Time for Theo Walcott to shine

He provided the defining performance of England's successful World Cup qualifying campaign and yet Theo Walcott is in danger of becoming a forgotten man for club and country.

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Theo Walcott joined Arsenal from Southampton

• Eboue: Chelsea will be "very difficult" It was back in 2006 that England coach Sven Goran Eriksson threw a 16-year-old Walcott into the sort of spotlight few kids of his age could have coped with as he named him in his final 23-man party for the 2006 World Cup, in spite of the fact that he had yet to kick a ball in anger for the Arsenal first team.

Walcott's failure to take to the field in Germany confirmed Eriksson's bizarre selection was the indulgence of a coach who had lost his way in the England hot-seat and yet it seemed as if the Italian now filling the lucratively-paid position once held by the Swede would be the benefactor of the talent whose promotion to the biggest stage had come a couple of years too soon.

It's easy to forget that the now rampant England team were consistently turning in faltering and unconvincing displays until Walcott sparked them into life with his stunning hat-trick in the World Cup qualifier against Croatia in September of last year, with coach Fabio Capello revelling in the display of the speed demon who is still a mere novice at the age of 20.

However, this has been a year to forget for Walcott so far as his fragile frame has let him down to the point that he has started a mere eight Premier League games for Arsenal in 2009, rarely finishing any of those either. In addition, the last 12 months have seen the England starting position he should have secured for himself with that match-winning display in Zagreb looking less than certain as his stand-ins have taken their chance to impress.

Aaron Lennon, James Milner and the veteran David Beckham may now be edging ahead of Walcott in the pecking order of a coach who places the fitness of his players above all other criteria, meaning the one-time Southampton trainee has reached a crossroads where he needs to confirm that his fleeting bursts of magic can become something a manager can rely on consistently.

His England dreams can wait for a few months now as Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger needs Walcott to come to his party in what could rapidly become an hour of need as they prepare for a game they dare not lose against Chelsea this Sunday. Defeat at Sunderland last Saturday did little to banish the notion that the Gunners squad lacks the depth to cope with injuries to key men, yet the fit-again wing wizard is convinced this team can defy their doubters and succeed this season.

"It's been easy to question our manager in the last couple of years because the players have not delivered for him, but we aim to change that this season," says Walcott, who may be in line to return to the Arsenal starting line-up for the showdown with London rivals Chelsea.

"Arsene Wenger is the reason why all of us are at this club and we all owe him so much. The trouble is we have not backed up the faith he has shown in us over the last few years and that's what we intend to do this season. The boss is not the type to worry too much when people criticise him and I suspect he takes inspirational from the doubters.

"He knows we have a good side here and we proved as much by going so close in so many competitions last season and the belief must be that the extra year of experience will stand us in good stead. Even though we lost a couple of key players in the summer, the boss didn't strengthen the squad and told everyone this team was good enough to win without fresh signings.

"The great thing about this manager is he takes all the stick on himself if the team do not perform and we all appreciate how lucky we are to be working with such a great boss. Now we have to give him something back with a trophy or two."

Walcott's surprise selection for the England World Cup squad in 2006 forced him to grow up quickly, with his position as a national celebrity being thrust upon him in unnecessarily rapid fashion. It means the individual who deals with all the media requests coming his way now is a polite and mature professional whose composure is a quality that should stand him in good stead if he stays injury free.

His rapidly-formed maturity ensures he can handle even the most difficult of questions and it is with a chuckle that Walcott responds to one such probing remark that suggests the best performances in his career to date have come in an England shirt rather than the red of Arsenal.

"Injuries have been a problem for me in the last year or so, but I still feel as if the Arsenal fans have been able to see what I can do," continues Walcott. "It would be nice to get a run in the side now without any interruptions and it is important we keep the squad fully fit this season if possible. We suffered after losing some key players last season and it affected us in the big games at the end of the season."

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Theo Walcott has suffered a run of injuries

The next British kid off the Arsenal rank who looks ready to cement a place the first team is Welsh international Aaron Ramsey and Walcott admits it seems strange for some to suggest he could act as a role model for the teenager who has played in Arsenal's last two Premier League games.

"Aaron is a great lad and he has all the talent to become a big star," believes Walcott. "It seems strange to be saying I'm a senior player and he might be tempted to ask me for advice, but I'm sure he doesn't need too much. Jack Wilshire is another one we see in training every day who is going to be a great player and they could not be working for a better manager than the one we have at Arsenal."

It would be a tragedy if Walcott's dreams of starring at the World Cup were dashed due to injuries inflicted by opponents whose limited talents mean their only way of halting a star is by foul means. His career-defining display against Croatia last year means he has earned the right to perform on the biggest stage of them all this summer, yet he will only book a ticket to South Africa if his form and, more importantly, his fitness come together at the right moment.

After his pointless inclusion in England's 2006 World Cup story, the irony of the now-rounded Walcott missing out on a place at the finals four years later would not be lost on anyone, so all lovers of the beautiful should hope that such a fate does not befall this supremely gifted, if seemingly delicate, young footballer.

• Theo Walcott and his Arsenal team mates are donating a day's wages to help raise funds for the club's charity of the season, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. Find out more at: www.beagoonerbeagiver.org