Source: Team_Talk
Theo desperate for injury-free season
Theo Walcott admits he is desperate to have an injury-free season to show just what he can do - both for Arsenal and England.[LNB] The 21-year-old was a shock omission from Fabio Capello's final 23-man squad for South Africa.[LNB]However, after the Three Lions' wretched World Cup campaign, the Gunners forward looks set to be brought back into the fold for the Euro 2012 qualifiers this Autumn.[LNB]Walcott was part of the Under-21 squad which reached the final of their European Championship campaign during the summer of 2009, which less than impressed Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who warned of player burnout.[LNB]The pacy forward, who had suffered a dislocated shoulder while training with the England senior team for a friendly against Germany during November 2008, would go onto make only 15 starts for the Gunners last season as his progress was indeed checked by a string of niggling injury problems.[LNB]However, after an unexpected extended summer break, Walcott cannot wait to get back into action as Arsenal look to end a five-season trophy drought.[LNB]"Last season was a disappointment, personally, with the amount of injuries I have had," Walcott told Arsenal TV Online.[LNB]"Hopefully I can have an injury-free season - that is my first target, and to try and help this team win something.[LNB]"I think it is difficult to have a whole season without any injuries, but that is football and we have got to live with that.[LNB]"I will just be trying to concentrate on having a better season than last year, because it was a disappointment not to play as much as I wanted to."[LNB]Walcott added: "Hopefully I can give something more to the fans this year.[LNB]"We want to win something now instead of using the excuse that we are young players.[LNB]"We were very close [to winning a trophy].[LNB]"We always tend to be that touching distance, but we have dropped quite a lot of points where we should not have."[LNB]Arsenal's first pre-season fixture is at north-London neighbours Barnet on July 17, but those players who have been away at the World Cup are set to be given some extra time off.[LNB]Wenger will then take the squad away on their traditional Austria training camp, which will include a game against Sturm Graz, before returning ahead of the Emirates Cup, when Arsenal host AC Milan and Celtic with a final warm-up game at Legia Warsaw on August 7.[LNB]By then, Wenger - whose side open their Premier League campaign with the small matter of a trip to Anfield - will hope to have all his transfer business complete.[LNB]It remains to be seen whether captain Cesc Fabregas will remain, as new Barcelona president Sandro Rosell looks set to renew their interest in the Spain midfielder with a £40millon offer.[LNB]German starlet Mesut Ozil has been touted as a possible replacement, along with £22million-rated French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff.[LNB]England international Joe Cole is now a free agent after his contract with Chelsea expired and Wenger has been expected to move for the 28-year-old, which could then lead to the departure of Czech winger Tomas Rosicky.[LNB]Lorient defender Laurent Koscielny is reported to be close to a £10m switch to Emirates Stadium.[LNB]The future, though, of former captain Sol Campbell is unclear, with the veteran defender weighing up offers from both the Gunners and Celtic.[LNB]Fellow centre-backs William Gallas and Mickael Silvestre, however, do look set to leave at the end of their contracts.
