Wenger wants Wilshere stay: Where does he fit in pecking order?

Arsene Wenger has claimed that he ‘thinks’ that he wants Jack Wilshere to stay at Arsenal for the coming season.

Now this isn’t the most convincing argument to try and convince a player that he should stay with the squad, with the word ‘think’ involved, but it seems as if letting him go out on loan would be silly given his contract is into it’s final 12 months.

A new contract doesn’t look likely at present either, and the most likely scenarios appear for him to either stay and fight for the right to play and prove his fitness, or move this summer.

Juventus, Aston Villa and Newcastle have all been linked with an interest in his signature, but the Arsenal boss is now hinting he could well stay with the club, and that he needs to get some game time in order to return to form.

“Well, for him it’s good that he’s back and available. I think he needs games now,” said Wenger.

“He might play again on Monday night [for Arsenal’s under-23s] but overall, what is important for him is the natural progression to be completely fit. He is not far away now.

“I think I plan for him to be here for the whole season, after we will see at the end of the season.”

Is Wenger saying he doesn’t know what is best for Wilshere’s Arsenal career? Or is he just unsure what options are with the midfielder?

Pat J

26 Comments

  1. People have been saying the same things about him for years.
    If Arsenal are looking to trim the squad and remove some dead wood then Wilshere should be first to go.
    The man offers Arsenal nothing now.
    And Wenger is utterly incapable of learning from past mistakes.
    Arsenal will improve when Wilshere and Wenger are gone..

      1. If wilshere is fully fit and in form, he is the best candidate to succeed Santi in that deep-lying playmaker role. His dribbling skills and ability to create space by beating his man and going forward with the ball are only second to cazorla’s in the current arsenal midfield lot, add that to the fact that he is fearless and not afraid to tackle. Thats what makes him special.

        1. He causes too many stoppages with his constant holding onto the ball. He is not a top passer, now and then he can pull one out. His positioning is that of a no10 more often than a CM player, but his passing and shooting is nothing like a no10. Cazorla had to learn how to be CM, he too liked going forward, but he gave himself discipline and tried the passing from deeper. Wilshere isn’t like that at all, he runs and runs some more, into a congested area where Ozil/Alexis would have been and more freely, if the ball was played. I think Jack makes areas around the box more congested than they should be, this opens up less options for us than anything. It turns the other team into a wall, and we do always make these small one touch moves, tiny. Then also way too much small little one twos whenever Jack plays, trying to get around a wall that he created. I like players who know how to open up a pitch, not the opposite.

  2. If Wilshere is staying and fit, I would play him and put Özil on the bench. Özil has offered absolutely nothing this year. I can’t think of one game he has made an impact since December, possibly even before Xmas. I don’t understand why he is so protected by Wenger and some of the fans.

    1. I could be wrong but I think he could be good for Arsenal this year. The energy of Wilshere, Sanchez and Lacazette up front would be a headache for every team and it would be added pressure off the ball.

    2. The guy was only fully available days before the opening game and created more chances that anyone in the PL opening weekend!! Literally all our play ran through him second half.. But sure, a half-fit, not match sharp Wilshere is clearly the better option!

      1. No offence but I hate that stat. Chances. He created 6 chances, no assists, no goals and again didn’t defend.
        You don’t go home from the pub and tell your mates you created chances with the ladies but didn’t convert your opportunities.

        1. he should create chances and convert those very same chances himself???

          WELLDONE!!

        2. how the hell is he suppose to be responsible for the horrible misses against Leicester. yes i slant him for being a p**sy some times, lack of defending, lackadaisical style but put him behind kane, costa and he gives you 15-20 assists per season. he isnt the player who you build the team around; he’s the lieutenant, right hand.

    3. Yes, Wilshere would work harder in Ozil’s position, because this is his last chance. But Arsenal will never bench Ozil, because they need to attract other clubs to buy him.

  3. I really believe he killed his careerwhen he got bulkier, he lost speed, he couldnt win any one on one, and all those speed bursts and gettig through two defenders dissapeared.

    1. where is there any signs of improvement relying on ramsey, walcott, wilshire, gibbs year in year out. rival managers will be laughing simply because we show no interest in replenishing the side.

      where are we showing all out ambition by dipping only a toe-nail into the transfer window.

      lacazette is a welcome signing (granted) but lets not forget our primary target lemar this summer failed to show up and vardy last summers target showed no interest in coming either.

      *what are we offering thats unique or different we put an awful lot of pressure on one players back.

