When things were going badly for the Gunners, Jack Wilshere’s performances were often highlighted as evidence that there was hope for the future.
Now that things are going significantly better, it’s Aaron Ramsey who has become Arsenal’s leading light. The athletic Welshman has always had boundless energy, now he just combines it with genuine end product. His goal-scoring prowess this season has been delightful as has his improved passing ability.
But shouldn’t it be Jack Wilshere who is filling this role for Arsenal? Didn’t his performances as a youngster make him a dead cert for success?
Unfortunately, Jack has struggled to make an impact this season, with his performances in an England shirt being subject to particularly harsh criticism.
This, I think, is likely due to a lack of proper fitness. Like Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere has undergone a massive long-term injury. Whilst it may never have been career threatening, all the stopping and starting will have been majorly disruptive to his development.
There’s no question about his attitude. He works hard, goes into each and every tackle without reserve and always tracks back.
The only real mark against his name was the story about him smoking and receiving a dressing down from Arsene Wenger, who said the following:
“I disagree completely with that behaviour… There are two things: first of all, when you are a football player you are an example; and you don’t do what damages your health.” (Source: The Mirror)
Jack has since claimed that he doesn’t smoke. Regardless, let’s hope the incident can be swept under the rug quickly. As for his fitness, Wenger said the following:
“He is getting his fitness back. I think to play on the flanks helps him to find that back, because on the flanks you have to do a lot of that work. You ask every good football player where they want to play and he says to you, ‘In the centre.’ Nobody says, ‘I want to play wide.’ I’ve never heard that.”
This strikes me as a perfect solution. Jack Wilshere may not be enjoying things out wide, but it is the quickest route back to full fitness that he has. Aaron Ramsey played out wide on numerous occasions last season and look at him now.
When Jack reaches full fitness, he’ll be ready to impress again. Until then, we may need to be patient and give him a chance to find his feet once more. If that means watching him spend a little bit more time out on the wings, so be it.
What’s your take? Is Jack Wilshere wasted out on the wings?
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Wilshere used to play RM in the old 4-4-2 formation and he was excellent in that position. I think the main reason it’s good for him to be playing wide at the moment is that it frees him up and means he doesn’t get so involved in the midfield battle which should help him to avoid getting further injuries. Also the movement of Ozil allows him to come inside and link up with the other attackers and Jack’s recent performances starting at LW have been the best he’s given probably since the injury troubles started.
I don’t think he has the pace or the stamina to play Ramsey’s role to anything like the standard Aaron has set and long term, once he does get past this difficult phase, he’ll probably end up either as the deeper midfielder (something like how Arteta has been playing for us, which I think is how Wenger sees him), or as the more attacking central midfielder.
Where Jack plays is not the problem. The problem is Art. His return has raised the old problem. We are not getting the ball forward fast enough. With him in there the pass and move has gone. Art is not mobile enough and we get closed down in the middle of the park. So we can’t get enough players free and can’t get forward. We have gone back to the stagnation of last year. Come on Arsene– bench Art- – he is too much of a passenger and go to 4141 with lots of fluid interchanging.