Arsenal are in a situation they are not used to. They are sitting around a table with a player they want to keep and who actually hopes to stay at the club.

But with six months left on his current deal, the Gunners contract negotiations with Theo Walcott seem to hinge on one thing: he wants to be played as a centre-forward.

Since signing for Arsenal as 16-year-old in 2006, Walcott has predominantly been stationed on the right wing by Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners boss saw flank duty as a key part of the Englishman’s development.

And despite infuriating inconsistency out wide, Walcott has shown signs of improvement year on year in terms of final product. 

His assists count has risen each season as has his goals tally. Last season he scored eight and assisted the same amount.

Indeed in the first eleven games of this season, the 23-year-old has already netted four times and provided the telling final ball four times from the right wing.

But he craves a role through the middle which is currently occupied by Olivier Giroud.

 

"Football brain"

But could he have the same impact at centre-forward?

You wouldn’t bet on it if certain pundits’ opinions were sought after. Many see him as all pace and no brain – akin to Looney Tunes’ Road Runner rather than the wilier Speedy Gonzales.

Chris Waddle once described Walcott as “lacking a football brain”. 

But such analysis is reductive, lazy and conveniently forgets that his development was stalled by niggling injuries and a lack of confidence.

Walcott has some characteristics which suit the position of centre-forward. He has lightning pace and is one of the best finishers at his club.

However that is not enough in the modern game. A top class lone striker increasingly needs to link the play effectively as well as leading the line, especially with Arsenal's style of play.

Whether Walcott can do this effectively has not been tested. In contrast Olivier Giroud’s lack of pace means that opposition defences can play a high line. Allied to his effective link up play, this opens up space for wingers like Walcott to thrive on in behind the back line.

One-Dimensional

And if opposition defenders drop deep, Giroud’s aerial ability adds a greater threat in tandem with Walcott’s improved accuracy at crosses.

Playing Walcott up front on his own would leave Arsenal one-dimensional.

But perhaps a solution would be to play Walcott up front with Giroud in a 4-4-2, giving opposition defences more to think about.  

And lest it be forgotten Walcott’s idol Thierry Henry switched from the wing to the front two with devastating effect – although the gap in class means Walcott might not have the same impact.