Twenty months after his shock selection for England's World
Cup squad, Theo Walcott continues to divide opinions easier than he
splits opposing defences.
On the second anniversary of his £12m transfer to Arsenal last
weekend, his former Southampton manager George Burley insisted he
"should have stayed here at least another year".
And even Arsene Wenger admitted the player, who only turns 19 in
March, has been "troubled" and "feels under pressure".
His fluky equaliser in the first leg was his first and only goal in
domestic action this campaign. And the No.32 he wears on his back
is still more than the 24 first-teams starts he has made for
Arsenal.
Nicklas Bendtner, his strike partner last night, has scored more
goals - five - since returning from his loan spell at Birmingham
last season than Walcott's four in his Arsenal career.
A semi-final at the home of their local rivals in front of the new
England manager was a chance for Walcott to show he can deliver on
the big stage.
But instead, with his Arsenal side badly needing inspiration, he
fluffed his lines. The 18-year-old was pushed around by Spurs
centre-backs Ledley King and Michael Dawson like two bullies
picking on a little boy on his first day at a new school. Even Lee
Young-Pyo seemed to tower over him.
Even before the break the frustrated Arsenal fans were calling for
the introduction of the physical presence of Emmanuel Adebayor from
the bench. And when the Togo striker did make a belated appearance
on 65 minutes, it was Walcott who made way. And within seconds,
Adebayor had found the back of the net.
Wenger said of Walcott at the weekend: "He will get to where I
expect him to be, but at the moment he is not." The wait goes
on.
