Despite Arsene Wenger supporting Jack Wilshere as Mr Arsenal for many many years, Unai Emery made it clear that the midfielder would not be a starter for the Gunners this season so he left to join his boyhood club West Ham United, who are going through as much as a transition right now as the Gunners are.
So next weekend will be the first time Jack has ever taken the field against Arsenal, and before the Hammers game against Bournemouth this week, he was looking forward to getting one over on us. He said: “First of all, I’ve got to concentrate on football and I quite fancy our chances. I obviously know them really well.
“They’ve got a new manager, but I know the players, so hopefully it’ll be a good time to play them.
“It’ll be a strange one for me as I was never able to go there and play when I went out on loan as you can play against your parent club, but it’s one I’m looking forward to.
“It’s down to me to prove a point to Arsenal that they were wrong to get rid of me.”
But West Ham lost to Bournemouth, to add to their 4-0 hammering at Liverpool, and they are below us in the table on goal difference, and after the game Jack was not quite so confident. He said on the official Hammers site: “It won’t be easy next weekend,”
“We’ve had a tough start but you have to be willing to fight against anyone in this league and win your duels and earn your right to play, and I felt we did that at times.”
Arsenal had a tough start too, but at least we lost to Chelsea and not Bournemouth! I have a feeling Jack is going to be leaving the Emirates next weekend with a lot more to prove, and still pointless after three games!
Darren N