Capello shows ruthless streak in trimming World Cup squad

Yet the Arsenal winger who caused such a stir when he made Sven Goran Eriksson's squad four years ago as a 17-year-old can have few complaints at being dumped from England's current World Cup plans as the squad was trimmed to 23.

Not really.

Yes, it was unexpected. Yes, it was utterly ruthless.

But it was based on the forensic evidence of Capello's own eyes in training and in the warm-up games when Walcott has consistently failed to deliver.

Capello needed Walcott to be direct and daring. He wanted Walcott's burning pace to be his most lethal weapon in South Africa and has done so ever since he scored the hat-trick against Croatia in Zagreb in 2008.

Instead, Walcott too often has been tame and timid. Too often, he struggled to match his speed with precise crosses. Even in the past fortnight he has been afforded one-to-one tuition in that discipline from David Beckham.

In racing parlance, however, he has not trained on.

Not when measured against the more direct threat of Tottenham's Aaron Lennon and the lively Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Unfortunately, ever since former England winger Chris Waddle delivered the damning verdict that Walcott did not have a "footballing brain", the Gunners star has appeared to prove him right.

Even so Capello will have left him behind with a heavy heart. His omission robs England of their fastest player, but what is the point of speed if it does not deliver the ball in the right place at the right time?

There was little controversy surrounding the other unfortunates who missed out.

Darren Bent is a decent Premier League battering ram of a centre forward but not as effective in linking the play as Emile Heskey.

Tom Huddlestone might consider himself a shade unlucky and so too Leighton Baines, although the Everton full-back looked out of his depth against Mexico.

Michael Dawson and Scott Parker might feel they have not been given a genuine opportunity, not having featured in the warm-up matches, but here we have to trust what Capello has seen in training.

Meanwhile, it is a World Cup a season too soon for Adam Johnson, although it would have been fascinating to see what he could have done as a virtual unknown with two talented feet.

At least in Joe Cole, Capello has backed a player who can change the ebb and flow of a football match.

His talents may have been under-utilised by Chelsea this past season but that means there will be no fresher, hungrier player in South Africa.