Theo’s got Thierry on the run…

by CARL ELDRIDGE It’s official! He is quicker than a Premier League manager darting from a Thai brothel pursued by a tabloid hack and salivating photographer…I am talking about Theo Walcott, who has been unveiled as Arsenal’s fastest-ever player. Sort of.

 

This morning’s Mirror runs the story that turbo-charged Theo has upstaged Thierry Henry to set a new Gunners record (if only it was in front of goal) and broken Henry’s 40-metre sprint time as he confirmed himself as the quickest player at the club.

Furthermore, Walcott has outpaced Henry in their sprint tests at 5m, 10m and 40m and is so quick that Arsene Wenger says the flying winger could have even been a match for Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt.

AW said: “The fastest three players I would say are Theo Walcott, Carlos Vela and Armand Traore. And yes, Theo is the fastest. He has the record over 40 metres. I think it’s 4.72 seconds or something like that. Thierry was very fast as well, 4.82secs. I don’t guarantee [the time] but it is in this area. Certainly Theo could have been a 100 metre runner. But Carlos Vela is very fast as well, and Armand Traore is not far behind him.”

The Sun isn’t the only paper to pick up on the FA charges after the handbags during the Hull game last weekend. The paper reports that both clubs have been charged for failing to control their players on December 19.

Meanwhile the Daily Mail reckons we are squaring up to Tottenham in the chase for Goran Pandev. The paper says he has won the battle to have his Lazio contract torn up, sparking a Europe-wide clamour to sign a striker who was valued at more than £15million during the summer.

It adds that us Arsenal and that lot could now go head-to-head for the Macedonia international, who has been in dispute with his club since the summer.

The Italian League’s contract dispute resolution chamber has ordered Pandev’s release, though Lazio president Claudio Lotito insists he will not give up the fight over a player whose contract runs to the end of the season, adds the paper. AW admits he is in the market for a striker if the right player comes along and Pandev has the benefit of not being cup-tied for the Champions League.

That’s it until a festive round-up tomorrow morning, folks…Merry Christmas.

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