Friday, March 29, 2024

Wenger to keep Wilshere but says he has to fight

Jack Wilshere is not on the pre-season tour to Australia as he recovers from the broken leg he suffered at the end of last season, but Arsene Wenger seems keen to keep the midfielder for the upcoming campaign.

Although he’s now into the final 12 months of his current deal. the Arsenal manager doesn’t seem keen to sell him, and has urged the 25 year old to fight for his place in the team.

“I think Jack will be with Arsenal next season, yes,” said Wenger, according to the Mirror.

“I will give you a very focused answer on that, that he has to work hard to come back and fight for a place in the team.

“But once he is ready, when he comes back, he will not be far from practising with the team.”

It doesn’t sound hugely promising in terms of his first team prospects, especially after a season on loan with Bournemouth where he did fine but not much more.

Rumours this week suggest Italian side Sampdoria are interested in signing him, and it may well be a case that Arsenal decide to cash in this summer despite Wenger’s words.

Let’s see what happens.

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Gooooooooonnnnaaaaaaaaa

There is nothing unreasonable about this. We all know how much Wenger rates Wilshere and is a huge believer in his quality. The thing with Jack is he hasn’t been able to prove his fitness so unless he does so, how can the club guarantee him game time, let alone offer him a lucrative new contract (no chance Jack would settle for any less). So get fit, prove you’ve still got it and Wenger will make sure you get game time and offer you a big new contract. Personally I hope Jack stays, he loves the club and let’s not… Read more »

Cannonball

He is talented, yes. But the injuries truly let him down. He didn’t work well with many midfielders as well,as his defensive works leave a lot to be desired.

Personally I won’t mind if we let him go, but if he can prove his worth to us next season, it is more than welcomed.

northwestgooner

The most logical comment in here. Feelings about Jack aside, if he was a player we paid 30+mil for 4 years ago and had his injury record, I feel the majority would call for him to be sold. He is an Arsenal youth graduate, who has been absolutely brilliant on his day. Immensely frustrating Jack hasn’t pushed past these setbacks. A divisive subject no doubt, the question remains. Does he deserve a new contract? Knee jerk emotional side will say ” Did you not see what he did to THAT Barca midfield”? (I still watch highlights of that game) The… Read more »

meletios

I am a simple jack fan from Tropic Thunder, if only they made the movie.

Jay

Injuries took a toll on him.. Great talent that never reached its potential.. I think it will be good to keep him around for 12 more months if he’a willing to fight for his place against Xhaka and Ramsey. We can him some games in Europa League and if things don’t work out then we can just let him go in Jan.

jack jack jack

Well we got in that new fitness coach from Liverpool didn’t we? Get him on the old PEDs and he’ll be right as rain in no time.

N11 gooner

Gutted that Jack will not go down as a home grown world class player.

Rook

So sad that such an interesting prospect is nose diving. I wish him the. Maybe he might still hit form next season MAYBE.

Kenny

English press do more of hyping than say the real fact about the players. Chambo, Walcott, sterling, Wilshere, Barkley, and now Henderson have fallen into this same pit of British press.

Bonkers

Sampdoria is random af

cdm995

Maybe that’s his level now.

Kinghenrythe14th

How things change in football! I still remember wee Jack bossing the midfield against the Catalan tap-merchant Xavi in his prime. I felt we had a midfield general for the next 12 years at least.

Then came the fame, parties, shisha pipes and frolics in dark alleyways; suddenly our Jack is reduced to a nobody. Of course being as brittle as glass while playing a brave physical game style did him no favors. I just wish we could rewind to happier times.

Best of luck Jackie, wherever you end up!

Reality check

Not doubting Jack’s ability as a player but he didn’t really boss the midfield, he was just better than he was expected to be playing against the best, the occasion didn’t faze him at all and English media just hyped him to no end. Our midfield was run over time and time again anf if not for Almunia’s miracles, we would’ve conceded at least 7-8 goals in the first half.
Jack’s game is best suited to 343. Even in this form i’ll prefer him over elneny and coq.

cdm995

Almunia didn’t play. Although I suppose you could call that his miracle for the day.

Hank Scorpio

Strikes me as someone content to be a big fish in a small pond. He was unwilling to fight for a spot in the team last season. Promised the world but delivering an atlas right now. Just move him on & be done with it.

jack jack jack

“What do we think of Hank?!”

Atom

My suspicion is simply with his wage demands, his injury history and his performances last year he has no real suitors that he would find acceptable. I would suggest that Jack’s days of favoritism ended when he pushed for a loan move last year. If he gets fit and outperforms his rivals then he will play, but I doubt Wenger plays him every time he’s fit as he has in the past.

