Whilst Arsenal haven’t had to face a great deal of top opposition this season, I can’t help but feel that they’ve already proven their title-chasing credentials.
For a start, they’ve already played Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Spurs, clubs who are all lingering towards the top of their respective divisions. Of those games, Arsenal have won 2 out of 3. They lost the game against Dortmund thanks to a late Robert Lewandowski sucker punch.
So that’s not bad going. It’s also worth noting that they’ve been excellent against so-called ‘lesser’ opposition. Whilst Manchester United, City and even Chelsea have dropped points, Arsenal have been pulling the results they need out of the bag (ever since the defeat to Aston Villa, any way).
Just look at how 10-man Arsenal saw off a fired-up Crystal Palace side. The Gunners had their backs to the wall, but were still able to run out deserved 2-0 winners. Despite being a man short, it was still Arsenal who created the most dangerous opportunities.
Interestingly, it was Jack Wilshere’s introduction from the substitute bench that seemed to give Arsenal the impetus to go on and win the game. His cameo performance, alongside the two goals he scored in the two previous games have cemented just how important he is to this Arsenal side.
As such, it was rather dismaying to see Arsene Wenger say that Jack’s injury problems are far from over:
“It’s difficult for us to find the right rhythm for him. Before I always played him and people say I overplayed him. Now I try to be a bit more cautious. It’s difficult because his ankle is up and down a little bit. He’s getting better but it’s still inflamed sometimes and responds sometimes to games. But after that it goes down again and is normal.” (Source: The Mirror)
If Jack Wilshere’s ankle problem still exists, shouldn’t he be rested until the solution is found? This doesn’t seem like the kind of injury that he can simply run off.
He’s been dealing with the ramifications of this injury for the best part of two years. If he continues to play without being fully fit, he may exacerbate it, or even cut years out of his career. It seems like a fairly big gamble.
In Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla, Arsenal already have plenty of crafty midfielders. They can afford to give Jack an extended break. What’s more, they seem to be playing well enough to survive and even thrive without him.
Wouldn’t it be something to see a fully fit Jack Wilshere?
Luckily, there does seem to be some hope for the future. Wenger continued: “He’s 22. He needs competition. I do what the medical people recommend with him because I am not a specialist. They are quite positive about him.”
What’s your take? Should Arsenal be playing Jack Wilshere?
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I think jack needs smell restings for arsenal best