Arsenal hit Coventry for six

Arsenal have progressed to the next round of the Capital One Cup with a convincing 6-1 win over Coventry on Wednesday night.

The score was 1-0 at half-time as Olivier Giroud grabbed his first goal for the club, but the floodgates opened in the second period.

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Andrei Arshavin, Miquel and a Theo Walcott brace ensured victory for the Emirates Stadium hosts, whilst Callum Ball scored a consolation for the visitors.

Arsene Wenger hailed Walcott’s efforts after the rout, who is in the last year of his contract and has pleaded with the French coach to play up front.

“I’m not against it, I’m not against it at all but we try and at the moment there is big competition up front, we have a different formula and the team is doing well,” The Daily Mail quote Wenger as saying.

“His time will come for that and at the moment we have to be a bit patient. He is a great finisher now, in front of goal he is really absolutely amazing.

“We want him to stay, I always said exactly the same. We are all professional and I always said that lets hope we can extend his deal and that is part of every professional situation.

“I speak to Theo of course, we are always in touch with them (his agent) and you have to give us some time to try and sort that out,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight