Some media sources are saying that the Arsenal and England star Jack Wilshere is out of the Gunners squad that will take on Monaco in the first of two legs that we are all hoping will see the club progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after four years of falling at the first knockout hurdle.
But that is not what the manager said at all in his pre-match press conference reported by Arsenal.com. The Frenchman was asked why the midfielder did not train and whether he would feature against the French Ligue 1 club at the Emirates stadium tomorrow.
Wenger replied, “The only uncertainty I have at the moment is Jack Wilshere but everybody else is available. He was rested [at training], because he trained hard until now. No, it’s not a setback but I don’t think [he’ll play against Monaco].”
The words ‘uncertainty’ and ‘I don’t think’ are far from definite, so unless the boss is hiding something and Wilshere really has suffered a setback in his attempt to recover from his latest ankle injury, then he really was rested after training hard up to this point. But why would that be?
Perhaps it is Wenger and the medical staff being extra cautious not to push him too hard and aggravate the problem, or it could conceivably because Wenger is thinking of having him available and fresh for the Monaco clash, just in case.
I would not be surprised to see Wilshere start on the bench and be ready to come on if Arsenal find ourselves needing a bit of inspiration or a goal late on. With no Arteta, Chamberlain or Ramsey available and Rosicky likely to start, Jack might be our only option.
If he isn’t on the bench tomorrow or at the weekend, then there must be a problem with an injury or between player and manager. What do you think Gooners?
I would love to see the form he once displayed. If he can then I can see him slotting in the 1st 11. He more than anyone else drives the ball upfield, which is a big big help for the attack because he draws 2-3 defenders.
And when he “drives the ball upfield”, what then does he do?
a) Score a goal or force a save
b) Provide an assist
c) Run into a crowd of defenders and clutches his ankle
d) None of the above
I would say C from what we have seen lately but and it’s a big but is that having pace on the sides of OG in the form of Sanchez and Walcott/Welbeck might just elevate our attack with him driving the ball and drawing defenders.
It’s C,we haven’t one a single game this season that Jack Wilshere has started,he’s a typically overhyped english player,Fabregas has more assists at Chelsea in one season than Wilshere has in his whole Arsenal career!!
Says more about Fabregas’ role in Chelsea than Wilshere, but thats none of my business 🙂
Are we not judging him on games where arsenal were static, they would only pass sideways.
I would say wenger has learned that rotation is fine if everyone is in form. But rotation for the sake of it no. For example at full back we have 4 players on form. At Cb all 3 are looking good, as is Walcott and rosicky who are currently missing out in the front 5. For me we need pace on the wing back position for this one. I would go with the currently favoured 433 And stick with ospina if fit.
Ospina
Bellerin Mertesacker koscielny gibbs
Coquelin
Cazorla ozil
Welbeck giroud sanchez
Szczesney chambers monreal Gabriel rosicky Walcott plus one from chamberlain, gnabry akpom or flamini depending on who is the fittest?
@Jim A
Santi and Rosicky are streets ahead of Jack when it comes to driving the ball upfield. Jack makes attempts, but his lack of dribbling skillz lets him down, time after time…
real talk
he has this dynamic way of runnin, but with no end product-
its deflating to watch
@muffdiver
Dudes got hella vision also. I find it strange that for a dude with a low center of gravity, no one has taught him how to use it to his advantage…
Really wish dude gets his “mojo” back. Not just for his sake, but for the sake of the squad also.
i dont rate jack,such obvious talent an hes not improved since 17
infact people called jack tend to be annoying anyway:
jack black
jack whitehall
jack the ripper
jack osbourne
jack and the beanstalk
Jack the Ripper, annoying! 🙂
Jack Straw
Jumping Jacks
Jack Nicholson
Jack Daniels?
Jumping jack flash
Jack yer body & Jack der groove
Jack-et potato
@muffdiver I think your theory is flawed!
Jack and Jill?
Hi-Jack
Black Jack
Hahahaha…. Funny
@muffdiver
Jack Whitehall is funny though…
yeah hes good on bad education.
watched his stand up live once- did pretty poorly
@muffdiver
Never caught his stand up act. But liked him on bad education, a league their own and back chat with his dad…
I think the starting line up will be –
Ospina, Bellerin, Mert, Kosc, Monreal
Coq, Cazorla, Ozil
Welbeck, Giroud, Sanchez
Bench – Schz, Chambers, Gabrial, Gibbs, Rosicky, ox, walcott
I think wenger is cautious abt wilshere and give hive a sub role in everton and start agst Qpr.
on other note giroud and cazorla were absent from training pictures.
