Further Match Reports

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Times Report
Disappointing Walcott outshone by elders
By Ron LewisQueens Park Rangers 1 Southampton 0: Langley on the spot for QPR

THEO WALCOTT WATCH: minutes on the pitch, 90; shots on target, one; shots off target, two; goals, none; yellow cards, one; rating, C minus. Harsh? Maybe, but when you have a £10 million price-tag on you, you are in the business of harsh assessments. Southampton’s 16-year-old wonderkid started on the left, switched to the front and ended up on the right, but he was largely anonymous.
His best chance came after 37 minutes, when the ball fell to him 15 yards out. His shot was well saved by Simon Royce, the Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper, and he sliced the rebound over the bar.
In the second half it was his cross that QPR, at that point down to ten men because of an injury to Georges Santos, failed to clear and led to Southampton’s penalty, which Nigel Quashie — once a 17-year-old protégé at Loftus Road — fired against a post. Apart from that, Walcott’s only souvenir of the afternoon was a QPR shirt, courtesy of Paul Furlong. He left the field last, clad in blue and white hoops, having given the sort of lingering salute to Southampton supporters that normally comes before a transfer.
Not that George Burley, the Southampton manager, was admitting that Walcott was going to Arsenal, or anywhere else for that matter. “Nothing has changed, we are planning ahead with Theo at the club, we want to keep him,” he said. “At the moment the best place for him is Southampton. He’s enjoying himself, playing regular first-team football and will just get better and better. I’ve never had a 16-year-old playing regularly. I’ve had plenty of 17-year-olds — Kieron Dyer, Darren Ambrose (as manager of Ipswich Town). Theo can go on and be better than all of them.”
Rather than keep Walcott, Burley, who fielded two other teenagers in Nathan Dyer and Dexter Blackstock, could do better to reinvest some of the money from his sale in a team who have lost five of their past six league games.
Walcott did make an impression on Steve Lomas, the QPR midfield player, and not only for the bad tackle that earned the teenager a yellow card. “He’s pretty quick and I wouldn’t like to be chasing him all the time,” the former Northern Ireland captain said. “He’s obviously got a bright future, he’s got blistering pace, but I thought Matthew Rose played him quite well. The key with players like that is to not let them turn. He probably got a bit frustrated at the end.”
Lomas, in his first match for three months, led the rearguard effort by the home team in the second half. QPR had deserved their half-time lead, Richard Langley slotting home a penalty after Gareth Ainsworth had been bundled over by Danny Higginbotham. Furlong had a goal ruled out for offside, but though it remained tense, QPR held on to climb into the top half.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,435-1987316,00.html


Telegraph
Frustrated Walcott swaps his shirt at lastBy Stewart Jackson
Somewhere amid the frenzy surrounding Theo Walcott's supposed last game for Southampton there was one cool head: Dan Shittu had the presence of mind to collar the 16-year-old at the final whistle and insist on swapping shirts. It could turn out to be a valuable memento for the QPR centre-back.
So high are the hopes for the £16 million-rated striker that you would not bet against the item finding its way on to eBay in 10 years. His first Arsenal shirt would be an even bigger coup - keep your eyes on the Everton back line on Saturday.
It was not the farewell of which he would have dreamed - another defeat, a decent first-half chance wasted and a silly booking were the end-product of a disappointing afternoon. The yellow card came for a kick at Steve Lomas, the Rangers midfielder, as frustration got the better of the teenager.
Lomas, who has come up against many 'Next Big Things' in the Premiership while at Manchester City and West Ham, was in no doubt that Walcott has what it takes. "He's definitely destined for big things," the Northern Irishman said.
"There's obviously something there - especially if Arsene Wenger is going to pay over £10 million for him. He can look after himself well for a 16-year-old and he's got blistering pace. He did me a couple of times down the line and I wouldn't want to be chasing him all the time.
"He's got a bright future if he can stay clear of injuries. If he goes to Arsenal he's got a great manager to guide him in the right direction."
Walcott showed flashes of his much-touted brilliance - one mazy run past three defenders would have impressed Arsenal fans - but he will be disappointed not to have scored in the first half. Set up by Dexter Blackstock, his first effort was punched straight back by the goalkeeper Simon Royce, but, as the rebound bounced up to him, he shot over.
George Burley, the Southampton manager, was still toeing the "it's just speculation" party line, and added: "We are planning ahead with Theo at the club. We naturally want to keep him for as long as possible."
With his under-performing side rapidly losing touch with the play-offs, however, any multi-million-pound down-payment by Arsenal would fund a flurry of much-needed purchases. As Walcott's leaving present, that could prove more valuable than an equaliser at Loftus Road.
Southampton's fourth defeat in five matches under Burley boiled down to two penalties. Richard Langley converted the home side's in the first half, Nigel Quashie hit the post in the second.
With hindsight it might have been a good idea to give the ball to Walcott. The afternoon was all about him.
http://sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2006/01/16/sfgqpr16.xml

