Source: Team_Talk
Walcott: I need to be more selfish
Theo Walcott has vowed to "look out for myself a bit more now" as he aims to make this a season to remember with both Arsenal and England.[LNB] Walcott produced a stunning individual display with a hat-trick as Premier League newboys Blackpool were ripped apart 6-0 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.[LNB]The 21-year-old was a controversial omission from Fabio Capello's ill-fated World Cup squad, only to be welcomed back into the England fold following the dismal display in South Africa.[LNB]Despite now winning the plaudits the former Southampton trainee knows there is plenty of hard work still ahead.[LNB]"I had a nice break, mentally, through the summer so I could think about things and am pushing on now," said Walcott, who has seen his progress hampered by a string of niggling fitness issues.[LNB]"I am 21, so I want to play games every week now, it is a big season for me.[LNB]"I have been very unlucky with injuries last season and I am looking out for myself a bit more now.[LNB]"I am one of the last to leave now, always staying behind after training, practising things ... crosses and set-pieces.[LNB]"It is down to me, so I will look after myself and am raring to go now."[LNB]Walcott's hat-trick was his first for Arsenal, having netted a famous treble for England in their World Cup qualifying victory away to Croatia during September 2008.[LNB]Summer signing Marouane Chamakh also got his account up and running with a late header, while Robin van Persie was, along with captain Cesc Fabregas, brought off the bench for the last half-hour.[LNB]Wenger sees Walcott eventually developing into a central striker's role.[LNB]For now, though, the 21-year-old maintains: "I will happily play anywhere for Arsenal - there is a lot of competition up front now with Marouane and Robin, so as long as I provide goals and pop up with a goal now and then I'm happy with that.[LNB]"But if the boss wants me to play up front I'm buzzing from that. I am working in training up front so I'll go from there."[LNB]Arsenal briefly topped the fledgling Premier League table on Saturday, before champions Chelsea chalked up their second successive 6-0 victory of the new campaign.[LNB]Walcott, though, feels if everyone can stay out of the treatment room, then the Gunners will be a force to be reckoned with over the next nine months.[LNB]"We have so many fantastic players and as long as we keep them all fit, we are going to be very strong," he said.[LNB]"However, we will not get ahead of ourselves. We want to be winning these games and the most important thing is how we react to Blackburn next week, an early kick off.[LNB]"They are the games we need to be winning, the games that might have let us down last season so that's where we will show our characters."