No they weren’t u just ain’t seen all the pictures, there is one of giroud with gnabry and bielik, whilst santi is in another
Or maybe he is not good enough
The title should be: Is Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger benching Wilshere or what?
is it wrong that i want city to win?
f*ck barcelona
Bad news for Mrs Dzeko
@RVP
An even worse day for Dzeko’s “hackey sack”…LOL
wow 2 goals down already? being dominated
with the money they spent?
FAILURE, FA FA FA FAILUURRREEEE
bye manuel- byeeeeee
Of all the times we played Barca at home, we were never humiliated, even against their greatest team.
City are just too slow against quick & nimble Barca!
After hammering poor newcastle united in the wknd the english media had said ‘BEWARE BARCA AGUERO IS BACK’ even Nasri dared to call Alvez the weak-link haha!
Aguero had a good game. He can’t help it that the rest of the side let him down.
Bony was awful. What is the hype? Really?
Messi was a class above everyone. Only aguero came close.
City are losing quite badly but I pose a question: how do we beat Barca if we come against them? Think on chaps!! Still trying to work out the best way myself
we are a better team than city in europe.
wenger is better manager than pellegrini
i dont fear barca
il admit with that forward three an kos an pers odd loss of concentration, my heart would be f*cked by half time- but hey football is fun 🙂
@RWRW
I believe that if we show up with the same intensity and work rate like we played against City, then we can beat any team out there…
It will be a hard task for any team. To be honest I can’t see us doing it. But if you were to beat them then I guess you can’t respect them too much. Be intense, play your own game.
They play direct but when they want a breather they just pass at will. Their FB play high up, space to exploit, I guess.
Their CB pairing isn’t great but can get the job done. They are certainly a team that defends from the front. Hold onto the ball so you don’t need to defend and they close down from the front well. Messi done great there and we all know how good Suarez is at pressing.
They don’t have much height, so set pieces could be an area to exploit.
But the area where city went wrong was not to mark biscuits out of the game. They did it in the second half better, though.
well keep on thinking my friend…
it never hurts to imagine….
as for me i’ll save myself from thinking and avoid depression LOL!!!
Unless he’s got personal problems at home or something, I smell fishy business!
Maybe Wenger caught Jack and Schez smoking together and sent home 🙂
Jack future at Arsenal doesn’t look good for me, with Cazorla doing so well alongside Coquelin both Jack, Mikel and Aaron have not been really missed apart from adding to squad depth.
@rwrw. what makes Barca so good except for their obvious quality/marquee players?
I believe it is:
1. There constant pass and move football.
2. The ability to press hard and fast in numbers to win the ball back when they don’t have it.
We have the ability to do both and have demonstrated this during 2014/2015 we just need consistency, (plus a WC striker and DM player) to be up with the best.
Jackson Martinez and Kondgobia/Schneiderlin in the Summer and I’d be delighted.
Superb goal by Aguero, oh for a striker like him or Suarez, one can dream!
Despite his missed Pen I would take Messi
Any day of the week.
I Can imagine him in an arsenal shirt. Shame he can’t!
Wilshere is simply a good squad player thats it. Arsenal team will never be built around him. The man hasn’t improved in years and I can name tons of midfielders who have surpassed him. Its great that he’s fit again because I like having options, but he remains just that… an option. And if Wenger is wise he will stop trying to force the team to be built around him. It was the only reason we played 4141 formation in the beginning of the season and ended up sucking.
You are right but he is still young and should be allowed to prove his critics wrong, rather then shipping him out.
About the 4 1 4 1, aren’t we playing that now?
I think the reason for it is the fact we have so many creative midfielders.
i cant wait for all these jack haters to be SILENCED once jack makes his return. He actually played well so far this season when he wasnt injured in case you forgot. Wenger is being cautious.. pay attention to our squad dynamics! Why rush him back and get him hurt again/mess with santi/coq/ozil great form? he is our number 10 for a reason and its a shame how fickle some of you can sound. Just because he isnt in the starting 11 for a few weeks as he finds fitness means nothing. the EPL is the most dangerous league in the world and players are constantly going down HENCE SQUAD DEPTH
He’s just not good enough, not at this level.