Theo Walcott, 18, signed for Arsenal exactly two years ago tomorrow in a £5million move from Southampton, where he had become a first-team regular.The fee could eventually rise to £12million, but the youngster has not improved as much as Wenger expected him to since arriving at the club.
Walcott's first year as a Gunner was spent settling in before a shoulder injury laid him low.
So far this season he has made nine Premier League starts and last week against Birmingham he was substituted, while this weekend he is not in the Arsensl squad to face Fulham, despite the absence through injury of Robin van Persie.
Wenger has apparently now concluded that Walcott's best position is not out wide on the wing, but he remains confident that the player will make the grade.
"He will get where I expect him to be, but, at the moment, he is not [there yet," Wenger told the official Arsenal website.
"There is always a risk when you step up a level but I still think the sooner you are at the top, top level, the better it is.
"He was troubled a little bit when I took him off last weekend [against Birmingham].
“It can happen at that age and it's part of the learning process. They have to deal with that.
"The expectation level is very high because he is very young and he has been projected early into the spotlight.
“He feels the pressure. He wants to fulfil the ambitions and expectation level that people have for him. But I still believe he is strong enough and good enough to make it," added Wenger.
"He plays on confidence and he has qualities that will come out.
“I tried to force him to play wide but I am now convinced he will be a central player.
“He played well in that role against Slavia Prague and he may play in very similar games in the centre."
Walcott scored two goals as Arsenal crushed Slavia 7-0 in the Champions League, and also scored the Gunners' late equaliser in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.
Wenger said: "It is tough for players when they are on the bench but that's part of the learning process of the job.
"He is not happy when he doesn't play but I believe he is on the way to get into the team and I am confident that before the end of the season he can make that step."
Wenger also concedes that the congenital shoulder ligament problem that Walcott inherited from his father has adversely affected his form.
He first dislocated his shoulder playing in a reserve match for Southampton against Portsmouth in December 2005 following a challenge from Linvoy Primus.
Then he fell heavily playing for Arsenal at Everton last March and needed an operation.
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