Arsenal Handed Big Boost As Wilshere Nears return! by AT
Following the return of Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil from injury, the Arsenal midfield has gotten a further boost from the treatment table as Jack Wilshere is said to be significantly ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation from an ankle injury he suffered during the Gunners’ 2-1 loss to Manchester United at the Emirates.
The Englishman, who was expected to be out till the end of March, has progressed remarkably well in his recovery and is now expected to be back as early as the end of February. The Arsenal boss also confirmed the news from the Mirror by stating: “Jack is progressing quicker than expected – he could be back by the end of February.”
With the Gunners qualifying for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League as well as the fourth round of the FA Cup, squad depth will be vital and it certainly is welcome news to hear that Jack will be available so much sooner than expected, even more so considering that Ramsey and Ozil have already returned to first-team training.
As Wenger slowly begins to have almost a full squad available to him for selection, the challenge I believe for the Frenchman and his backroom staff will be to keep the casualties at a minimum as the side goes into the crucial second half of the campaign. In all honesty, long-term injuries to key players have had a lot to do with Arsenal’s mediocre first half of the campaign.
At long last, the squad has all it’s defenders fit and ready for action whilst the midfield only has two casualties in Wilshere and Arteta. Up front, Danny Welbeck is nursing a short-term problem and will be available shortly. With the treatment room slowly getting empty, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal can keep the key players fit and start picking up results consistently.