How Theo Walcott Can Prove He's Still Vital to Arsenal's Push for Honours

Theo Walcott is fighting for his place at Arsenal. Despite signing a lucrative new deal last summer, he currently finds himself out of favour and linked with a move away from the club where he has spent the last decade. 

According to Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, West Ham United are the latest club to show an interest in prising him away from the Emirates Stadium.

Mokbel wrote:

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West Ham will offer Theo Walcott regular first-team football in a bid to lure him from Arsenal.

The Hammers want to add to their forward line ahead of next season, with Walcott featuring alongside Michy Batshuayi and Christian Benteke on the club's wanted list.

Slaven Bilic has an interest in Walcott and is preparing a big-money summer swoop.

"

However, for all the momentum Bilic is building in east London, a move to the Hammers would represent a step down for Walcott. For starters, they can’t yet offer UEFA Champions League football. 

He could be offered a reprieve by the news that Danny Welbeck will miss the start of next season with a serious knee injury, per BBC Sport. If Arsene Wenger was considering letting Walcott leave, that blow could give him cause for reconsideration.

Nevertheless, if Walcott wants to stay at Arsenal, he will need to show some improvement. In this piece, we identify things he needs to do in order to convince Wenger he is worth retaining.

Settle on a Position

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Part of the problem with Walcott is that Wenger seems unclear how best to use him. The vast majority of his career has been spent as a right-winger, despite both player and manager repeatedly insisting he would one day play through the middle.

At the back end of last season, two performances from the England international seemed to suggest Walcott’s days on the flank were behind him. 

With Olivier Giroud struggling for form, Walcott was selected to start the final Premier League game of the 2014/15 campaign. He seized his opportunity in spectacular style, scoring a hat-trick against West Bromwich Albion that suggested a predatory instinct hitherto unseen in his Arsenal career. 

That performance was enough to convince Wenger to name Walcott as his side’s spearhead for the FA Cup Final against Aston Villa. Once again, the former Southampton man delivered, hammering home the opening goal with a brilliant left-footed volley.

In the summer of 2015, Wenger decided not to sign a new striker—even though Welbeck was sidelined with another knee cartilage problem. Instead, he believed he could use Walcott as the alternative to Giroud. 

In the early part of the season, his faith was rewarded. Walcott seemed to have been given a fresh lease of life by the new role. Not only did his pace and movement make him a constant threat, he looked hungry too.

That was never more evident than in the 3-0 victory over Manchester United in October. Although Walcott did not score in that game, he terrorised Louis van Gaal’s men with a terrific performance. He was seen haring back to win the ball almost as often as he dashed in-behind.

Per Arsenal.com, Wenger said after the game:

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I must say Walcott had a hugely committed performance today in a hugely convincing way. He didn't score but I like to praise the strikers when they don't score and contribute and give assists ... He did really fight today and showed he can fight, commit and protect the ball as well. He is gaining some aspects of his game as a centre-forward and they are improving.

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However, that honeymoon period did not last. Walcott’s performances began to tail off, and before long he found himself replaced by a resurgent Giroud.

Wenger subsequently admitted that the England forward had not developed as expected in his new position.

Asked if he felt Walcott had blossomed in his striking role, Wenger said, per ESPN:

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Not as well as you could have expected. He had good periods in the season. I think recently he has gone through a much more difficult period.

The problem with Theo is he wants to play on the right and through the middle. You have to fix yourself somewhere. When he does go through the middle he thinks maybe it's better for me on the right.

"

It seems the manager is growing frustrated with the player’s uncertainty over how he should be deployed. The idea that Walcott himself should choose his position is somewhat absurd—ultimately, the coach should decide how best to use the players at his disposal. 

However, if the choice is Walcott’s, perhaps he ought to focus on improving his performances in the centre. With Welbeck now sidelined again, he could be granted another opportunity to seize the striking role he craves.

Improve his ‘Game Intelligence’ 

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One of the oldest criticisms of Walcott is that he lacks tactical awareness. It’s arguably why Wenger saw fit to move him from the flank—the 27-year-old was often lax when it came to carrying out the defensive duties essential for any modern wide player.

Similar problems occurred when he was used through the middle. All too often, Walcott seemed unsure about whether to come short or run in behind. Sometimes his determination to get in on goal means he becomes isolated from the rest of the team, making it feel as if Arsenal are playing a man light

When Walcott decides which position to target, he must do everything he can to increase his strategic understanding. At 27, the excuse of inexperience will no longer wash.

Be Brave 

GRAHAM STUART/Getty Images

If Walcott wants to stay at Arsenal, he will have to regain the respect of the fans. In recent months, he’s looked somewhat like a player determined to avoid injury to protect his chances of participating in Euro 2016.

The most embarrassing example of this occurred at the Stadium of Light. An Arsenal counter-attack saw Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone caught out of position, and Walcott was left in a straight foot-race against Younes Kaboul. If he won the challenge, he had an open goal at his mercy.

However, instead of trying to win the ball, Walcott took the bizarre decision to leap out of Kaboul’s way. Perhaps his injury history factored into his thinking, but the overall impression was that this was a cowardly act.

Walcott has been named on the bench at the expense of Joel Campbell recently, but it’s difficult to imagine the Costa Rican behaving in such a shameful manner.

If Walcott wants to stay at the Emirates Stadium, it’s time to toughen up.

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.