Why 20 Is a Realistic 2015/16 Goals Target for Arsenal's Theo Walcott

At present, Theo Walcott is stuck on a mere two goals for Arsenal in 2015/16. Although that makes him the club’s top scorer, it also means he’s tied with Capital One Cup hero Mathieu Flamini.

By the end of the season, Walcott would like to have broken the 20-goal barrier. Speaking earlier in September, relayed by Goal, Arsene Wenger stated his belief that the England international could make that tally:

"

I think Giroud, Walcott and Sanchez can get around 20 goals without any problem. 

Sometimes you have to trust your players and play them. Then they get there. People want always the absolute certainty that they will be absolutely successful. It is not like that.

It is not a science that everybody masters and can absolutely predict how many goals everybody will get.

"

In this piece, we break down the reasons that make 20 a realistic target for the Gunners marksman. 

Opportunity

Now more than ever, Walcott is primed to get the chances to play in his preferred role as a central striker.

That’s partly because Wenger seemingly no longer sees him as as a valid option on the flank. Since some lax marking allowed Danny Rose to cross for Harry Kane to head home Tottenham Hotspur's winner in February's north London derby, the Arsenal boss has been palpably reluctant to use Walcott on the wing.

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However, the situation with Arsenal’s other centre-forwards is also a factor. Danny Welbeck is sidelined for an indeterminate amount of time with a knee injury, whereas Olivier Giroud is enduring a difficult spell of form. Walcott has started each of Arsenal’s last three Premier League games as a striker. It seems he is currently Wenger’s favoured option through the middle.

Ability

Walcott has many of the attributes required of a top goalscorer. He is a superb sprinter, makes intelligent runs in behind and is capable of finishing sharply.

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Crucially, he has plenty of confidence. Goalscorers survive on being able to miss a chance, dust themselves down and take the next one. Walcott has that preternatural self-belief in spades. While Giroud seems to take every misstep to heart, it’s water off a duck’s back to Arsenal’s No. 14.

Take the recent match against Stoke City by way of example. He missed a series of relatively simple chances in the game before tucking a goal away in far trickier circumstances.

Speaking to Ben Findon of the Telegraph after the game, Walcott seemed unperturbed by his inconsistent form: "I created a lot of chances, I probably should have taken more, I know that. I will study my performance of what I can do better but there’s no point being down in the dumps about it."

Walcott obviously needs to iron out the misses. He has hit the target with 54 per cent of his shots this season, which is significantly short of the 63 per cent he managed in his outstanding 2012/13 campaign.

Nevertheless, speaking to the same publication, Wenger seemed confident that consistency will come: "You become an instinctive finisher once you have a bag of goals behind you and he needs a few more goals to that a little bit more spontaneously. He has an eye for the goal and a short back-lift and that is a common thing for top scorers."

If Walcott can put a run of goals together, he may prove difficult to stop.

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Supply

Walcott is very fortunate that he has the creative trio of Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey behind him supplying chances. Between them, those three midfielders have already fashioned 57 chances in Arsenal's six Premier League games this season.

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With each one capable of playing the incisive through balls on which Walcott’s speedy style thrives, he should be afforded plenty of chances to work out the kinks in his finishing. Should he stay fit, 20 goals seems very achievable indeed.

All stats via Squawka.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.