Arsenal star reveals why he has started the season with a bang

THEO WALCOTT reckons he has taken the biggest step forward of his career this season after seeking the help of a personal trainer.

Walcott scored his sixth and seventh goals of the season in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Swansea on Saturday and is already over half way to reaching his total for last season.

It hasn’t gone unnoticed by boss Arsene Wenger, who reckons Walcott has made massive improvements in his game this term.

Walcott said: “I am happy with the goals. I’m happy with the general play and defensive play as well perhaps even more than the forward part of my game.

“I already know how well I can go forward but there’s also other bits to do and I’ve been doing that this season.

“I think it’s the biggest step forward I’ve taken this season. It’s the biggest piece of energy which I’ve never had before.

“I’ve been working really hard on that, in the summer and with a personal trainer. All little things which add up.

“It seems to be going at this moment in time and I’m enjoying playing for football.”

Walcott should have had his first hat-trick since May 2015 despite Arsenal being down to ten after Granit Xhaka’s red card against Swansea, but he hit the post and bar.

He said: “I should have got the fourth and killed it off. I should have killed it off!

“But we still got the win even if it would have been nice to take the ball home on a personal note.”

Walcott reckons Arsenal, who now trail Premier League leaders Manchester City only on goal difference, are showing a new mentality this season.

They have scored 17 goals in their last six games and had kept four clean sheets in a row before Saturday’s game.

Walcott picks out the narrow 1-0 win at Burnley, when they scored in stoppage time, as proof that Arsenal are a different animal this season.

He said: “The Burnley game, they were very well organised and we found it very difficult. But we all stuck in, showed patience and in time we got the win which was really important.

“Again, we had to be diligent against Swansea, be patient at times but when we got that third goal… We’re looking strong.

“The Burnley match was a game where we had to grind it out. This game, when we went down to ten men, we tend to lose, to be honest. There’s some things that are slowly getting better.”