  4. I am not understanding why the fans are eager to sell him. If we get good money then yes we should accept, but if not, no harm in keeping him.
    If Weneger do not buy in midfield , then this gut will be helpful for us
    We are forgetting Arsenal injury record.
    Last season we could very well use him when we had midfield crisis

    Why can’t he be a good back up player. back up players are not world class but can do the Job. I think if needed , he can just about do the Job, like in cup games and Europa league so that our key players can be rested.
    Arsenal needs bigger squad , bigger squad then other team because of their injury record.
    If a better player available in the market , go and but him…Put these players on B team.

    1. The problem is his wages…it makes no sense to have a back up player on 90k-per-week…if he was cheaper maybe it woypd be ok to keep him around but as it is it is just a waste of money and squad space for someone who will actually play more than 5 games for Arsenal in a season.

      1. what in the hell do you whine about his wages, its not like you pay him. real madrid have the best squad right now, players with over 100k sit on the bench and they win titles. personally i dont give a shit if we kept players like giroud, ramsey and wilshere on the bench as super sub regardless of their wages as long as they help us win games like vs leicester.

        do you want us to be like conte at chelsea, having to put kids on bench when dealing with some injuries and suspensions and always whining about small squad. if wenger sold giroud because his wages was too high for a supersub and he helps man city or utd win the league with crucial late goals everyone will slant wenger for thinking about the money.

  5. roll out wilshire for the [doestic] cup competition so as he can maintsin fitness an get back some of his skillset and consistency.

    i dont believe wilshire wud be convincing nowdays when up against bailly and matic (man u), dembele (spurs), pedro or louis (chelski), kompany or stones at (citeh). he will struggle if he go up against these.

    *wilshire see it is behind maitland-niles and behind r.nelson (far as i see it).

  6. Jack is gonna suprise those underrating him this season if given the chance,,

    for me, him playing without injury, he is better than lemar and mahres.

  7. Indecisiveness definitely permeates the entirety of the make up of Arsenal FC, the Owners, Management, Arsene and most disappointing The Fans. Hitherto, majority of the fans and commentors on this site have but only one position, “sell Jack Wilshere this window to cut our loss” or “unfortunately, Jack is one footballer who will never fully realize his potential”.

    Just one writeup on Jack coming back to fitness and doing okay playing one match with the Arsenal U23 and the praise singers rent the air with Jack deserves another contract, bench Ozil and let Jack do the magic. What magic? What new contract?

    Arsene surely have more football brains than most of us fans, if not all. However, the sentimental judgements remain his trademark when it comes to the so called “Arsene Children” in Arsenal.

    We call Arsene deluded, fickle, sentimental, “past his prime”, etc but the fans are always in the same ship with him on matters like this. How then can change be effected and Arsenal glory days be regained?

    I am in Nigeria and does not know what the interior of the Emirates Stadium looks like beyond what the television offers. That does not make me a lesser Arsenal fan please. I suffer humiliation from friends and foes with every Arsenal failings off and on the field. My boy feels reluctant heading to school Mondays after a weekend of Arsenal poor showing and my family goes to bed quietly after any Arsenal loss. Same tragic cycle is fast becoming a recurring decimal beyond a whole decade and some people advocate for same approach to “sick and ineffective” players treatment.

    I thought the fans should know better when it comes to the expediency required to dispense with “Arsenal Deadwoods (Wilshere inclusive)”. We cannot do same things continually and expect different results.

  8. I keep hearing how Wilshire is loyal to Arsenal but he has done nothing in years except pick up a massive salary and be photographed smoking.
    Last year for Bournemouth he was rubbish too playing a part in only 2 of their goals and then towards the end of the season getting injured again.
    Wilshire is no longer of EPL standard and we should play younger players such as Iwobi or Nelson long before playing him.

  9. Does a player simply get 7 MOTM’s of the 8 matches he played for England during the EURO Qualifiers ???? Was he not capable of distributing the ball then..?? Don’t you guyss remember the countless number of lob through balls he played to Rooney or that assist to The OX ??? You guyss can question his fitness but not what he can offer..he has plenty to offer..if fit…only Cazorla is better than him in midfiled.

  10. Dele Ali compared to Jack ..makes it look like – Muhammad Ali versus Aamir Khan. Aamir Khan shows us how anybody could become a boxer and make money from it, glass chin and weak knees, a coward too. Muhammad does the opposite by showing how the greatest of men can become truly great boxers.

    1. dele ali is a 1st team player, wilshere is a bench player right now so it is a weak comparison. compare wilshere with sissoko, he’s worse both skill wise and mentality and is paid the same and has the same role bench player.

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