There were four Arsenal players that started in the England win over Slovenia, but Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck are both expecting a much more competitive match against Scotland tomrrow, despite it being billed as a “friendly” match!
Wilshere even thinks tomorrows 111th meeting between the two neighbouring countries will be similar to the North London derby, with both sides desperate to win as always. “Of course it has the same meaning,” the Arsenal midfielder said in the Independent. “We’ve got a manager who has been around for a few years and he knows what England-Scotland means. He’s given us a speech about England-Scotland and told us that back in the day it was the highlight of the season.
“It’s not going to be very friendly. We’ve got to be ready for that. It’ll be a bit like Arsenal-Tottenham, Liverpool-United, but we’re used to that as players. We played them at Wembley a couple of years ago and it wasn’t the friendliest then so we know what we’re in for.”
“I’m desperate to play,” he continued. “They are the games that every England player wants to be playing in.
“You ask any member of my family or anyone who knows what it’s like, and they’d never forgive me if I didn’t play. They will always say England-Scotland that it’s going to be a great atmosphere. I want to play in that.
“For me, it’s going to be a bit tougher than the Slovenia game, they’ll be a bit more up for it on their home ground so we’ll be ready for it.”
Wilshere was Man-Of-The-Match against Slovenia, but his team-mate Danny Welbeck scored the two goals that made the points safe, and Arsenal’s young striker is also keen to play again. “Obviously it is only a friendly but we want to win every single game,” Welbeck told Sky Sports News. “We can’t go in thinking we are going to do anything else than that.
“It is going to be a great atmosphere. I watched the game against the Republic of Ireland the other night and the atmosphere sounded unbelievable. I just can’t wait to get out there and taste it.”
It’s great that these two are raring to do well for their country, but I, like most Arsenal fans, will simply be hoping that NONE of our players will go into a too-fierce challenge and end up joining our desperate injury list. We just know that the Scottish players are going to be just as fired up as England!
Just what we need, an unfriendly friendly, with so many Arsenal players in the England squad let’s hope they all come through it ok.
International breaks are boring as hell…
yeah I hate it…esp if its jes for fkn friendlies….
By the way: Does Hodgaon make better use of our stars then AW does:
> JW man of Match
> Wellbeck scores 2 again.
Meant Hodgson..
yes, hodgson makes better use of our players than does the AW.
dont forget AW saying “i’m an attacking manager”.
tells u he doesnt pay enough attention
to buying/thinking of defence.
plus when he does try to buy defenders
he probably underbids, is rebuffed and
starts season understocked.
shouldve retired gracefully after FA cup win
but too greedy
& deluded.
Now its “hougson makes better use of arsenal players than wenger does” but if they get injured it arsenes fault,right? Double standard fans
Apples and oranges. He’s found a better use for Wilshere than Wenger has. I share the concern about Hodgson (like many international managers) not showing concern for player health (whatever injury may happen will heal by the next international break), but that is a different issue.
It is a stupid friendly. A glorified practice. Completely meaningless. Wilshere is a dumb ass. He seems more excited about Scotland than ManU. What do you want to bet he gets himself hurt in this game.