Wenger on warpath over Theo

Walcott is again missing from the side to face Portsmouth at the Emirates this afternoon because of a back injury and is unlikely to be fit for another two to three weeks.

Walcott still cannot run properly and Wenger said bitterly: “Arsenal and England will pay for this.”

Walcott will miss the next three Premier League games and will not be fit for England’s September 9 World Cup qualifier against Croatia, against whom he scored a hat-trick in Zagreb last season.

He played for Capello in World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra in June, then left with Pearce for the European U21 Championships in Sweden.

Wenger did not want his young star to play for both the senior and U21 sides and would have preferred him to report back to the club. But Walcott went to Sweden and Wenger said: “It was a selfish decision by Pearce, he just wanted the results.

“I spoke to Capello and him and expressed my point of view to them. It was difficult because I couldn’t really prevent Theo playing for the U21s.”

Walcott missed the Gunners’ pre-season tour of Austria because he was hurt, and Wenger added: “He is still unfit because he has not had a proper preparation for the new season.

“I’m not so much angry as frustrated. I cannot see the logic of it. Now both England and Arsenal have a handicap. It’s why I didn’t want him to play for the U21s. After that we were under pressure to rush him back and he got hurt again.

“If he did not get back to us until July 29 and the season starts on August 15, how can he be fit in time? I knew I would have to start this season without him.”

Walcott’s lower-back inflammation is a difficult injury for any striker with such electric pace to shake off.

“He can only do straight line running, no curves, and we know he won’t be back for a few weeks,” said Wenger, who is well aware of how important his forwards are going to be as he plots a route through the season.

Walcott was being earmarked to make a big impact in a side who last week showed their potential by scoring six times at Everton. “It will be around 10 games before we know what kind of season we will have,” said Wenger.

“Last season we conceded 37 goals and the target is for that to be very much better. We believe it can be with the signing of Thomas Vermaelen.

“He has physical strength and technical ability and the ingredients to be a successful Premier League defender.”

As for more rumours about Cesc Fabregas being sold to Barcelona next season, he said: “The day I agree to sell an individual one year ahead, I will no longer be in this job.”