ARSENE WENGER’S excitement at the onset of another Champions League group stage was undercut by exasperation, and it was not only directed at Uefa, which has banned him from the touchline and dressingroom for the first three matches, beginning here against Montpellier tonight.
The Arsenal manager once again addressed the subject of Theo Walcott, who has been unable to agree to a new contract at the club and received a mixed reception upon his introduction at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, during the 6-1 victory over his old side, Southampton. Walcott did not celebrate his late goal out of respect to them.
Wenger worried about the home crowd’s reaction but, of greater intrigue, was his assertion that, with Walcott having entered the final season of his contract, there would come a point when the non-agreement between club and player represented a problem and influenced managerial thinking.
“It can,” Wenger said, “but I still hope to extend his contract so, at the moment, it doesn’t affect me. Of course at some stage . . . if, in April, it’s not done, you can think it will be difficult to do.”
It is easy to feel that the point of friction has already arrived. In the final week of the summer transfer window, it was suggested to Walcott that if he did not sign the new deal on offer, which was worth €92,000-a-week, he would be sold.
Manchester City were the most prominent among his suitors. Walcott has held out for €123,000 -a-week.
Arsenal relented, Wenger saying Walcott would stay and stressing the club would continue to seek an agreement, even though there was a risk when the transfer window closed. Walcott could sign a pre-contract with an overseas club in January.
But Wenger has not named Walcott in his starting line-up since the club gave their ultimatum, albeit one that proved half-hearted. Walcott was used as a substitute at Stoke City and against Southampton, while in between times, he was left on the bench at Liverpool. Wenger said that he did not know whether Walcott would start against Montpellier.
Wenger was asked whether the groans that greeted Walcott on Saturday were a worry. “It is,” he replied. “You want your players to be supported, no matter what kind of contractual situation they are in. I hope it will not affect him and that it will not affect our fans. Theo has gone through a lot at 23 years of age. A lot of positives, a lot of negatives and he’s level-headed.”
A key dynamic of Arsenal’s encounter with Montpellier will be Wenger’s inability to influence proceedings during the 90 minutes. He will not be permitted in the dressingroom beforehand or at half-time and he will be confined to a fidgety perch in the stands. The assistant manager, Steve Bould, will take charge, completing a meteoric rise. He was only promoted in the summer from his role as the under-18 academy coach.
Wenger refused to be drawn on whether he would start with Olivier Giroud, who left Montpellier for Arsenal in a €16 million deal over the summer, although the expectation was he would. Giroud won the French title and the golden boot at Montpellier last season. Wojciech Szczesny did not travel because of an ankle problem while Andrey Arshavin was overlooked from the 18-man party. Abou Diaby should return after a hip injury.