Tim

If he had half as much luck as he has natural talent, we’d have had a truly magificent deep lying playmaker.

As it happens, unlucky injuries from his ball-carrying playing style combined with a playboy attitude distracted from his potential.

A bloody shame.

Midgunner

I think playboy is stretching it slightly. I think it was a case of general immaturity (much like szchez), hopefully marriage and kids have knocked that out of him.

I think it’s a tough call whether to keep him. Such a talent when on form, really world class in my opinion. The big question mark is fitness, we just can’t afford to carry someone who is injured half the time, especially in central where Rambo is almost as injury prone…

Clive St Helmet

I agree. I CBA to look properly into it but I wouldn’t mind betting that a good proportion of the supposed playboy antics were during periods of injury. I’d wager that he’s suffered emotionally due to his injuries and that is a factor that isn’t often taken into account. I’ve really liked Jack since he burst on to the scene. He seemed to genuinely love the club and the fans and he taunted Spurs with the best of them. Honestly, I’d love him to turn a corner, get fit and injury free and have a proper crack at the first… Read more »

Rich

I’d sell him in a heartbeat.
Just take anything we can at this point and move on.
Failing that send him to Panama for a stem cell infusion followed up by 8IU p/d of Growth for 9months.

vino

He did better than fine at AFCB last season until the initial injury scare and subsequent rotation/ game management *at Arsenal’s request*. Then he was inevitably injured anyway. Don’t think Wenger will want to give up on him yet, seems it’s wether Wilshere will give up. Personally hope he stays and gives it another chance, but wouldn’t begrudge him moving on. I’m sure Wenger noticed his performances last season though, it was the same Wilshere, and unfortunately that includes the injuries. I don’t think his performances and ability are even a question for Wenger. It’s his fitness and desire to… Read more »

Thesoulofpdavis

Such a sad fall from such a hot prospect.

But this is football.
This is the crossroads for Jack.
Work hard, train hard and maybe just maybe he can fulfil the promise.
The alternative is to carry on the distractions and sink to obscurity.

He has a chance albeit a small one. Can he take it? Only Jack can answer that.

Time is running out and his career wont go on too long into his 30’s considering the injuries.

I wish him all the best whatever the outcome.

Andreas

Someone needs to play in the EL!

BoomXhakaLaca!

There goes my dream of seeing Özil in the no 10 jersey soon then …?

F4tony

get a life or another dream. numbers are overrated

Winterburn Wanderers

The pitch has got too big for him. Injuries have reduced his mobility.

Always thought he belonged further back where he wouldn’t get his legs kicked off, while Ramsey has no business in the midfield but should play higher up.

Read on squawka today that Ramsey attempted 50 tackles in the league and completed ten of them last season. Is he our worst defensive player? (off topic I know)

Alexstratz

We might have to keep him if we have to overpay a lot for a winger like Lemar. Tbh I’d rather gamble on a good winger + Wilshere/Ramsey rather than an average winger + an average midfielder. At least in the former case there’s a 10% chance Wilshere will stay fit enough to serve his purpose, and come in while Ramsey is injured, while in the latter case we’re stuck with a shit midfielder anyway.

santori

Probably means we won’t be adding in deep midfield. So it will likely be Ramsey-Granit and the improving Coquelin. Ox can fill in if need be, Santi if he recovers, the mediocre Elneny hovering around too and Jack. One thing about Jack, if he’s fit, he is a ore natural player than Ox in the position and a better player than Elneny. A bit of a gamble given injury record but I suppose : Ramsey-Granit partnership will be the first choice. Coquelin has improved considerably with 3-4-3 system so he will rotate through. Ox maybe a different sort of asset… Read more »

santori

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JezRXp1VklA

I don’t know if anyone has watched his limited time at Bournemouth but still a very talented player on the day and with plenty of experience now.

Just durability issues.

BUT he is one of the few players who can retain and carry the ball from deep.

Original Paul

Sorry but he looked bang average on that internet clip.

MyGee

The one of the main reasons why Arsenal can’t stand a chance in title fights is this guy (along with the rest of english youth project) and majority of fans’ blind waiting for a magical change and turning people like Wilshere into WC players. Stop the sobbing, would your boss keep you in your position if you wouldn’t be able to come to work for years or would your colleagues be happy to work instead of you while you’re wasting the same wages in a nightclub? Oh yeah I know what you’d say… “on his day/form”… exactly why we are… Read more »

Spanish Gooner

Would have been 100% behind Jack getting one last chance if he hadn’t demanded to leave a week before the transfer deadline last summer because he didn’t start the first 2 games of the season after being injured for 9 months

ramgooner

This kind of attitude is why we don’t have him and Szcz in the squad. I hope Iwobi doesn’t go down this road.
Some of these kids are so pampered they forget what a privilege it is to play for Arsenal.
Ask Coquelin he will tell you.

