Theo Walcott has high hopes for Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri but the former Gunners winger says he noticed impatience that was not channelled the right way late in breakthrough season
Ethan Nwaneri
Ethan Nwaneri could emerge as an option for England
(Image: Getty Images)
Ethan Nwaneri’s work ethic showed signs of slipping towards the end of his breakthrough campaign at Arsenal.
That is according to former Gunners star Theo Walcott, who reckons the youngest member of England’s U21 squad could do more to outwardly display his desire and commitment.
Nwaneri, 18, came off the bench late in the Young Lions’ 3-1 win over Czechia on Thursday night having quickly become a fan favourite at his club. But Walcott reckons there were signs of impatience from the teenager late in the season after he failed to displace Martin Odegaard when the captain was struggling for form.
“I got a sense he was frustrated towards the back end of the season from watching him, even in warm-ups,” Walcott said. “I know I go on about habits but it’s really important to do the right things when you’re visible.
“You’ll have people who say he should be playing and there was a part of the season where I felt he could or should have played a lot more, when Martin Odegaard had a dip in form. I felt that was an opportunity where he could have put a bit more pressure on (Odegaard).
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“But I did sense the drop off in his work ethic. Even in scenarios where you do your running after a game. He might have only played five minutes but he hasn’t done the run, and I really look out for those things.
“Yes, you might have training the next day but you need to be seen doing the right things.
“This will be an interesting dynamic of how he feels next season will go. He’s going to want to play more football but he’s going to be competing with (Bukayo) Saka and Odegaard.”
Theo Walcott working as a pundit
Theo Walcott working as a pundit(Image: Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Walcott, working for Channel 4 as a pundit through their coverage of the U21 Euros, has spent plenty of time around the Arsenal camp and noticed Nwaneri’s admiration of Raheem Sterling - which will serve him well if he picked up some of the senior man’s good habits. And Walcott believes Nwaneri can still be part of the England senior squad for next summer’s World Cup, though the U21s campaign will have a big say on how next season goes.
“Raheem’s so important for him,” Walcott added. “I could tell he looked up to him because of everything Raheem’s done in his career, I felt he was feeding off certain behaviours at times and Raheem was doing all the right things still.
“He just needs to remember to do the right things. It will be interesting come the World Cup. This tournament is really big for him because it shows where he’s at for Arsenal. It can go either way, so he needs to pick the right way - and I’m sure he will.”
Channel 4 are showing all of England’s U21 Euros games, including Slovenia at 5pm tomorrow
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