cup or the Europa League, but that looks unlikely given their recent performances.
3) There's no guarantee Liverpool will stand by Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers is Liverpool's fourth different manager in just over two years, so why go to a club where the man who signs you could be gone before you know it? Arsene Wenger, on the other hand, has a job for life at Arsenal, where he's nurtured Walcott from a young age. It's also understood that Wenger will play an influential role in choosing his successor when that day eventually arrives, suggesting Arsenal's next boss will have very similar methods and thoughts about players' abilities. Walcott's future is more secure at Arsenal.
4) England spot would come under greater scrutiny
Walcott has won eight of his 30 England caps in 2012, more than any other year since making his debut in 2006, but the forward's place as a Three Lions regular would probably come under much greater threat should he swap Arsenal for Anfield. If Brendan Rodgers deploys him as a winger, there's every chance Walcott will be upstaged - and possibly kept out of Liverpool's starting XI in years to come - by Raheem Sterling, who looks to have greater technical ability despite his tender years. There is some suggestion that Walcott could be tempted by the opportunity to play as a forward for Liverpool, but with Luis Suarez in good goal scoring form this season, that would seem to be potentially less likely than at the Emirates. Finally, at Arsenal, Walcott plays Champions League football every year (a competition that increases a player's likelihood of international recognition), so it makes no sense to head for a team that will struggle to even qualify for the Europa League this season.
5) This song is comedy gold!
Would there be any sense in Walcott joining Liverpool? Let us know by leaving a comment below...