So if Theo is not to be a regular starter, is there a place for him on the substitutes’ bench instead?

It depends.

If you’re expecting him to come on to score the winner against West Brom while they have eleven men camped behind the ball, defending inside their own 18 yard box, you’re likely to be disappointed.

No, to my mind there are two key situations where Walcott really adds some potential value.

He can be rotated in to start a game or come on partway through to change the approach of the opposition where they employ a high press.

Earlier, I espoused the virtues of occasionally playing ‘route one’ to allow Theo to chase down on goal, and against a team who gambles on throwing men forward to defend from the front, à la Tottenham and Liverpool, we can foil them with a well-placed ball over the top or into the channels.

The other real time to make good use of Theo is when we are a goal or two to the good, we’re defending a lead and playing classic counter attacking football.

The longer the game goes on, the more adventurous the opposition want, and need, to be.

Playing Theo leaves gives a conundrum: they can either push up and leave spaces in behind which could see the game put to bed, or they can curtail their attacking agenda at the cost of reducing their own attacking potency.

Either way, it’s good for an Arsenal result.

But, if we’re using him in such a fashion, we should never bring him back to defend set pieces! Leave him up, and let them have an additional problem to worry about!