After the Arsenal and England international star Jack Wilshere made a somewhat underwhelming Euro 2016 debut for the Three Lions in the final group game stalemate with Slovakia on Monday night, the midfielder’s chances of playing again during the tournament looked to be at risk.
With the Tottenham player Eric Dier and the Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney appearing to have nailed down their starting places in the middle, there is only one place up for grabs and Wilshere has to compete with Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson and the spud Eric Dier for it.
Right up until the dying minutes of the group stage it was looking like England would face Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in the knockout phase but the amazing story of the smallest country ever to qualify for the Euros went on with a last minute Iceland winner.
That gives England a much different challenge to the Portuguese and it is one which better suits the creative talents of Wilshere. Whether he will start is another matter but I would not be surprised, especially if he impresses Roy Hodgson in training and continues to gain fitness.
If Jack does not start, though, but England struggle to score as they have been doing, the Arsenal man will surely be one of the players in Hodgson’s mind that could provide a spark, so have Iceland just saved Wilshere’s tournament?
Bob