Will he? Won't he? Will he? Won't he? Theo Walcott isn't renowned for his headline grabbing abilities, yet in recent weeks the tug-of-war between his contract representatives and Arsenal Football Club has been on the lips of every man in the stand, and journalist in the press room.

And after performances like the one yesterday, where he bagged a hat-trick and a couple of assists to boot, those question marks only intensify. His match-winning display in a enthralling game at the Emirates also intensified the debate on whether the 23-year-old can play as the spearhead in the Arsenal attack.

His first goal yesterday certainly suggested he can. Thierry Henry returned to the club this week to train with the squad during the MLS off-season and many have suggested that the Gunner’s record-goalscorer is acting as a mentor for Arsenal’s new number 14. This was certainly evident in Theo’s first goal yesterday, as he finished off his bending run in behind the Newcastle defence with a Henry-esque finish.

That is when the striker role and Walcott go hand-in-hand, when there is space in behind the defence to run into. Yet what was evident to me is that when teams sit deeper, which is what they often do against Arsenal and certainly what would be adapted against a lone Theo Walcott, he struggles to impose himself on the game. That’s not saying small strikers cannot play as lone front-men, take Jermain Defoe as an example, but Defoe’s pace is twinned with a strong upper-body strength to influence play against two central defenders.

Walcott hasn’t developed this strength, whether it will come one cannot predict. Arsenal’s last away game at Wigan is a prime example of how Walcott struggled to influence proceedings against a deep-lying defence. He also, through no fault of his own, doesn’t offer a target to aim at when Arsenal penetrate the wide areas, like in the first-half yesterday when Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla were limited to drilling the ball through a crowded penalty box. Enter Olivier Giroud.

Giroud and Walcott can form a formidable partnership; the classic little and large combo. The Frenchman has the physical attributes to offer for the ball short, drag defenders with him and consequently create space in behind for Walcott to exploit. He also offers a fantastic aerial threat, whether this would be flicking the ball on for Walcott or latching onto crosses inside the box. This is evident in his goals this season; five from nine have been headers.

It excites me to think that a Giroud-Walcott partnership could partially emulate the relationship formed by Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry; the artistic orchestrator and frightful speedster.

Giroud is a creative forward. At Montpellier the Frenchman formed a great understanding with Younes Belhanda and put nine assists to his name in Montpellier’s title-winning campaign. Coach Rene Girard made Giroud his second playmaker behind Belhanda and adapted his team’s style to feed off the striker’s creativity. He’s shown this in burst’s this season, especially in Europe where he has grabbed four assists in five games, and it cannot be forgotten that this is in a lone striker role.  

We saw yesterday when on the pitch both Giroud and Walcott not only scored, but also linked up to find the back of the net. Walcott’s cross for Giroud’s first was delicious and showed that if a two-forward system was employed it can be adaptive with Walcott having the ability to move out wide. Arsenal would have to switch to a four-man midfield, a narrow diamond perhaps, with the advantages of this being a more combative structure.

It would be cynical to think that Walcott's contract negotiations might be decided by allowing him to play as a striker. If this is so however, his display yesterday certainly convinced most Arsenal fans that this shouldn't be a clause to ponder over. To lose him for nothing in the summer would be a hard pill to swallow.

Thierry Henry was not switched from a winger to a striker until around the age of 23 so I’m not ruling out that Walcott can develop the attributes to make himself an all-round forward. At this present moment in time though, Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott could form a daunting partnership, one that could benefit not just each other but the team as a whole.