Chris Waddle has absolutely no reason to be blinkered about the abilities of Theo Walcott. Analysing England’s game in Croatia, he said of our number 14: “I’ve watched him play a lot for Arsenal. He never really gets in the game, he never really goes past people. But what he’s got is a bit of pace on the flanks. Tonight, when he’s got in the positions, he’s used the ball well and finished well. It’s alright having a lot of pace, but it’s pointless if you can’t use it, and tonight he’s put his game together.”

I’m pleased that he too saw something which was new in the Arsenal player, because I was questioning my own sanity at moments during the game. I have never been convinced by our teenage wonderkid. And yet, you cannot argue with a hat-trick away to Croatia, with one scored with his weaker left foot to add insult to injury.

Could this be the making of the player? Well, three matches on the road with his club side in equally hostile environments will tell us. It’s all well and good doing it for the national team, but now we want to see it with Arsenal.

There’s no point in analysing the English national side in depth on this site, but I will say that Fabio Capello is no respecter of reputations and his record as a manager can’t be argued with. In a tough match, he decided to go with youth over experience.

Theo was able to play on instinct to score his goals. It’s when he takes time to think about his options that things can go awry. And that’s why I doubt his abilities as a player at Arsenal. He looks like a weak link and there are times I think his team-mates don’t trust him and decide against passing to him.

Well, there’s been a lot of Setanta hype about the boy becoming a man. Let’s hope that is indeed the case and Arsenal see regular performances like that Theo produced for England. I want to believe!

Now, what’s the betting Arsene Wenger decides to leave our form player on the bench this weekend!

P.S. - Apologies to Liam. Your 'Threeo Walcott' headline has been used already by vital football, so I had to change it or I'd have looked like a rip-off merchant.