Canuck Gooner

No matter where Jack’s career goes from here, I will never forget the goal against Norwich. Just brilliant.

wellarsed

Wenger’s famous loyalty in action. Personally, I’d be fine if the club moved him on – he simply hasn’t delivered on his promise. Perhaps, however, this is more pragmatic than it looks: who’s going to pay for him at the moment?

Clive St Helmet

Actually, I wondered if these comments were Wenger getting the first strike in:

“We want the player to stay, fight for the first team etc”

Player agitates for a move.

“We offered the player a chance at first team football, he didn’t want to stay and fight.”

Player moves. Fans don’t get too upset, Wenger appears to have made a good decision.

KingKolo

Bit of a weird take on pretty straightforward quotes Arseblog? Methinks you’d sell him but not sure you can read that into the manager saying ‘he’ll stay and should fight for his place’… it doesn’t follow that Jack was just ok last season and therefore isn’t worth keeping. I for one still highly rate him. He’s a player who is better the better the players he plays with. Fitness is what this is about and like Diaby the boss seems keen to keep him…

not so fed up

Yeah I noticed that, Wenger says Sanchez, Giroud and Wilshire are staying and yet blogs and vlogs seem to interpret it as being the player is definitely going!!! I think all three will stay, although personally I would move Wilshire on – three injury prone players in midfield (santi, Rambo and Wilshire) is one too many!!! Indeed we should be looking out for a santi replacement, so two more players to sign: Lemar and replacement santi

Oxlade-chambling

https://youtu.be/Zj8Q-MaGM5g

Heal up and work hard jacky boy

Chrispy

He’s finished here. Get a fee and get him off the wage bill

Hassan

Sometimes I feel really bad for Arsene Wenger. This guy promises to the players the game time and say that e.g. when Giroud gets injured Lucas will get his chance finally when Giroud gets injured Lucas follows suit. Similarly when RVP got injured both Carlos Vela and Nicklas Bendtner got injured… Wilshere left because he thought Cazorla won’t be getting injured again and was proven wrong.. Damn luck

Alex

Bournemouth were better when Wilshere on the bench or out. He had one good game 8 or so years ago and basta. Time to move on as quickly as possible.

Podgygooner

His immaturity off the field and glass ankles are minor factors but what concerns me most about Jack is his lack of desire to fight for his place in the Arsenal team at the start of last season followed by his substandard performances at Bournemouth. Sorry, and sentimentality aside, keeping Jack will not improve our team.

Ozil\'s Childhood Friend

Just when I thought Arsenal was over being a charity club .. Wilshere was reduced to bench role in Bournemouth even when he was fit. What are the expectations now ?

NEParse

Wilshere is at his peak along with Walcott, Welbeck and Ox, meaning they will never become champions. Just as someone once said “It’s easy to fool someone than explain to them that they have been fooled.”

crazy gunner

Jack was offered a 4 yr extension in 2014 at 90kpw since then he has made 19 appearances for arsenal and scored 2 goals!…he made 27 appearances for bournemouth and scored 0 goals.. If you and I had a buisiness will you take that as a good investment!.. He went to Bournemouth started as a number 10 and I watched their games he was poor…probably had 2 good games there…he was moved to a deeper role and tbh he was just about ok then he lost his place …and then got injured.. For me this can only end in 2… Read more »

Loose_Cannon

Think that’s more than fair from Wenger, he obviously has the ability but he has to fight for his place whether that’s here on anywhere else. Would love to keep him but it’s up to him to prove he’s up for it

GunnerYY

Wilshere is overrated nowadays, even in Bournemouth he’s not make any impact.

Javis

He’s finished as an Arsenal player, he didn’t stay and fight last season when he would have got lots of opportunity. We won’t miss what we never had, a fit Wilshere.I’d move him on but suspect he’s not got many viable options. We need a replacement for Santi, that’s our midfield priority

B B

He also needs to change his style of play so he’s not always being dlattered.

David Hillier\'s luggage

In hindsight, leaving on loan to Bournemouth last year was probably the worst decision Jack could have made (to be fair many of you guys called it). Yes he needed game time to recover fitness, but playing for a mid table side in England has done nothing for his game apart from a broken leg. It also made very public Jack’s main priority as a footballer – to play for England. That’s fair enough if you play for West Ham, West Brom or Burnley, but not for the top sides. Surely he could have envisaged playing 20+ games for us… Read more »

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