If his first start for England in almost two years was the chance for Theo Walcott to remind the Arsenal fans and Arsene Wenger what he is capable of, then the striker let it slip through his grasp. Unless he wanted to remind us all how ineffectual he can be sometimes.
I am perhaps being a bit hard on the Arsenal man because England struggled in general in the first hour or so against a well organised Italy team that played a 3-5-2 formation and allowed little space. And Walcott’s England team mates’ attempts to find him or get him in behind were either misplaced or hit to hard.
So it was a frustraing night for Theo who was replaced by Barkley early in the second half. England were getting into the game by then, with Walker instead of Clyne at right back, but Walcott got little chance to enjoy it. He really should have made more of his chance, perhaps staying wide more to stretch Italy instead of coming inside where it was congested.
The game did little to help his Arsenal cause and I doubt that Wenger will start him against Liverpool on Saturday, whether Danny Welbeck is fit or not. So is time running out for the speedy striker at Arsenal?