Theo Walcott's extraordinary rise from Southampton starlet to multimillion-pound Arsenal signing and England World Cup squad member was always likely to be followed by a downturn and Arsene Wenger admitted yesterday the 17-year-old is suffering from a lack of confidence and not playing to his potential.
Walcott was unable to make an impact during Arsenal's League Cup draw at Tottenham on Wednesday night, where he looked lightweight and out of sorts, but Wenger emphasised such problems are normal for someone of the forward's age.
It was this time last year that Wenger bought Walcott from Southampton, an initial £5 million outlay rising to a maximum of £12 million. He described the deal at the time as the biggest financial gamble of his career and feels comfortable with Walcott's progress, regarding this problem as no more than a blip.
"I think he has developed very well but recently he had a little dip in form," the manager said before tomorrow's FA Cup tie at home to Bolton, for which Walcott is expected to be on the bench. "He is certainly miles better than six months ago but he needs a goal or a shot of confidence because he looks a bit short of confidence.
"I think you go necessarily through that period when you are 17. At the start it's all worryless, fresh and new and after that the responsibilities hit you and you go through a little bit of a patch like that. It's normal and he's a level-headed boy, he analyses things very well, which is sometimes a disadvantage."
External analysis of Walcott's form was bound to be considerable given the money Arsenal paid, rival interest from Chelsea and Liverpool, and his sudden exposure with England. Last May, Walcott became the country's youngest international when he came on against Hungary and he was then a surprise inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad.
He never played at the tournament and nor was it realistic to expect him to become an automatic choice at Arsenal this season. Walcott has made seven starts in the campaign so far, four in the League Cup, and come on 16 times, sometimes to decisive effect, as at home to Hamburg and at Watford. Wenger does not believe going to the World Cup harmed him.
"It speeded up his maturity and he will be ready earlier than everybody else (of his age)," he said, "but you go through periods in your career. And when you grow at 17 sometimes physically you have a period where you feel a little bit less good and I think he goes through that period."
Physically Arsenal will have to be strong tomorrow. Bolton knocked them out of the FA Cup at this stage last season at the Reebok Stadium and beat them 3-1 there in November. "Maybe sometimes one or two years ago we were not completely ready to face this kind of opponent," Wenger said. "I feel this year the team has improved a lot on that side."
He does not feel power was an issue when Bolton defeated Arsenal a couple of months ago, noting that Nicolas Anelka scored "two sensational goals" and emphasised there is, in any case, more than muscle to Sam Allardyce's team. "They are always a good character test but they have quality players as well," he said.
Wenger will rest Jens Lehmann and plans to give Cesc Fabregas a break either tomorrow or on Wednesday in the League Cup return against Tottenham. Guardian Service
