Theo Walcott struggles to make an impact during first international start in 18 months

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Theo Walcott will return to Arsenal with Roy Hodgson's warning ringing loud and clear.

'An important few months,' said the England boss, and that was before a frustrating night spent all-too-easily shackled by three Italian centre-halves.

Starved of the ball in an unfamiliar position in an even less familiar line-up it was easy to feel sympathy for Walcott as he was hauled off after 55 minutes in Turin. 

Theo Walcott struggled for England against Italy and was starved of the ball playing in an unfamiliar position

But sympathy won't do him much good. What he needs is football and plenty of it if he is to recapture the zip, rediscover his rhythms and regain ground on those who have passed him at club and country.

With a contract set to expire next year and Arsene Wenger seemingly reluctant to offer him game time, even when Alexis Sanchez is running on empty, there is lots to consider.

Unlike those striking deals to be excused a half here and a game there, Walcott reported for international duty desperate to feature.

He added two more caps. He was encouraged to get the nod to come on ahead of Andros Townsend against Lithuania and thrilled at the chance to start against Italy but it was heavy going. 

Walcott shoots at goal during England's friendly against Italy at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday

Walcott was starting his first international game in 18 months having injured his cruciate ligaments

Tottenham winger Andros Townsend came on, also out of position, and fired home England's equaliser 

England improved as an attacking threat after Michael Carrick's introduction towards the end of the first-half and pulled level as the game became disrupted by substitutions.

To make matters worse for Walcott, it was Townsend who came on, also playing out of position on the left of Hodgson's midfield diamond, and fired a terrific equaliser past Gianluigi Buffon.

Walcott goes back to Arsenal to prepare for Liverpool on Saturday, but when Wenger catches up on this game, he will not see any compelling evidence to offer a recall to the first team against one of the clubs likely to show interest if he is to leave the Emirates Stadium.

That is not a decision he has yet made. But it will emerge as a possibility if Walcott cannot impose himself on the end of the season. He has just turned 26, he has been an England international for nearly nine years – this was his 38th cap - and he needs to play regularly.

If he is on the market, there will be demand from Barclays Premier League clubs anxious to add to their English contingent, but he has to choose carefully. Arsenal may ultimately make the decision for him. 

England winger Walcott failed to make an impact for the Three Lions as his touch map (right) shows

In Turin, Walcott was starting his first international start for 18 months, having played less than nine hours of competitive football since damaging cruciate ligaments in January last year.

When he was injured he was playing up front in an FA Cup tie against Spurs. It' s safe to assume that at that point he did not expect his next England start to be in tandem with Harry Kane, who was on the Tottenham bench that day.

Their partnership is unlikely to be rekindled. It started badly, with a moment of miscommunication with Kieran Gibbs, his Arsenal team-mate. Walcott turned and dashed away while Gibbs rolled a pass into the area he had just vacated.

Then his touch let him down. His touch was too poor too often, a clue to his lack of match sharpness. The failure of either Kane or Walcott to hold up the ball contributed to an insipid start and the gentle rhythms of the first-half seemed to have sent the crowd to sleep until Graziano Pelle stirred them with his goal. 

Walcott dropped deeper in search of the ball. His touch was better when he accepted a long, wonderful right-to-left pass from Wayne Rooney, just before Pelle scored. He tried to duck onto his right foot and curl one towards the far post but his effort was blocked by Andrea Ranocchia.

Walcott, pictured against Italy's Leonardo Bonucci, lacked match sharpness after his time on the sidelines

That was his only real sniff of goal. Another chance was smothered after a knock-down from Kane. England were flat in the first-half, and less effective on the turnover than they have been.

They never utilised Walcott's pace in behind and so did not unleash his greatest asset, although Ian Wright partly blamed the Arsenal man for making the wrong runs. 

This is one reason he will remain primarily a winger. He can finish and has a healthy goal rate at the time of his injury but he thrives in the open. He was too easily policed by the Italians, but so was Kane, the hottest striker in England.

At the start of the second-half, Walcott switched roles with Rooney, playing in the N.10 position, one he is even less familiar with. But, 10 minutes after the break, he was replaced by Ross Barkley, who also made a good impression.

The work out will do him no harm, but Walcott is in danger of slipping down the order at England as well as Arsenal. None of which bodes well for his chances of getting what he really needs at club or country.

Harry Kane, the Premier League's joint-top scorer, was easily dealt with by Giorgio Chiellini and Co

Walcott was replaced by Ross Barkley and the England team seemed more comfortable with the Everton man