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The news of Jack Wilshere’s recent injury will have caused distress to Arsenal and England fans alike. Following a tackle from Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, the midfielder sustained a hairline foot fracture that will keep him side-lined for at least six weeks.
After picking up this knock in the 12th minute, he left the pitch temporarily in the first half only to return before he was eventually substituted on the hour mark at Wembley.
The news will no doubt have been a huge surprise to the youngster, who confidently told reporters after the match that he was fine, before speaking of his desire to finish the season strongly with Arsenal. However, he will now miss a key chunk of the Gunner’s season as his promising career looks to set to encounter yet another setback.
Nonetheless, this news is by no-means the end of the club’s season. Wenger’s men still have plenty to play for and in reality Wilshere’s misfortune should prove nothing more than a minor hindrance.
Here are three reasons the club will continue to compete, despite the loss of their golden boy.
Arsenal’s depth in Midfield
Thankfully for Arsene Wenger, his side has a number of world class players capable of putting in a shift in midfield. Despite losing the club’s fan favourite for the foreseeable future, he does have other talent within his squad capable of steering the North Londoners through a tough period of fixtures.
The Metro have suggested that January loan signing Kim Kallstrom could be in contention for his first Premier League appearance following the news of Wilshere’s blow. However, considering he is yet to play for the Gunners, it is likely Wenger will opt for a more regular starter.
Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and even Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be deployed in the box-to-box role in the Englishman’s absence. The latter excelled in this role against Crystal Palace not long ago, scoring twice as he scooped the Man of the Match award and a Squawka Performance Score of 70 points.
Wilshere’s Poor League Form
In truth, Wilshere’s Premier League form has been pretty dismal of late and this injury is perhaps a blessing in disguise for Arsenal. Wenger seems reluctant to drop and rest his key players at times and the 22-year-old’s recent performances have been below par as a consequence.
For Arsenal his displays have been steady if far from spectacular, three goals and four assists is a reasonable return but not one of a man who makes the difference.
His most recent showings, during a period of just one win in five matches, have seen him contribute very little. He has created just four chances for his teammates in these fixtures and at times he has even proved a hindrance during certain attacking moves, putting the opposition on the front foot. Whilst in defence he has averaged just one per match, throughout the entire season.
There can be no denying that Wilshere bleeds red and white but he still has plenty of maturing that needs to occur. Choosing to play on when injured in a meaningless international friendly, rather than minimizing risk ultimately shows his somewhat poor decision making ability. He needs to learn when is suitable to give himself a rest and that way his injury record is likely to improve.
The Return of Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey
Wilshere’s injury is undoubtedly a blow, however there is a silver lining for Arsenal. With Aaron Ramsey on the verge of returning from injury, Wenger’s side will be weakened for only a brief period.
The Welshman was Arsenal’s stand-out player in the first half of the season and, with eight goals to his name, only Manchester City’s Yaya Toure and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard have scored more times from midfield. In 18 appearances he has created a further 26 chances, directly assisting six goals.
He has been side-lined for more than two months, but now back in training, the 23-year-old could be in contention for a return to the first team by the time the Gunners play in their next league fixture. He has been a revelation for the London outfit since fully recovering from long-term injury and the club’s fans will be praying for as fast a return as possible.
