Arsene Wenger: Arsenal Has a Gem In Theo Walcott. Really?

Arsene Wenger has much to expect from Theo Walcott this upcoming season. After watching him grow from strength to strength since his arrival from Southampton, Wenger is expecting Walcott to finally show what he can do.

So far, Walcott has been a footballer known more for his off-the-field controversy than for his footballing ability.

After his shocking inclusion into the England national team during the World Cup, many people expected something special from him.

Alas, he did not even feature in a single game. Eriksson's biggest gamble turned out to be a liability.

Two years on, Wenger believes that Walcott is ready to break out from the shadow of his World Cup debacle. This is evident from his latest comments on his young prodigy.

'I hope Theo will be a big part of the squad this season.

So, can Walcott repay Wenger's faith in him?

The answer can perhaps be found further into Wenger's comments.

'His first touch his much better, and he moves the ball quicker. His penetration and final ball is better.

Indeed, Walcott has shown vast improvements from the days when he was a precocious 17-year-old from Southampton. Back then, he had abundance of pace, but he did not have the ability to put it into good effect.

His strength was also a suspect. Often, Walcott was ineffective when he came up against bigger and tougher defenders.

But after a series of tutelage under Wenger and his idol, Henry, Walcott is finally showing signs of stardom.

He was spectacular in last season's 7-0 thrashing of Slavia Prague. His amazing pace and finishing ability wowed many of the Arsenal fans. For good measure, Walcott even added a classy outside-foot finish that was so reminiscent of Henry.

Certainly, there are still many aspects of Walcott's game that need polishing. However, if he can continue to reproduce that stunning form that he had against Slavia Prague on a consistent basis, it will not be surprising if he could be integral to Arsenal's title challenge this season.

As Wenger conceded: 'I have confidence in him, of course, but it is down to performances.'

All eyes will be on Walcott this season. Arsenal fans are about to be treated to a rising star, who will scale the summit of world football.