Arsène Wenger is hopeful that the return of Theo Walcott against Southampton on Saturday, and the expected full rehabilitation of Lukas Podolski from a torn hamstring in December, will reduce the demand to sign a striker in the January transfer window. The Arsenal manager reckons his team can win the title even if attacking reinforcements are not forthcoming in January.

"Theo gives us qualities that other players haven't got," said Wenger, in reference to the raw pace that he brings. "It's a different option. It gives us options to score, to go behind to create space in the middle. We have missed that, maybe, but we have not done too badly. Podolski also shouldn't be too far now."

Wenger did not rule out an attempt to bring in another forward but he did acknowledge it is a troublesome time to strike deals for the right players to fit into a title-challenging jigsaw. He expressed regret that in the past he has found it difficult to strengthen in mid-season and his team suffered the consequences over the second half of the campaign.

"Look I am not against it," he said. "I don't say I never make a mistake – I certainly made some. It is always difficult in the middle of the season. If somebody is doing well somewhere the clubs do not necessarily want to sell him. They can wait until the end of the season. Most of the time it is because we didn't find the right player."

Wenger is aware that cover for Olivier Giroud remains a delicate situation, as he is not convinced that Nicklas Bendtner has the right mentality even if his size makes him the closest like-for-like replacement for his first-choice centre forward.

"If we lose Giroud we have nobody with body weight up front apart from Bendtner. I think he has the level but at the moment he doesn't get enough games. And as well, in his head, is he here? Has he planned to go?" said Wenger. Bendtner would not be allowed to leave in January unless an alternative physically-imposing forward comes in.

He was very dismissive about a possible bid for Karim Benzema, the France forward who competes with Giroud for the national team. Asked if they might also battle each other at club level, Wenger was pretty unequivocal. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said.