Theo Walcott: Is It Make Or Break Time in the Young Arsenal Player's Career?

It's sometimes easy to forget just how young Theo Walcott is. At only 19 years of age it may seem ridiculous to be considering whether he is going to make it at the top level.

However, the nature of his transfer to Arsenal and the pressure of the media are causing some doubt over his future.  It would have been harsh to expect great things from Walcott as soon as he arrived from Southampton for the initial fee of 5 million pounds in 2006, but the truth is that when you buy someone for 5 million (regardless of their age) you will always expect quite a lot.

The controversial selection of Walcott by Sven Goran Erikson in the England squad for the World Cup in 2006, when he was just 17, further catapulted his name into the media.

He didn't make any appearances at the tournament, however the exposure he received for his selection had added a further burden on his development; he had to cope with being touted by the press as England's 'next big thing.'

The hype surrounding Walcott has certainly decreased since the World Cup, but the expectations that were leveled on him will not go away until he has either achieved his full potential, or it becomes apparent that he will fall short.

Wenger obviously signed Walcott with the intention of nurturing him over a number of seasons, but that period of his career is surely over now.  That is why this season looks set to either make him big, or break his reputation.

Thus far he has had a fair impact on the first team in his fleeting appearances, scoring seven goals and providing five assists in the 07/08 season.  This record would suggest that he can build on it the future and get on the score sheet more often, but some people are already arguing that this is as much as we can ever expect from Walcott. 

Considering Walcott made 25 Premiership appearances last season, scoring four goals and two assists, you can understand why people think he is underachieving.

However, the signs are that the 08/09 season could be a big turning point in Walcott's career, after recently being handed the number 14 shirt, the shirt previously worn by a certain Mr. Thierry Henry; it could signal that Wenger is ready to play Walcott in his preferred position as a central striker.

Whilst his exploits on the wing in his first couple of season at Arsenal have been productive, he has always shown the most ability when playing upfront.

Some of his most impressive performances have come for the England Under-21 team, in particular a man of the match performance against Germany where he netted a classy brace to earn England a place in the Under-21 European Championships.

During an interview last season Walcott set himself a target to: 'make 20 to 25 starts and score five goals.' While he achieved his goals target, he was still some way off 25 starts.

The 2008/09 English Premiership Season could well see Walcott realising his ambition of more starts as Arsenal are facing the possible departures of some big-name players.

One player who is thought to be on his way is Togolese International striker Emmanuel Adebayor—his decision to stay or leave could prove vital in the progress of Walcott.

If Adebayor chooses to leave, then Walcott could well be given his wish of playing upfront.  What some are branding turmoil at Arsenal could well end up being the making of Walcott.

I'm sure Wenger is aware of this, and may well sell Adebayor and let Walcott come to the fore.  It seems likely that Walcott will end up with far more starts next season, which I think will be the catalyst to getting him scoring on a regular basis.

As all Arsenal fans are aware, 'Arsene knows.'