Wilshere giving Arsenal a real option for Ozil DESPITE red card?

It was only an under 23 game that the Arsenal and England international star was involved in this week, but Jack Wilshere certainly shone as the Gunners won a seven goal thriller against Man City at the Emirates Stadium. That made it two wins from two for the young Gunners after they won their first game against Derby County and Wilshere started in central midfield in that game as well as he steps up his latest recovery from injury.

Gaining fitness is, of course, the most important thing for the injury plagued midfielder, but to stand any chance of getting his first team place back there has to be some real quality and class as well and I think we saw quite a bit last night.

Jack was getting stuck in, spraying the ball around with vision and precision, both long and short, and his old ability to burst past players and ride a tackle was back on show. With Arsene Wenger’s regular number 10 Mesut Ozil not showing anything like his best at the minute, Arsenal could really do with an option so is Wilshere starting to work his way into the manager’s plans again perhaps.

Even the fact that he got sent off may not harm his chances because he showed spirit and fight and was reacting to the latest of a string of bad tackles on him and the other young academy players involved and some fight would certainly give the Gunners something different to what the German playmaker offers.

What do you think Gooners?

Bob.

24 Comments

  1. I Want to see Xhaka and Wilshere partnership. Ramsey leaves Xhaka too open for attacks. Wilshere doesn’t bomb forward like Ramsey. I guess ramsey xhaka not working at the moment as we are not as fluid as we usually are. Wilshere might be a game changer in the season.
    OT that brawl was all out of frustration wilshere has gone through. Horrendous tackle by Paddy mcnaire ruined Wilshere’s 2 years. That brawl was a way of wilshere saying ‘It is coz of guys like you I am where I am now. playing in U23’ All the frustration boiled over. Well It’s never too late Jackie boy. I for one would absolutely love to see Jack succeed.

    1. No matter who partners Xhaka, it would not solve his issues with misplaced and overhit passes, inability to tackle and inability to protect the ball when in possession. Stop blaming Ramsey. Ramsey is played in a position that is more attacking than defensive and should do what he does “bomb forward”. Is it a surprise that he scores crucial goals? Xhaka’s problem remains Xhaka.

  2. I would just love to see him back to his best. One of the most gifted English footballers when fully fit and a Gunner through and through unlike some others.

  3. Looked 5 or 10 x the player Xaka is. If forget his Bournemouth stint that didn’t standout – seems a no-brainer

  4. A Jack at his best is a game changer, he is a joy to watch, can he stay fit though?
    A fit and inform Jack can walk into any team but we all have the fear that he will be injured in the next game… every game and every challenge we cringe and wonder if this is the one that will injure him for the season…

    He wants to play for us though and that is passion, if only Alexis had the same passion for our club.

  5. Every Gooner criticizes Ozil. I don’t know what games they are watching. Did you know that he has the most passes completed in the fina third so far this season at 91!! The next closest to him is Xhaka at 69. 22 more completed passes in he final third than the runner up. DeBryune is at 68 in 3rd.

    Ozil is doing just fine.

    1. I agree. Every one tends to get swayed by the media hype from pundits, most of whom have not come close to Ozils individual achievements and honours in his career. In the first 2 games has created 10 clear cut chances according to Ian Wright.

  6. jack lacks little in terms of football talent. like it or loath it he’s gonna get chances to rekindle his spark and be considered for the 1st team. wenger already said he aint leaving, so there you have it. expect he’l get europa minutes which if he works hard will put him in position for return to performing in the prem.

    *has he the fortitude and strength of character that would see him come from behind those ahead of him and consolidate a place in the arsenal midfield?

    I really dont think he has that much resolve. I read a mertesacker article yesterday – in it he said its really not about your talent (alone) its about hard work… now regarding JW i prefer to leave it there…

  7. I would like to see Wilshere replace Özil too. He will offer more in defence and be more direct with his attack. He isn’t scared to take a player on with the ball at his feet.

