Walcott starting to look part

THREE goals in a game that could barely be described as a contest would not normally be the cause of gushing optimism but different rules apply in the case of Theo Walcott.

Walcott’s raw talent has never been in doubt but his failure to deliver on the promise he showed as a teenage prodigy – the talent that convinced Arsene Wenger not only to sign him, but to also convince Sven Goran Eriksson he should name the then 17-year-old in England’s 2006 World Cup squad without the Swede having seen him play – has been a growing concern for club and country.

The player’s development has been stuttering with his progress blighted by recurring injuries and an apparent unwillingness on the part of Wenger to trust him with anything more than a fringe role.