Walcott: Eyeing 20 starts

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Theo Walcott has reiterated his wish to become a first-team regular at Arsenal next season.

Having been forced to spend the majority of the first half of the 2007/08 campaign as a spectator, Walcott impressed when offered a place in manager Arsene Wenger's first XI in the closing stages.

Wenger is eager to handle Walcott with care but, following the 19-year-old's fine form in a largely under-performing Gunners side in the final months of the last term, it is expected that the forward will be given more opportunities.

And Walcott is keen to tally 20 starts for Arsenal, while he also has his sights set on hitting the back of the net 10 times after narrowly missing out on those targets last season.

"My main target now is to start," Walcott told the club's official website. "I want to do what I do coming off the bench when I start now.

Focus

"I remember at the start of the season that I wanted 20 starts and I think I got about 15, so I didn't quite get there.

"I wanted 10 goals as well, but I got five, so you never know which way it is going to go. Hopefully I will reach that kind of target."

Bad luck

Meanwhile, Walcott's team-mate Kolo Toure believes Arsenal must address their 'desire and focus' after fading out of the race for silverware in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

"We have do something because last season was very strange for us," added Toure.

"We had some bad luck at the end of the season, but we started really well.

"We did not have the same desire and focus at the end of the season as when we started and that is what we need to change next season."