INDEPENDENT
Burley in dark over Walcott move to Arsenal
By Matt Gatward
Published: 16 January 2006
The whole footballing world expects Southampton's exciting teenager, Theo Walcott, to join Arsenal today except his manager George Burley, who claims that if a deal has been done he knows nothing about it.
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow," Burley said after his side lost 1-0 to Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday at Loftus Road. "I might not be here myself, who knows? I won't guarantee anything, but as far as I'm aware nothing has changed. We're planning ahead with Theo at the club. He's done very well for us and we want to keep him for as long as possible. He's a fantastic talent. When you've got a talent like that there is always going to be speculation but the kid handles it well - he's experienced it for the past six months."
Burley did admit he could not guarantee that Walcott would remain a Southampton player beyond the January transfer window as reports suggested the 16-year-old remained in London for further talks with Arsenal after Saturday's game. Saints are believed to be hopeful of retaining Walcott's services on loan should he head to Highbury, a move that appeared to be edging ever closer when the chairman Rupert Lowe and the director of football Sir Clive Woodward visited the Arsenal training ground on Thursday. However, it is understood the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is eager to start working with Walcott straight away.
Walcott was unable to finish on the winning side in what could be his last Southampton game on Saturday after a Richard Langley penalty proved enough to beat Saints.
"[Walcott] looked lively," Burley said. "He did well on a number of occasions and made a great run for the penalty." Unfortunately for Burley, the penalty earned by Walcott's surging run 14 minutes from time was squandered by Nigel Quashie, who smacked the ball on to the post against his former club.
Burley admitted that he is close to bringing in players to boost his squad, who are now well off the play-off places after a fifth defeat in six League games under the Scot. "We've made offers for three or four players and we are close to bringing in one or two in the next few days."
The Rangers manager Ian Holloway admitted to being an admirer of Walcott. "He showed his quality in flashes and you could see why everyone is talking about him," he said.
The former Arsenal striker Nicolas Anelka wants to make Newcastle United his next club. He said: "I don't want to waste my time any more in the Turkish Championship ... [but] they don't want to sell me for nothing. But my brothers are trying to find me a club in England. I have heard of Everton's interest, but I don't want to go there. I want to get back into the Premiership and I would like that club to be Newcastle United."
l The former Arsenal captain Tony Adams will start work at the Dutch first division side Utrecht today as a trainee coach.
The whole footballing world expects Southampton's exciting teenager, Theo Walcott, to join Arsenal today except his manager George Burley, who claims that if a deal has been done he knows nothing about it.
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow," Burley said after his side lost 1-0 to Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday at Loftus Road. "I might not be here myself, who knows? I won't guarantee anything, but as far as I'm aware nothing has changed. We're planning ahead with Theo at the club. He's done very well for us and we want to keep him for as long as possible. He's a fantastic talent. When you've got a talent like that there is always going to be speculation but the kid handles it well - he's experienced it for the past six months."
Burley did admit he could not guarantee that Walcott would remain a Southampton player beyond the January transfer window as reports suggested the 16-year-old remained in London for further talks with Arsenal after Saturday's game. Saints are believed to be hopeful of retaining Walcott's services on loan should he head to Highbury, a move that appeared to be edging ever closer when the chairman Rupert Lowe and the director of football Sir Clive Woodward visited the Arsenal training ground on Thursday. However, it is understood the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is eager to start working with Walcott straight away.
Walcott was unable to finish on the winning side in what could be his last Southampton game on Saturday after a Richard Langley penalty proved enough to beat Saints.
"[Walcott] looked lively," Burley said. "He did well on a number of occasions and made a great run for the penalty." Unfortunately for Burley, the penalty earned by Walcott's surging run 14 minutes from time was squandered by Nigel Quashie, who smacked the ball on to the post against his former club.
Burley admitted that he is close to bringing in players to boost his squad, who are now well off the play-off places after a fifth defeat in six League games under the Scot. "We've made offers for three or four players and we are close to bringing in one or two in the next few days."
The Rangers manager Ian Holloway admitted to being an admirer of Walcott. "He showed his quality in flashes and you could see why everyone is talking about him," he said.
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/arsenal/article338798.ece