adminLONDON. – Theo Walcott was thrilled to be back in business for Arsenal in their FA Cup third round win on Sunday as he declared his delight at playing alongside “special player” Alexis Sanchez.Walcott played 76 minutes of Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Hull City at the Emirates Stadium, enjoying his first start in exactly a year since suffering the knee injury which kept him out of England’s World Cup plans.
It was a quiet but encouraging return which prompted the 25-year-old old to tell the BBC: “It was nice for me personally to blow the cobwebs away after being out for a year to the day. It was nice to get involved and get a few chances. I wanted to put them away and it wasn’t to be.”
Yet the man who says he is still determined to end his career as “an Arsenal legend” suspected he may be watching another in the shape of Sanchez, who was brilliant the entire match before scoring Arsenal’s decisive second after 82 minutes.
“Alexis Sanchez is a special player and it was nice to get on the pitch with him finally. I’m looking forward to plenty more,” said Walcott.
His return spells good news for England as well as Arsenal, the FA Cup holders who are seeking to improve in the second half of the season after dropping to sixth in the English Premier League.
Walcott said it felt good to be back after the sometimes solitary slog to recover fitness.
“I think mentally it is very hard when you are in the treatment room alone, when your teammates are going out to train or going to the World Cup,” said the player, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.
Walcott showed he had not lost his electric pace but his finishing, as he miscued one glaring opportunity, demonstrated some rustiness. – AFP.
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger applauded his team for responding to their defensive disaster at Southampton on New Year’s Day with their first clean sheet in eight games. – AFP.
Wenger called it “a serious performance” as the FA Cup holders beat Hull 2-0 in the third round, and hailed Francis Coquelin as one of the positive factors to emerge from the crowded festive fixture programme.
The Arsenal manager also stressed that none of the Barclays Premier League teams who played back-to-back away games on December 28 and January 1 were able to take six points on the road.
“We suffered at Southampton at the back as a unit and it was not a great performance,’ said Wenger. ‘I have analysed this period and none of those teams who played away from home on the 28th and the first have won both games. We were very disappointed at Southampton but nobody won the two games.
“We have had three away games out of four (at Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton) and took four points, more than anybody else.”
On Coquelin, who has returned to the team to deputise for injured midfielders Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini, the Arsenal boss added: “For me, he has left a positive impression. He has done well, matured a lot and is strong in the fight.”
Chile forward Sanchez was again Arsenal’s stand-out player, sweeping home a 16th goal of the season.
“He is lively and always dangerous,” said Wenger of the £32million summer signing from Barcelona.
“Alexis has a change of direction, is incisive and penetrating, and has also a good fighting spirit.He has a good combination of what you want to see from top players – that means being ready for a fight and talent.”
Wenger admitted he was “tempted” to rest Sanchez.
He added: “You look
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