Walcott signs a new long-term Arsenal deal

With the summer transfer window approaching, Arsenal have arguably made their biggest signing already as Theo Walcott today penned a new long-term contract with the club.

Walcott was delighted to have committed his future to the club, he said: "I’m absolutely delighted to have signed a new long term contract. I’m so happy here and just want to say thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this point in my career. Together with the belief of my team mates, the boss and everyone on the staff, everyone has got behind me here at Arsenal which is brilliant."

The 2o year-old has made significant strides since his arrival at the Emirates in 2006 as a fresh-faced 16 year-old. After a run of games in the Carling Cup side, in which he scored against Chelsea in the Carling Cup final in 2007, The Middlesex-born winger started to make a major impact in the first team towards the end of last season. Walcott most notably set up Emmanuel Adebayor in a fast-paced Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool with a 40-yard run.

With the departure of Alexandr Hleb last summer, Walcott made the right wing position his own at the start of this season. Despite a shoulder injury, which put the England forward out of action for three months, Walcott has managed to score six goals in 25 starts, including important goals against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final and Villarreal in the quarter-final of the Champions League.

His pace provides Arsenal with an attacking threat which is difficult to defend against, something which has been lacking when he has not been in the team. Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger said: "We are absolutely delighted that Theo has committed his long-term future to Arsenal Football Club. Theo is an intelligent player with amazing ability and speed, and has developed extremely well this season."

The former-Southampton man's hat-trick against Croatia in England's World Cup qualifier in September also affirmed his potential as a potent goalscorer and thrust him onto the world stage.

At 20 he still has a lot of time for improvement according to Wenger. "At still only 20 years of age, Theo has huge potential for the forthcoming years and we are all looking forward to see him grow even more in an Arsenal shirt,” he said.

View this video for some of Walcott's best moments:

Arsenal 4-0 Blackburn, Saturday 14 March 2009

After another goalless performance in midweek Arsenal fans could have been forgiven for expecting another 0-0 draw at the Emirates yesterday afternoon. The 11/1 odds for a 0-0 must have been tempting for many, particularly as they faced a Blackburn side manged by their nemesis, Sam Allardyce, who always kept things tight with his Bolton side in previous years.

However, the celebrations of Wednesday night's penalty win over Roma must have given Arsenal a lift as they crushed a poor Blackburn side with a rather fortuitous own-goal from Andre Ooijer, a wonderful strike from new-boy Andrey Arshavin, and two from Emmanuel Eboue.

Arsenal fans didn't have to wait long to celebrate their first Premier League goal at the Emirates for over three games. Nicklas Bendtner's clever turn and pass on two minutes put Walcott clear on the right, his ball eluded Alex Song but Andrey Arshavin nipped in. His shot was going wide but it hit Blackburn's Dutch international, Ooijer and rebounded into the net.

With the pressure off, Arsenal could now relax. Bendtner, Arshavin and Walcott were causing trouble in the Blackburn defence, but Blackburn had a few chances of their own.

Soon after being on the receiving end of a El-Hadj Diouf lunge, Manuel Almunia was called into action to make a wonderful save from a looping Morten Gamst Pedersen header.

But it was Arsenal who were making all of the running. Bendtner, wearing his pink boots, leapt at the far post to meet a Sagna cross but he couldn't get his effort on target and it drifted wide of the post.

Arsenal came even closer a few minutes later, Samir Nasri, Arsenal's free-kick taker in the abscence of Robin van Persie, curled a free-kick onto the bar. The young Frenchman almost scored again minutes later, but his shot was saved unconvincingly by Paul Robinson.

Pedersen then managed to wriggle free of the Arsenal defence but Bacary Sagna did enough to put the Norwegian off.

As the whistle blew to signal the end of the half, Blackburn's players must have been thanking their goalkeeper for keeping them in a game they really should have been out of.

Arsenal started the second half as they finished the first. Walcott, proving to be a constant thorn in Blackburn' side, raced down the right and shot across the goal, unluckily for him, his effort went well wide.

Seconds later, Walcott again was clear on the right, and his inch-perfect cross was met by Bendtner - the Dane however didn't make enough contact and it went wide.

Walcott then had another shot of his own. Unmarked in the penalty area, the England international's scissor kick was too close to Robinson who made a good reaction save to thwart his England colleague.

Nicklas Bendtner then missed two more guilt-edged chances adding to the crowds nervousness, but shortly afterwards, Andrey Arshavin settled their nerves.

The £15 million January buy, went clear on the left, cut inside the area near the byline, jinked his way past Simpson and fooled goalkeeper Robinson by shooting high into the net from a tight angle. If the first goal was luck this was certainly sheer brilliance.

Arshavin then gave Bendtner his best chance of the match, after a good run by Walcott, the Russian released the striker but he could only shoot well over when one-on-one with Robinson. You sensed that today was not his day.

Surely the most bizarre incident of the game followed soon afterwards. Pedersen ran onto a through ball on the left of the penalty area, with Bacary Sagna gaining ground but still a couple of yards away, the Norwegian dived. Clearly there was no contact and the referee didn't give a penalty, but he wasn't booked for his efforts.

Soon afterwards he was substituted along with Walcott and replaced by Carlos Vela and Abou Diaby. Samir Nasri who had another good game for the Gunners was also replaced by Emmanuel Eboue.

It was to be the Ivorian who made the game safe. After failing to connect to an Arshavin cross, Eboue then made it 3-0 with three minutes to go.

Arshavin shot straight at Robinson from inside the box, but Eboue raced in to touch it into the net, the often derided midfielder couldn't hide his delight and ran into the corner to dance with the fans.

Soon afterwards he had his second. Carlos Vela's pace and trickery was too much for Martin Olsson who pulled him down inside the area. Eboue grabbed the ball and placed it on the spot - like most of the penalties taken earlier in the week, he coolly placed it past the goalkeeper into the net.

The final whistle went soon afterwards.With Arsenal looking more and more like their old selves and moving up to fourth in the process, the ground was finally filled with optimism after a number of recent stale performances.

So Wenger has purchsed the "special talent" he has been looking for, but what will Arsenal get?

Andrey Arshavin has officially signed for Arsenal after a day of protracted negotiations. It was on, then off, then on again and finally Arsenal have their man.

Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal board are generally very reluctant to spend big money unless the player is worth it, so should Arsenal fans be excited at the prospect of the 27 year-old Russian racing through the Tottenham defence this weekend?

The video below showcases a compilation of the Russian's undoubted talents. The directness and penetration that the Russian possesses has been lacking in the Arsenal team since Theo Walcott and Thomas Rosicky suffered injuries, and he could become the key to gaining ground on the top four.

Time to give Jack Wilshere a chance?

A lot has been written about Jack Wilshere since he burst onto the scene during the pre-season tour of Austria last July.

Calls for him to be put into the team from the moment he tormented Michel Salgado and Christophe Metzelder during the Amsterdam tournament, were in truth, rather far-fetched.

We have all been excited by his rapid rise to the first-team squad, but he has not been ready to play a big part.

His match-winning performance against Stoke reserves, in which he scored another wonder goal; a curling effort from the edge of the area with the outside of his left-boot; and notched up another in the second half has shown that he needs to be used more by Mr Wenger.

With Theo Walcott out injured, the timing is perfect for him to make an impact. He came on against Cardiff at the weekend for a 10 minute stint in place of Abou Diaby, but he hardly had a touch of the ball.

With a number of home games looming, Wilshere could be given more opportunities and I would not be surprised to see him a cement a permenant place in the matchday squad.