Theo Walcott today revealed his form suffered last season because he was terrified of getting injured but believes his fitness problems are now behind him for good.
The 21-year-old has endured a miserable run of injuries in the past two years, undergoing shoulder surgery in November 2008 before subsequently sustaining knee, back and hamstring problems.
Walcott has consequently been restricted to just 77 starts for Arsenal and 12 caps for England since joining the Gunners in January 2006 but has started the current campaign in fine form following an injury-free pre-season. After a hat-trick against Blackpool and the opening goal in Arsenal's win at Blackburn, Walcott believes he is able to concentrate on the job in hand without feeling restricted by any fitness concerns.
"Now I am going into games not thinking about getting injured at all," he told Standard Sport.
"Last season, I kept going into games thinking I could get injured again and that's when my form suffered. Now I am just going out and enjoying trying to express myself and trying to prove people wrong.
"I am going to the gym and working on the shoulders but I don't want to gain too much upper- body strength because I don't want to slow myself down.
"I want to look after my body a bit more after suffering so many injuries - none relating to the shoulder at all - it's one of those things you have to deal with and I just have to look after myself a bit better."
Walcott is back in favour with manager Fabio Capello after being omitted for the England squad that failed so dismally in South Africa earlier this summer and has been joined by a number of new faces.
