Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Wenger worries for Walcott

20 Sep 2008 - 10:44:02

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called for greater protection from referees for rising star Theo Walcott.

The 19-year-old has become a marked man following his hat-trick for England in their 4-1 victory in Croatia and Wenger was unhappy with Walcott's treatment in the midweek Champions League with Dynamo Kyiv.

He told the club's official website: "Unfortunately, it is always the way of a player who gets a reputation for being dangerous.

"The first answer he gets is harsh treatment. We do not expect any presents from anybody, but we want the right protection from the referees.

"It is all in the rulebook and if you allow the first bad tackle, then the second one becomes difficult for the referee.

"As I say we do not want any special protection but I thought on Wednesday night, for example, the target was not the ball.

"If a guy plays hard it is down to Theo to deal with it. But if the guy targets Theo as an individual, he has to be punished."