In our preview of today's UEFA Champions League match between Arsenal and Barcelona, we highlighted the role Theo Walcott played in last year's tie: coming off the bench in the first leg, scoring a goal to revitalize his team's chances. Second to Lionel Messi's four goal performance in the second leg, the trouble Walcott gave Maxwell and the rest of the Barcelona defense was one of the stand-out performances of the tie, a performance that Messi himself keeps fresh in his memory.
Arsenal Vs. Barcelona: Lionel Messi Labels Theo Walcott The One Gunner Who “Truly Worried Us”
In quote appearing in The Telegraph, Messi called Walcott a player that “truly worried us.”
"When we were playing Arsenal at the Emirates we were so in control of the game at 2-0, with all respect Arsenal were not even in the game," said Messi.
"Then Theo came on and changed the game. He pretty much single-handedly salvaged a draw that night."
In the near-year since that performance, I’ve wondered if we were romanticizing Walcott’s play. His speed gave Arsenal a spark when they were down 0-2, seemingly prepared to be destroyed throughout the remaining 120 minutes of the tie. Was Walcott, who only registered one (successful) shot in the tie, that great? Or was it his spark - and the contrast of that spark with the dour state of Arsenal before his substitution - what we’re really speaking laud? One is greatness. One is relative greatness.
Reading Messi’s comments, it’s difficult to downplay Walcott’s contributions, whether you want to look at them relatively or absolutely. I can break down the numbers and review the clips all I want, but if Walcott not only garners his opponent’s respect but also has an effect on their preparation, there are few greater complements his play can receive.
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