Is It Time for Arsene Wenger to Play Theo Walcott as a Striker for Arsenal?

Theo Walcott has made no secret of his desire to play as a central striker for Arsenal.

Towards the end of last season, Walcott told Arsenal's official matchday programme:

"

I played a few games there and I would like a few more towards the end of the season.

I scored a lot of my goals this season when playing up front, so I have shown what I can do and it is up to the manager to do what he sees is best.

I am sure another chance will come.

"

That chance could come soon.

Arsenal have spent much of the summer trying to add a striker, but have failed with high profile moves for both Gonzalo Higuain and Luis Suarez. That leaves Olivier Giroud and the inexperienced Yaya Sanogo as Arsenal's only conventional centre-forwards.

Should Gunners boss Arsene Wenger wish to rest or rotate Giroud, he may be forced to use an internal solution. With Lukas Podolski out with a serious hamstring injury, Walcott is next in line for the striker's spot.

He has some of the key attributes good strikers possess. His electric pace allows him to break beyond even the swiftest defenders, and his finishing has progressed dramatically. In the early part of his Arsenal career, Walcott was as likely to skew the ball into the stands as find the back of the net.

However, he has now developed into one the Premier League's most reliable finishers. When released on goal, Walcott has composure and class.

There's no doubting that he has potential in the position. However, is Walcott a good enough option for Arsenal as a striker?

Walcott's claim that he scored "a lot" of his 2012/13 goals through the middle is wildly inaccurate. Of his 21 goals last season, the majority came from his conventional position on the right flank.

When deployed through the middle, Walcott tends to struggle with the more physical aspect of the position. His hold-up play is poor, and he is buffeted around the pitch by burlier centre-halves.

When Walcott starts out wide, he is able to exploit the space between centre-back and full-back to great effect. In the centre, space is at a premium, and the flaws in Walcott's technique and close control are regularly exposed.

Furthermore, Walcott remains Arsenal's most productive winger. Moving him to the middle simultaneously weakens the flanks.

Walcott should be forced to continue in his best position: right wing. Arsenal have one more day to sign the back-up striker to Giroud they desperately need.

It's time for Arsene Wenger to act.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout the 2013/14 season. Follow him on Twitter here.