Walcott ready for centre stage

ARSENE WENGER reckons Theo Walcott is “ready” to stake his claim for a central attacking role with Arsenal.

Leading scorer Robin van Persie is set to be sidelined for around six weeks after he sustained a knee injury while on international duty with Holland.

The Barclays Premier League leaders host managerless Bolton today looking for an 11th straight victory.

Wenger has a couple of options to partner Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor in the front line, with Croatia international Eduardo da Silva and Walcott pressing to make the starting XI.

Having recovered from a shoulder injury which required surgery during the summer and kept him out of the European Under-21 championships, Wenger believes Walcott has looked sharp in the early stages of the new campaign.

The Arsenal manager feels now could be the time to move the attack-minded youngster to a more central role.

“Walcott will get a chance as well in this position because I feel now he is ready to play through the middle,” said Wenger.

“We are only in October and he made a big impact last time he came on – and you know things change quickly.

“In football you have always to be ready, and it is a good opportunity for him as well, not only for Eduardo.”

Wenger spent some £8million to bring the Brazilian-born forward to Emirates Stadium from Dinamo Zagreb during the summer, just after Thierry Henry went to Barcelona.

It has, though, taken the 24-year-old a while to adapt to life in England, with two goals in seven appearances.

“It is time for him, yes,” said Wenger.

“At the start he was very good, after he was injured a little bit and struggled to find his rhythm back. Now he looks to me sharp again.”

Wenger added: “Of course when you come from the Croatian championship and you come to the English Premier League it is quite a shock.

“But I feel he adapts well and with the right commitment, he will get through that easy. He just has to adapt to the pace of the game and the intensity of the impact in the fight – every time you need to switch it on 100% to win the ball, and it takes time to adapt to that.”

Wenger admits the loss of van Persie – who had netted five goals in his last four Arsenal appearances – is a setback.

However, the Arsenal manager is hoping someone else will now stake their claim.

Wenger said: “We have shown as well in the past that we can deal with those kind of problems.

“It is another opportunity to show that, because of course we miss an important player, I do not deny that, but you will always hope someone comes in and takes the chance.”