Could Theo Walcott be Arsenal’s secret weapon this season?

Whilst Arsenal were a much improved side last season, they did lack one thing: pace in offensive areas.

Defensively they were better (thanks to Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker’s excellent partnership) and their midfield continued to offer inventive and dynamic displays, but their attacking play often lacked spark and cutting edge.

That’s because Olivier Giroud was often deployed on his own upfront. For all his qualities, the Frenchman isn’t exactly a speedster. He plays most of his football with his back to goal. He’s good at bringing midfielders into goal-scoring positions (Aaron Ramsey certainly profited from his link-up play), but he’s not good at getting in behind.

Perhaps things would have been different if Arsenal weren’t without Theo Walcott for a large portion of the season. Theo’s one of the quickest footballers in the Premier League. He’s also direct, energetic and a great finisher.

As such, it was disappointing to see him pick up an injury against Spurs in the FA Cup last January. At that stage he had just started to find his best form and it looked like he would be an integral member of the team moving forward.

Various sources are now reporting that Theo Walcott is set to make his comeback in the North London derby on September 27th – almost nine months after he first picked up the injury. I’m sure he’ll be motivated to perform well, after Tottenham fans pelted him with coins whilst he was being stretchered off the pitch (admittedly Walcott did antagonise them, but still, come on, not cool).

A lot has changed since Theo Walcott last played professionally for Arsenal. For a start, The Gunners have signed up two true speedsters (love that word), Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez. If Arsene Wenger can pack all three of them into his starting line-up, then The Gunners should be able to out-pace the opposition with ease.

It’s a far cry away from where Arsenal were last season.

Still, it’s up to Theo Walcott to lead the pack. Now could be the year where he establishes himself as one of the most exciting footballers in the world. All he needs to do is add consistency to his game.

Playing alongside footballers like Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil (and yes, Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck) should help. Let’s cross our fingers and hope that he comes back stronger than ever.

What’s your take? How important will Theo Walcott be this season?

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