• Premier League

Arsenal could cope without Cesc and Nasri - Walcott

ESPN staff
July 12, 2011
Theo Walcott © PA Photos
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Theo Walcott has urged his Arsenal team-mates to concentrate on preparing for the new season and not be distracted by the comings and goings of the transfer market.

The futures of captain Cesc Fabregas and midfielder Samir Nasri remain uncertain, with Fabregas eyeing a return to boyhood club Barcelona and Nasri attracting the attention of Manchester City, but Walcott remains confident the Gunners can cope should the pair decide to leave Emirates Stadium.

"They make decisions on themselves, but you want to keep all your best players, you want to attract players as well. Only time will tell what will happen," Walcott told Sky Sports News.

"We just want to get the season up and running - if players come or go we will just have to live on."

Having been firmly on course for four trophies in February, the Gunners suffered a late-season collapse that saw them miss out on third place to City and end their sixth consecutive season without silverware. Walcott believes his team have learnt from last season's mistakes and will be stronger as a result this season.

"The last couple of the months of the season we faded as a team," he admitted. "We had pretty much guaranteed third at least but we managed to slip to fourth and have to play [Champions League play-offs] so that was disappointing for us. Hopefully we can forget about last season now and push on - we have to."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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