Looking at Theo Walcott’s performance against Slavia Prague and claiming it as evidence that he has matured is a bit of a stretch – at 18 he is still a kid. Let’s use it as proof that when he plays up front alongside a target man, he has all the skills to become a big star.

He’s certainly at the right club. Arsène Wenger has picked his moments, using Walcott carefully, as he does with a lot of Arsenal’s youngsters. His display won’t turn him into an ever-present, certainly not when Robin van Persie returns from injury.

Though Slavia weren’t much use, it was still a significant night as Walcott builds up confidence and experience to go with his remarkable calmness. The way he took his two goals at the Emirates Stadium was so impressive and he has a surprising strength for such a small man.

You wonder whether his self-belief was hit by his inclusion in the England World Cup squad last year. “He had no right to be in Germany. I was gobsmacked to find him on the plane,” Steven Gerrard wrote in his autobiography.

Well, Wenger thought Walcott had the right to be there, even if he was only 17, and the Arsenal manager is a pretty shrewd judge. But if he wasn’t embraced by the senior England players, he might have had a tough and lonely time. I hope it wasn’t the case that being picked did him more harm than good.

Wenger is right: he should be in the squad for the England matches against Austria and Croatia next month. And he should be welcomed by everyone because he is an impact player who can make a genuine difference. There is no need to start him, but Walcott should be there to come off the bench. He has the potential to alter the flow of a match and that is invaluable for a manager.

He looked good up front with Emmanuel Adebayor on Tuesday and in the long term, I see Walcott as a striker rather than a winger. It’s the best position to make use of his pace, awareness and coolness. But I think he would need a tall, physical player next to him.

His speed would complement Wayne Rooney’s aggression but over all, playing with Rooney or Michael Owen wouldn’t work – he’d be better with a springboard such as Peter Crouch or Emile Heskey, someone to set him clear and use that fantastic pace.

So for the moment, he’ll continue to be an occasional player for club and country. But, barring an injury that slows his incredible speed, he’s only going to get better and the case for him to become a regular starter will become irresistible. He’s lightning quick, but there’s no rush. Football’s an impatient world, but he really does have time on his side.