Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was delighted with Theo Walcott's performance in yesterday's 1-0 victory over Real Madrid.

Wenger told arsenal.com: "He is ahead of where he was last year. I hope Theo is more regular in the team this year. No 14 is a big number to inherit but I have confidence in him of course, but it is down to performances. I feel his first touch is much better, he moves the ball quicker and his penetration and final ball is better.

"There is goal-scoring potential in him and hopefully one day we will get that out of him. For now he is not a link player between the midfield and the strikers, like Robin [van Persie] can be, and he is maybe, at the moment, a fraction short physically to play as a real target man because there you get bombarded in the air. He can play wide right and wide left as well."