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Theo Walcott sidelined for three weeks

By on September 24, 2013

Theo Walcott will be sidelined for the international break following abdominal surgery.

Theo Walcott will miss England’s World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Montenegro as he will be sidelined for three weeks following a surgery on his abdomen.  The Arsenal winger missed the Gunner’s trip to Stoke City last weekend despite originally being placed on Arsene Wenger’s starting line-up, and unluckily for Wenger, Walcott will be sidelined until late October.

“Theo will be out for a few weeks,” Wenger said.  “He has developed some damage to his posterior abdominal wall. It’s not a hernia, but it’s a little structural problem in his abdomen.

“He will have the procedure in Germany on Wednesday and, because it’s so minor, we can begin his rehab immediately. We are pleased it’s being dealt with quickly and he shouldn’t miss too many Arsenal matches. But he will miss the forthcoming international matches with England.”

The surgery will take place in Germany, and will leave the 24-year-old on Arsenal’s growing list of sidelined players, with Santi Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Abou Diaby, Yaya Sanogo Gedion Zelalem and Mikel Arteta also out with injuries.  The winger is set to miss Arsenal’s Capital One Cup tie at West Bromwich Albion, and is expected to be sidelined for Premier League fixtures against Swansea City and West Brom. Walcott will also miss Arsenal’s Champions League tie against Napoli, and, worryingly for his nation, England’s crucial World Cup qualifiers verses Poland and Montenegro.

Walcott had felt the stomach injury before Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Stoke City, but only withdrew from Wenger’s line-up after the injry worsened during The Gunner’s pre-match warm up.

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Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.