by Chris Cousins

Let's face it, on a tactical level, England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce is unlikely to ever become a Fabio Capello, or an Arsene Wenger, for that matter.

It makes me think that could be one of the reasons why Wenger didn't want Theo Walcott to represent England's U-21s this summer in Sweden.

You get the feeling that Wenger and Capello give their instructions pre-match and at half-time and then let the players get on with playing their own game.

You only occasionally hear Wenger and Capello barking instructions during a game. When they do, there's usually been a break in play. And when they do there's usually a tactical reason for it. They don't try to reduce a player's role in the team to that of an automaton like Pearce seems to be doing with Walcott.

If you listen to Pearce's coaching, I think you may find he's guilty of over-coaching, which is particularly annoying if you're a winger playing near the coach's bench.

If you don't believe me, listen to the coaching during the England Under-21 games, it's: "Theo this, Theo that! Come back Theo! Stand there Theo! Drop deep Theo! Run now Theo!" And so on. Interestingly, it seemed only to be Walcott who had to endure a list of simple instructions, which may have been debilitating to such a creative player.

I must admit, Theo had a poor game against Finland and, perhaps deservedly, he was taken off at half-time.

Personally, I put Theo's poor form down to a number of factors: Theo being knackered playing for England's seniors, the state of the Swedish pitch, the tenacity of the Finnish opposition and Pearce's over-coaching.

If Pearce can't let Theo play his own game, he might as well not play him at all.