While speaking to talkSPORT ex Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier claims that it is the list of injured players that have cost Arsenal the title this season and in particular the loss off Theo Walcott from the squad.
The England forward suffered a knee injury during the 3rd round FA Cup tie with Tottenham in January that has kept him out for the season and will also force him to miss this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
Add to this Jack Wilshere, Mesut Özil and Aaron Ramsey and it comes as no surprise that they have struggled to stay in the title race says Houllier telling the Press Pass programme: “They lost some key players [that’s why]. Suppose Steven Gerrard, maybe [Luis] Suarez and another defender were out against Tottenham, it could have been a different game.
“At this moment the big loss for them was Theo Walcott. Theo was giving them some depth and some speed up front and once they lost him the results suffered.
“Particularly in big games he’s a threat and he can make goals and score goals. He had improved a lot so it’s a shame he’s not playing at the moment.
“They lost Theo, Wilshere and Ramsey, who had a terrific start to the season. It is too many key players plus the fact they look a bit more tired than the others [hasn’t helped].”