    1. You are soo right, those thumbing you down thinks football is all about stats……can ozil ever play like Wilshere has played against strong teams barca, Bayern, Chelsea, or even physical teams like Stoke? no, never, not even in his dreams………….. what the f**k is talent when you are not hardworking, what are you doing in the team when you can’t get stuck in for your teammates……..no wonder he didn’t get any offers, and why sanchez keeps getting the offers………the best place for him is under Wenger’s protection at arsenal

    2. With Jack in our mid field, we are not better than a mid table team. He was not even a starter when on loan

  8. The Curious Case of Arsene Wenger…there seems to be a lot of speculation surrounding who really makes decisions at this club…for some, there is a belief that Wenger has some input when it comes to transfers but that the ultimate decisions come from above…while others see Wenger as judge, jury and executioner, when it comes to all things football-related…although it would be impossible to suggest that I have a definitive answer, when you really examine the facts available(interviews, pressers and the like), it’s pretty obvious that player movement falls squarely within the realm of one Arsene Wenger

    Do you really believe that Wenger would stay at a club for over 20 years if he didn’t have the final say when it comes to player movement…remember this is the same man who claimed that there has been no shortage of “big” clubs vying for his services over the years with seemingly no strings attached…so why would someone so prideful and stubborn ever stay with a club that was constantly undercutting his authority and squeezing him for every penny…if that was the case, and he stayed anyways, what does that say about the man…under those terms Wenger would be at worst a company toad, collecting large sums of “hush” money to tow the party line and at best a fragile old man that can’t go gently into that good night…of course the third and most likely option is that he made a deal with the mustached devil which allows him carte blanche so long as he’s able to achieve much more modest goals than we, the fans, are willing to accept anymore…as we’ve come to learn, Kroenke’s objectives are financial in nature not the quest for championship glory…either way the Wenger can’t avoid the finger of blame, if he’s in the power position, he’s clearly lost the plot, if not, this team could be in real trouble until wholesale changes are made from stem to stern

  9. I, like a lot of you, think a healthy Jack is a very good player.
    That said, he can not replace Ozil. Replace Ramsey… Probably.
    Ozil played his ass off against Leicster and got trashed here.
    Against Stoke he set up both Bellerain and Welbeck, yet neither could finish. The guy is class and lacks quality players around him.
    Has any one in the EPL created more chances than Ozil over the past Three Years? Doubt it. And if so, it ain’t by much.
    We need two more players who can find the back of the net.
    Welbeck, Iwobi, Ramsey, & Walcott are not the ones.
    These wallys who make in a week what I do in a year or two are a disgrace. A professional player that can not even put the f’n ball on frame getting 50k+ a week?!?!
    Sad days.

    JMHO

  10. Iwobi would be a better option than Wilshere and Ozil, for the attacking midfielder position behind a striker. Iwobi has better close control, better stature, skills and younger.

  11. Apparently a nice guy & talented but honestly?
    Too many injuries and in spite of his talent his average performance is exactly just average.

  12. I’m convinced Jack is the better option to partner with Xhaka, he is combative and aggressive! That is what Arsenal miss in midfield since a while!
    If he could only injury free, then Arsenal is serious premier league title contender!

  13. Wilshire could be an asset if he stays injury free. If he stays injury free I would pick him over Ramsey any day.

  14. I always see Jack as the Ozil stand in when Ozil is out. The problem is Ozil is rarely out when Jack is available.

    When Ozil is on the pitch, Jack can only play out of position and contribute the best way he can in an unfamilar role.

  15. Jack is excellent if football were a non-contact sport.

    There is one other way he can play at a high level, and that means he needs to make the pass early, before potential contact. Early passing would mean less injuries, and higher completion rates for passes that matter. Ozil avoids being roughed up as he gets the ball out early.

    He also needs to improve without the ball in terms of his runs and awareness of space, which is not at the level of Ozil yet.

    What Jack has more than Ozil is aggressiveness. Jack can focus on this part in a premeditated way if he does not have to retaliate after a tough tackle.

    Wenger will use Jack this year, but I am not sure of short one can see off bigger first team players in the league.

  16. Wiltshire would fit in a 4-3-3 system with a midfield of elneny ramsay and jack. Elneny may not be great but he is the best defensive option we have at present. Such a system would of course eliminate the need for ozil and woul support a front three of chamberlain, lacazzette and sanchis. this would give arsenal tremendous attacking power But without quality centre backs at the other end we will continue to ship goals and never win the Premier League

  17. Wilshire isn’t good enough to be a regular starter, typical overrated English player . Last season at Bournemouth I don’t think he registered 2-3 assist and goal combined playing in the no 10 role. He is weak defensively and would get raped on the counter as he is too small and not quick (in cm)

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