Theo Walcott Return from Injury Can Ease Burden on Olivier Giroud for Arsenal

Theo Walcott is back. According to ESPN, Walcott is ready to return from a six-week layoff, just in time to face former club Southampton. Arsenal fans are delighted—and Olivier Giroud might be feeling relieved, too. 

Giroud has carried Arsenal’s striking burden single-handedly this season. He has done a terrific job: According to WhoScored, he has already scored seven goals and picked up five assists.

With Nicklas Bendtner as his only plausible deputy, Wenger has leaned heavily on Giroud this season. Speaking to Arsenal.com, Arsene Wenger insisted that Giroud enjoys the challenge of playing game after game:

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He likes that. He is a positive guy, he has a positive charisma. He has a good physical basic stamina, and guys who have a good stamina recover, and can repeat again.

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However, regardless of what Giroud feels, he could do with some assistance. Teammate Laurent Koscielny recently observed that Giroud is displaying signs of fatigue. 

It’d be no surprise if the forward was beginning to feel the strain. His efforts have been Herculean, but he’s not Superman. Including internationals, he has already taken part in more than 20 games this season. Sustaining that intensity in such a demanding position is impossible.

Walcott’s return will help, as the Englishman gives defences another problem to consider. At the moment, Giroud is the only player in the Arsenal XI prepared to push up and play right against the defensive line. Walcott will do that, and more—he also has the explosive pace required to run in behind.

Giroud should benefit from Walcott’s wing play. Walcott provides the kind of exemplary service on which the Frenchman thrives. In their last home game together, a pinpoint Walcott cross found a deft Giroud finish at the near post. Arsenal fans will hope to see more of that combination come Saturday.

Perhaps Walcott will even be used to afford Giroud the odd rest. 

Walcott has made little secret of his desire to play as a centre-forward. Speaking to the Evening Standard at the back end of last season, Walcott reiterated:

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I played a few games there and I would like a few more. 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.

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Walcott didn’t always convince when fielded as a central striker last season, but his intelligent movement and smart finishing suggest he may be worth another try in the role.

With Bendtner and Park Chu-Young both out of favour, and Lukas Podolski and Yaya Sanogo still injured, Walcott is the most viable option to rotate with Giroud.

Playing Walcott through the middle would require a shift in style, but investigating that option could be beneficial to Arsenal in the long run. Against well-drilled defences, variety is key.

Variety is what Walcott brings—along with blistering speed and a near-guarantee of goals. 

Arsenal have missed him. Fortunately, they won’t have to wait long to see him in action again.