Walcott reflects on year of rejuvenation

At the Emirates, 2013 could well be remembered as the year Arsene Wenger got his mojo back.

To be more precise, the trip to Munich back in March was the turning point, the moment when Wenger’s talented yet fragile Arsenal side realised they had the capabilities to beat any team.

Nine months on and Arsenal are top of the Premier League and have an FA Cup Third Round tie against local rivals Tottenham to come tomorrow.

Yet all talk still returns to that game in Munich when Arsenal turned their season — and perhaps their future on its head.

Now it has emboldened Theo Walcott to the extent that he can discuss the increased fire in Wenger’s belly as he lambasts his players in private for poor performances, pointing out that increased defensive solidity — just 18 goals conceded in 20 Premier League games — is the key for this side.

And as they look to hosting Spurs, it is clear that the horizons appear rather different than they did a year ago.

“The best person to listen to is the manager,” said Walcott when asked about criticism of the Arsenal side despite their late, late 2-0 win over Cardiff on New Year’s Day.

“After disappointing results he’ll give us a bit of stick. But we know what to learn from and we have learnt so much in the last year. Ever since that Bayern Munich result, really, it’s changed the whole club. The game against them at home (a 3-1 defeat) we learnt a lot of lessons. Since that result away we showed great consistency. Not just scoring goals but keeping clean sheets.

“We always know we are going to score goals. It’s been the problem of conceding them. But everyone has been doing their jobs and it’s important for the team.”

Now comes a real test of that new-found resilience against a resurgent Tottenham. With Tim Sherwood in place and Spurs having enjoyed a fine win at Old Trafford it is a game that could go either way, but there is more than simply local pride at stake.

“The first fixture I always look for is Tottenham,” admitted Walcott. “They are massive games, the one everyone wants to be a part of. I can’t wait for that game. Is it a bad time to play Tottenham? I think it’s going to be a bad time to play us as well. For the neutrals it’s going to be a very interesting battle. It’s going to be very open, I’m pretty sure of that. Tottenham, since their new appointment have done very well. But like I say, they won’t want to play us. And it’s at the Emirates. We are trying to make out stadium into a fortress and we are starting to do that.”

Yet what of Walcott? The 24-year-old has scored five goals in as many games since returning from an abdominal injury, and he is becoming vital to this Arsenal team in as much as he is the only forward player with genuine pace. But with the World Cup — as well as a new baby — to come it could be as memorable a 2014 for Walcott and Arsenal as it was in 2013.

“I feel great,” he said. “I missed so many games since the start of the season it’s been so frustrating.

“I’d rather the injury happened at the start than come the end of the middle of the season. I’m going from strength to strength. It’s nice to be back.”