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Theo Walcott claims Cesc Fabregas will be unstoppable this season if he continues the scintillating form which provided the catalyst for Arsenal's demolition of Blackburn.
The Spaniard scored one and created four more as the Gunners smashed the opposition for six at Emirates Stadium.
Although Blackburn led twice, Arsenal responded with some devastatingly incisive football in which Fabregas dictated the tempo as Thomas Vermaelen, Robin van Persie, Andrey Arshavin and Walcott all benefited from the Spaniard's vision.
Substitute Nicklas Bendtner fired home a late sixth and Walcott hailed Fabregas's display as convincing evidence that the Arsenal captain is back to his best.
"He is fantastic to play with," Walcott said today. "He will spot anything. He played the ball to me for my goal and I didn't have to break my stride. That's how good he is. He takes that much time to pass it.
"He is still so young and he has a lot of pressure on his shoulders but he is a fantastic person to learn from.
"It is difficult to play amazingly well throughout the whole season. He is only 22 years old but he has been around for a very long time. He is our captain and he is doing a great job. If he plays like he did against Blackburn, no one will be able to stop him this season."
Fabregas has been continually linked with a return to his former club Barcelona but after greeting his strike by kissing the Arsenal badge on his shirt, he said: "I am committed to this club, it is my seventh season here.
"It is hard to hear people saying I am not committed or something. It was a good time to show I love this club."
Arsene Wenger echoed his captain's sentiment. "It's the best answer to play well and to show you are happy to be where you are," the Arsenal manager said.
Walcott's introduction as a 69th-minute substitute was his first appearance this season but England manager Fabio Capello, who was at the game, was not sufficiently moved to name the 20-year-old in the England squad to face Ukraine and Belarus. With Aaron Lennon impressing in recent matches and Shaun Wright-Phillips, David Beckham and James Milner looking to impress their credentials, Walcott faces stiff competition for a place on the right of Capello's midfield as looks to regain full match fitness.
Walcott said: "It is always great having competition because it brings the best out of you. England has a great squad with a great bunch of lads and it's the same for Arsenal, with fantastic world-class players.
"At the moment I am thinking about trying to get back into the Arsenal starting line-up and I'm not really thinking about the World Cup at the moment. I will just try to keep playing well and see where it takes me.
"He [Capello] will want to keep the same bunch of lads together so you get that bond. We've only got about four games until the World Cup starts so there isn't much time to be involved."
Walcott seemed more focused on Thierry Henry's return to the Emirates as one of a host of former players in attendance to mark Wenger's 13th anniversary in charge.
The winger inherited Henry's squad number and said: "It was brilliant seeing him. I got him to sign a shirt with 'Walcott 14' on so that's going on the wall next to the one he signed when I first joined.
"When your hero is here watching with his No14 shirt on, it is a fantastic feeling."
Reader views (2)
Arsenal have scored good goals and it is good to see that all the players want to play a part of this team.
However Wenger needs to address the defence problems because had it been a stronger team like the top four ,it will not be easy to come back from two goals down.
Wenger needs to buy an experienced central defender in January.
If one of the two central defenders is injured, no similar replacement is available and Arsenal cannot afford to take these chances
A.Messina
- A/Messina, Malta, 05/10/2009 19:29
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It was tough to watch the Chelsea vs. Liverpool game yeaterday after viewing the breathtaking excitement, fluidity and creativity of Arsenal's performance earlier in the afternoon. What was apparent, though, was Chelsea's solidity and professionalism - in stark contrast to the defensive brittleness displayed by Arsenal earlier in the day. Chelsea worked just as hard on nullifying Liverpool's game as they did on trying to play their own. When it comes down to crunch time I think it will be the ability of the top sides to impose their game on their rivals in those head-to-head meetings that will make the difference in the chase for the title. Arsenal, for all their fantasy football, will continue to come unstuck until they are capable of matching the ability of Chelsea and Man Utd., in particular, of grinding out a result against a big four side without having played their best or with the same degree of dominance they enjoy against some of the Premiership's lesser lights.
Much as I love watching Arsenal play, they need address some of the glaring defensive deficiencies and focus on being the team to beat rather than the team to watch.
- Speed Racer, Tokyo, Japan, 05/10/2009 12:53
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