Arsenal fans have recently been rocked by the news that their young midfielder Jack Wilshere has been ruled out of action for the next two-to-three months. This raises the question: Do the Gunners have enough in reserve to hold up for that time and did they make the right additions during the summer transfer window to cope with the loss?
The news came straight from the horse’s mouth as Jack himself broke the news on Twitter: “I will be out for around 2-3 months! I am working hard in the gym to stay fit and I am gutted but I will be back stronger”.
Given that the Gunners have already lost Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively this summer, there’s an understandable air of panic surrounding Jack’s injury. Despite being only 19-years-old, Jack Wilshere went through a meteoric rise-to-prominence last season and soon established himself as a first team regular.
He’s believed to have picked up his ankle injury whilst on England duty (back when the Three Lions played Switzerland) and it seems he was brought back into action too soon for Arsenal, as he only lasted a few minutes during their friendly against New York Red Bulls on 31st July.
Given Arsenal’s shambolic run of form in the new season, Arsene Wenger will be hoping to get his best players back into the fold as soon as possible and Wilshere’s absence will be a big loss.
There’s been a lot of flack thrown at the Arsenal medical team, but since none of us can sneak a peek at the goings-on behind closed doors at the club, let’s leave the rumour and conjecture to the papers. That only leaves us to ask: do the Gunners have the players necessary to cope with Jack-shaped void in midfield?
Now people will obviously point to new additions Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun to fill the void, but I can’t help but feel that the key man here is Aaron Ramsey. Given the high-profile exits at the club this summer, Ramsey has been handed a lot of responsibility and so far has been unable to make that Wilshere-esque step up in class.
My feeling is that Ramsey plays his best football when he’s playing alongside a more mature and experienced central midfielder. Thus far this season, Ramsey has lined up with the likes of Emmanuel Frimpong and Francis Coquelin – two of the Gunners’ most inexperienced players. If and when he plays alongside the likes of Mikel Arteta, I’m sure that he’ll soon step up his game. Whether or not he can become more effective will have a huge affect on the rest of Arsenal’s season.
With Arteta pulling strings in the centre of Arsenal’s midfield and Yossi Benayoun exerting himself far more than the lacklustre Andrey Arshavin ever would, there’s every chance that the Gunner’s will cope without Jack. That’s not to say that they won’t be extremely happy to see him back come November.
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his a fighter and desire to play for the club as a football club, not as a signboard for self marketing.