Tuesday 22 March 2016 15:19, UK
Out of favour and out of form, is Arsenal's Theo Walcott facing a fight for his England place ahead of Euro 2016?
Saturday's trip to Goodison Park provided some welcome relief for Arsenal, but for Theo Walcott the 2-0 win was another reminder of just how far down the pecking order he has fallen.
In a must-win game for Arsenal's fading title hopes, the 27-year-old was an unused substitute as rookie teenager Alex Iwobi marked his first Premier League start with a man-of-the-match performance and a crucial goal.
Iwobi's impact is likely to keep Walcott on the bench when Watford visit the Emirates Stadium after the international break. It appears Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud are Arsene Wenger's favoured options up front, while Joel Campbell and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have also been preferred on the flanks.
It all adds up to just three starts in 13 games for Arsenal's No 14. His underwhelming recent cameos have done little to suggest he warrants more regular playing time, and a dismal display at Old Trafford last month yielded just 17 touches and six successful passes in 63 minutes on the pitch.
It was a far cry from the Gunners' 3-0 win over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in October, when Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness described Walcott's electrifying performance as his best in an Arsenal shirt. The forward looked well placed for an extended run as their central striker, but an injury halted his progress just three weeks later.
Fitness problems and inconsistent form have become themes of Walcott's career, and since returning from a calf injury in December he has been well below his best. His goals against Manchester City and Leicester were valuable contributions, but an overall tally of just eight in 36 appearances this season speaks volumes of his struggles.
It also raises questions of his status within the England squad. Some observers considered him fortunate to be called up by Roy Hodgson for the upcoming friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands given his poor club form, and it is currently difficult to see where he would fit into the starting XI at Euro 2016.
Assuming Hodgson persists with a front three, one of the biggest questions facing the England boss will be who he selects to lead the line. With Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge and Welbeck in fine form and Wayne Rooney still to return from injury, Walcott's chances of getting the nod look remote in the extreme.
Instead, he will hope to feature as one of the widemen, but there is plenty of competition there too. While Welbeck, Sturridge and Vardy could potentially switch to the flanks, the likes of Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana will also be hoping to start.
That's before even considering the likes of Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard and his Arsenal team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, while Hodgson might also seek to accommodate Everton's Ross Barkley if he uses Rooney at No 10.
Walcott has plenty of work to do at both club and international level in the weeks ahead. If he is to play a meaningful role in France this summer, then he must start seizing the opportunities that come his way. The next fortnight with England would be a good time to start.
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