Arsenal midfielder Theo Walcott has spoken ahead of the club’s clash with Watford on Saturday afternoon.
This will be the first game between the London neighbours for nine years, and Walcott says that there is a ‘derby atmosphere’ surrounding the clash.
I remember playing them a few years ago and it is a great place to play football and it is a great club. It will be a tense derby I’m sure and they are very difficult to break down but it will be our job to get three points.
The Englishman says that he is feeling on a very good vein of form at the moment, having scored goals during the international break, and having some great performance for the Gunners.
I’m just enjoying my football, I think you want more games, to be more consistent and I have looked after myself, [and I am in] probably the best shape I have ever been to be honest. I think it comes down to that and work ethic.
It is not just me, the whole team is working very hard and it reflects on yourself and makes your job so much easier.
Everyone is at it, you can go out there thinking, ‘you can’t lose to them.’ That is the shape we are in at the moment.
Walcott has played once against the Hornets in his nine-year career with Arsenal, during which he has featured 313 times.
Internationally, he has made 41 appearances of England at a senior level. The 26-year-old has scored seven goals for his country, with one of them coming during the international break.
It is special because the fact that they are so close means you want to reflect on all the other teams near you [and you want to be] the best when it comes down to it.
You want to do it for the fans, which is great for them as they don’t have to travel too far. There is always those bragging rights, among fans more so, but the players want to go out every match and perform. These matches give us that extra incentive to do well.
I remember playing them a few years ago and it is a great place to play football and it is a great club. It will be a tense derby I’m sure and they are very difficult to break down but it will be our job to get three points.
Against Watford, Arsenal have won 11 times out of 23, and their considerably superior league position would lead many to believe that a Gunners win would be the outcome of Saturyday’s fixture.
