Theo Walcott's Champions League memories

Within a couple of years of our Champions League final in 2006, the likes of Thierry Henry, Sol Campbell, Jose Antonio Reyes, Ashley Cole, Freddie Ljungberg, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp had all left the club. The new generation was epitomised by Theo Walcott, just 18 years old at the start of the 2007/08 campaign.

The lightning-fast winger had joined us five months before our Champions League final against Barcelona, at the age of 16, though didn’t make his debut until the following season. It was during 2007/08 however, that he really came of age. He played nine times, scoring twice in the Champions League that term, but it was his incredible assists away to AC Milan and Liverpool that truly made the footballing world sit up and take notice.

Theo would go on to make more than 70 Champions League appearances for us, scoring 21 times, during his 12-year Gunners career. In this exclusive interview, he tells us how this 2007/08 season helped lay the foundations of what was to come.

You joined halfway through 2005/06, the year we got to the Champions League final, what were your memories of that season?

In that year, I was part of the team, but also not in the team, because I went to those games just to be in the stadium, not actually part of the squad. At the time I didn’t realise how beneficial that experience would be, going to these stadiums and sampling the atmosphere. What stands out the most from that first season was being in the Bernabeu for Thierry’s run and goal against Real Madrid. I was sat right there, pitchside, and it was incredible. It’s always stuck with me.

Then at the end of the season I was picked for England, and they had a training camp, which was at the same time as the Champions League final. Arsène spoke to me and said I wouldn’t be playing in the final, so he thought it would be better for me to go and train with England instead. I had got boots made up with the Champions League final details on them, but I ended up watching it in Portugal with the rest of the England team.

I was a little bit disappointed in truth, not to be at that final, but I also knew that Arsène knew exactly what he was doing, he had a plan for me and I completely trusted him, as I always did. It’s why I stayed with him for so long. I hadn’t made my Arsenal debut by then anyway, I didn’t play until we moved to the Emirates the next season. I knew I wasn’t going to be involved for any of those games in that first season, which made it even more strange when I went to the World Cup that summer, but that’s another story completely!

You played a few games in the 2006/07 season, then scored your first goals in the 7-0 win over Slavia Prague in 2007/08 when you were still 18, what was that like for you?

It was emotional. My sister’s ex-partner had just lost his brother in an accident at that time, and when I scored I put my arms up in the air for him. That was emotional for me, my first goal in the Champions League too, then I scored again later in the game. I went on to score quite a few goals in the Champions League, but I just think at that age, at that level, if I hadn’t already had the experience of going to these games, it could have been quite daunting for me. But having already known the environment, I think I was more comfortable, and actually I tended to do better throughout most of my career against the bigger teams and in the bigger games.

We had started that 2007/08 season in great form, and went 28 games unbeaten in all competitions – still a club record. How good was that team do you think?

It felt like a new beginning. We had a young team, and there was a feeling that it was exciting and a bit of the unknown. Even for me, I was wondering how I would get on at the start of my career. But it was a fresh start for everyone. Obviously we had moved to the Emirates the season before, and now it felt like I was more part of the team.

There were a lot of young players that I could relate to, and I started to get connections going. For example Cesc knew exactly what runs I would make, and he knew I would keep making those runs. But we had a lack of experience and didn’t win anything for a time. We were developing a new era for the club, and it was great that Arsène was in charge of building a new team, after the Invincibles and everything. And he built another successful team, making the Champions League every single season, and what I realise more now is how much he protected everyone.

The older I get, the more I think that the players need to take responsibility for our performances. But managers have always done that, and they shouldn’t have to – it’s on the players. He picks the team, but it's on us. Looking at that team, I think we played some really attacking football, but defensively it was an issue at times. We enjoyed our football, and we had a lot of trust in us from the manager.

One of the highlights that season was the performance and result against that legendary AC Milan side, featuring the likes of Paulo Maldini, Kaka, Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf. What was it like facing them?

