Whizkid ready for Emirates debut
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Arsenal whizkid Theo Walcott will make his full Premiership debut today against Watford.
The 17-year-old superkid scored twice after coming on as a substitute for England Under-21s against Germany in midweek.
That has persuaded Gunners boss Arsene Wenger to throw him into the fray at the Emirates.
It will be Walcott's first start since his move from Southampton in January that could eventually cost Arsenal £12million.
He will either start up front or on one of the flanks supporting the strikers.
But Wenger insists Walcott is not yet ready to rescue England despite his vote of confidence.
Three Lions boss Steve McClaren has hinted he will promote stars from the Under-21 squad for England's friendly in Holland next month.
But Wenger insisted: "Theo can help England but it is wrong to think that a boy of 17 has to save a country - that's not right.
"He certainly will be an England player in the future but you cannot say now 'We take him and he has to qualify us for the European Championships'."
Eriksson's decision to take Walcott to Germany was heavily criticised. But Wenger added: "You cannot make a big career without having big critics. The bigger you are the more you get criticised.
"We had that with Michel Platini in France many years ago. Everybody said 'He's not good, he'll never be a big player' and he was already a big player. Then we had it with Zinedine Zidane."
But one player Wenger believes McClaren should consider for a recall is David Beckham.
The Arsenal boss added: "McClaren maybe thought it was time for a new era.
"In France we tried that as well when Raymond Domenech took over. You bring the new players in but, after a while, you think maybe for a certain kind of game you need experience.
"It's for McClaren to decide on whether Beckham should come back. He's under enough pressure, I do not want to add any more."
The 17-year-old superkid scored twice after coming on as a substitute for England Under-21s against Germany in midweek.
That has persuaded Gunners boss Arsene Wenger to throw him into the fray at the Emirates.
It will be Walcott's first start since his move from Southampton in January that could eventually cost Arsenal £12million.
He will either start up front or on one of the flanks supporting the strikers.
But Wenger insists Walcott is not yet ready to rescue England despite his vote of confidence.
Three Lions boss Steve McClaren has hinted he will promote stars from the Under-21 squad for England's friendly in Holland next month.
But Wenger insisted: "Theo can help England but it is wrong to think that a boy of 17 has to save a country - that's not right.
"He certainly will be an England player in the future but you cannot say now 'We take him and he has to qualify us for the European Championships'."
Eriksson's decision to take Walcott to Germany was heavily criticised. But Wenger added: "You cannot make a big career without having big critics. The bigger you are the more you get criticised.
"We had that with Michel Platini in France many years ago. Everybody said 'He's not good, he'll never be a big player' and he was already a big player. Then we had it with Zinedine Zidane."
But one player Wenger believes McClaren should consider for a recall is David Beckham.
The Arsenal boss added: "McClaren maybe thought it was time for a new era.
"In France we tried that as well when Raymond Domenech took over. You bring the new players in but, after a while, you think maybe for a certain kind of game you need experience.
"It's for McClaren to decide on whether Beckham should come back. He's under enough pressure, I do not want to add any more."
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