I got Seedorf’s and Kaka’s shirts actually, my wife Mel was a big fan of Kaka, and asked me to get his shirt, which I did, but I got it signed to me instead of her, which didn’t go down well! But that team was absolutely incredible, and I can still picture the emotion in Cesc’s face after his amazing goal. Then the second for Adebayor which I set up. I remember I knocked the ball past the defender, scooped it over him, got to the byline and squared it for Adebayor. Post-match is a bit of a blur for me, it was just a great game to be involved in, beating Milan there.

What were your emotions when Arsène told you to come on? At 0-0, with 20 minutes to go…

I was nervous, definitely nervous! I tried to use that as a positive though. The manager said to me to change the game, to use my pace, do what I’m good at. It frustrates me still when I see wingers not using their pace. It’s your main weapon, exploit it. That’s why I love watching Martinelli and Saka now. Defenders hate you running at them. So that’s what I said to myself – affect the game and enjoy it. To be able to do that, it was special, and then I knew the manager would be able to trust me to make an impact in future, and I was still just 18. Things really developed for me after that, that’s for sure.

Then we faced Liverpool in the quarter-final. Your mazy run set up our equaliser six minutes from time, and looked to have us heading to the semi-final. Talk us through it.

Yes, I came on with 20 minutes to go again, we were 2-1 down so needed a goal. It was similar instructions from the boss, use your strengths. This is why you’re here, this is why you are playing for Arsenal.

It was a huge game at Anfield to get into the semi-final, and maybe the manager trusted me because of what I did in Milan. Then the run for the goal was one of my favourite moments of my career. I can remember it so well. The ball falls to Stevie Gerrard in our box and he swipes at it, and then I pick up possession. Then I just saw space, loads of space, and I suppose instinct took over.

I thought ‘I’m good in this environment, just go. Just go and don’t even look at anyone. Go as quick as you can to that goal, then see what you can do’. I was thinking I’d either then shoot or look for someone else, as simple as that. I started eating up ground, I got past one player, then I think Xabi Alonso, then Mascherano was trying to catch up. People said he should have brought me down, but I’m glad he didn’t because that’s not what football is about. You want to see these moments.

Then I skipped past Sami Hyypia and squared it to Adebayor. What I remember next is Cesc absolutely smacking me in celebration! He pulled me up off the floor then whacked me round the back of the head! I’ve watched it back and can see that Robin is disappointed I didn’t square it to him, he always wanted to score! But I was just thinking about running forward, and hopefully someone is there to keep up and tuck it in.

Adebayor was there to score, then he runs off to dance in front of our fans, before he pointed over to me. I was thinking ‘I’m sorry, but that’s basically my goal. You can celebrate it, but that’s my goal, I’m claiming the work there!”

Within a couple of minutes of that goal though, Liverpool won a penalty. The change in emotion must have been huge?

Watching it back, you can see that Arsène really wants to celebrate when we score, but he knows that it can still change, and there is work to do. At Anfield too, anything can happen. I remember Torres had scored an absolute worldie before that, we knew how good they were. But that penalty literally drained everyone. We had come from such a high, and then back down to earth.

It happens in sport, there are such close margins and it just wasn’t meant to be for us. We weren’t quite good enough to get over the line, and it happened a few times in that period. We fell just short in those big games. I think back and I think that moment, when we scored the second goal, could have changed Arsenal Football Club for years. Who knows what would have happened had we gone through, got to the semi-finals. We could have started the process for that young team. We loved to entertain the fans, but sometimes our downfall was maybe not grinding out those results you need.

What are your thoughts on the current team, and our chances in the Champions League?

I think it’s really interesting, because Arsenal haven’t been in the Champions League for a few years, but I do feel a lot of teams will fear playing this team. I think at some point this season Mikel might have to make a decision about what he wants to prioritise, because I can see Arsenal being right in contention until the end of the season, and it might be a case of deciding which one he wants to go for. It’s going to be interesting, but there’s no doubt the club are moving the right way under Mikel, and it’s looking really exciting.