Thursday, March 28, 2024

Wilshere expecting honest conversation with Wenger…soon

Jack Wilshere says he’ll sit down with Arsene Wenger before January to discuss his contract situation.

The midfielder is out of contract at the Emirates next summer and could be tempted to leave Arsenal in search of regular first team football that might result in a jaunt to the World Cup next summer.

As things stand, the 25-year-old has played most of his minutes in the Europa League and Carabao Cup this season, a situation that England manager Gareth Southgate says isn’t enough to earn him a call-up.

Speaking after last night’s 1-0 defeat to Cologne, Wilshere told the Evening Standard:

“I want to play in the Premier League, so of course I’m frustrated, but the team are playing well. It is a difficult team to get into.

“I haven’t been at Arsenal, fit and feeling like I do, for a good couple of years. At the moment, I’m happy. I’ve said there’s going to have to be a conversation because time is running out on my contract. When that time comes, I’ll sit down with the boss and go from there.

“I don’t have to say how much this club means to me. But at the same time as well, the boss has got to be honest with me and I’m sure he will.

“We spoke in the summer and he told me what I had to do. I have got as fit as I can, I have played a few games now and I’m ready to play and that is down to the boss. We have known each other long enough to be honest with each other and I’m sure between now and January we will have that conversation.”

Both Southgate and Wenger have spoken openly about Wilshere in recent press conferences, however, for all the talk, the player says his international boss is yet to pick up the phone to him.

“He’s got my number and he hasn’t called me yet,” noted Wilshere.

“If he wants to call me, my phone is always on. He didn’t put me in the squad and had that to focus on. He said in the press what he wanted me to do: get in the team and play regularly, and that’s what I’m trying to do. That’s all I can do.

“If [Southgate] sees me in that [deeper] position, I have to play in that position. At the moment, I’m playing a bit higher here and the boss sees me there.

“To be honest, that is probably my favourite position. At the end of the day, all I can do is try and get in the team. I’ve played everywhere.”

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Alex

Jack, you’re not good enough to enter the A team, especially at Özil’s place. All you can expect is that the very strong and influential English lobby composed by former Arsenal players will push Özil away for you.

jack jack jack

“the very strong and influential English lobby composed by former Arsenal players will push Özil away for you”

??????????

This isn’t House of fucking Cards mate.

Hermitian

The “honest” conversation might go like this: Jack: Boss, I know that you’ve given the chance to play at the highest level since I was a toddler in footballing terms, always supported and kept faith in me. You gave me nr.10 when there’ve been more deserving players like Cazorla, Podolski and even freaking Özil. In terms of time spent on the sidelines, I probably have only Diaby as competition – ta for those contract renewals. But now I’m fit and must play every game because I wanna go to the WC. Watcha fink? Boss: You show some good reflection there… Read more »

BromleyGooner

Have you ever posted a comment without mentioning Ozil? It feels like you are a Ozil fan, not an Arsenal fan

Declan M

I get the feeling that Jack burnt his bridges to a certain extent last season by going to Bournemouth when he could have stayed. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he left. Difficult one really from the club’s point of view…

emob

Whatever it is, Jack Wilshere is hopefully not the future of this club. He will probably never last more than 30 games a season. He is simply not dependable, and in the end having missed so much time to develop not that good. He had promise, but a good game against Belgrade doesn’t make him a world beater and his entitlement is astonishing.

Always Arsenal

Yeah, I’ve a bit of a bad back. Just wondered if you’d let me know what the problem is and how it might incapacitate me, given your obvious medical expertise !

ronaldo

why is it difficult, if they think that he is good enough he stays, if they don’t then they will sell him, simples

Chuffy

Still a better footballer than Xhaka and Ramsey in my opinion. If we lose Ozil in January I say put Jack in there, he has the skill set.

Bai Blagoi

Better than Xhaka – debatable. Better than Rambo – definitely not.

Alex habesha

imo he is better than Ramsey

jack jack jack

He’s not even close to Ramsey. Probably had higher potential as a young player, but now he’s nowhere near him.

Hermitian

“He’s not even close to Ramsey. Probably had higher potential as a young player, but now he’s nowhere near him.”

Ramsey is a better athlete: better engine, is pacier and less injury prone.
Jack is much more creative and skillful with the ball. He’s the better footballer. The game is called foot-ball.

They are totally different players. To compare them so generally is meaningless.

jack jack jack

I love Jack as much as the next man (cf username), and I agree that it’s essentially meaningless to compare such different players, but who would you rather have in your team at the moment? It’s not even close.

Hermitian

Well, I would rather have both: Jack as no.10 and Ramsey in a box-to-box role. Problem is that Özil is too good to be left out.

Frankly, I would really like to see a formation that incorporates our most creative players (Özil, Wilshere, Cazorla, Sanchez when fit)

Bould\'s Eyeliner

Look back at 2013-14/2014-15. Ramsey and Jack both occupy similar enough roles in that they both like to run in the box. Ramsey’s runs are better timed, more dangerous, and he can score in a greater variety of ways. Jack can stay back and provide far more in a playmaker role, but they have similar timings and tendencies in attack. They are actually fairly comparable in terms of how they balance (or rather disbalance with selfishness) the midfield, and so Ramsey is the easy decision here. Wenger makes it every week.

Jean Ralphio

Ramsey has better runs in the box too. You remind me of trump when you said ‘its called foot-ball’…..’you know what Uranium is right?…. there’s this thing called nuclear weapons’

Hermitian

Blimey, you don’t half mess about with the insults, do you?

It should be made illegal to relate people in any way to that particular person!

Alex habesha

all Ramsey could do is shielding the ball with no reason,non existing flicks,playing backwards even he is in the most advanced midfield role,no positional discipline,little football brain.his only positive attribute is his willingness to recieve the ball

jack jack jack

Absolutely awful football opinion. Awful in so many ways I can’t even start

Dave M

No even worth it. Supporting Jack is like being in a cult. You think he is the greatest player in the world and nothing can be said against him…

Dave M

And by you I meant the “royal you” as in they…

Bould\'s Eyeliner

It’s always bad when you have to use that term to explain anything.

ronaldo

the bottom line is, he is better than xhaka, but only just below ramsey, end of

Northerngooner

I disagree. Although he’s -probably- Arsenal’s more naturally talented player, he isn’t our best footballer. Injuries, bad decisions (smoking and partying til late) and an ill advised loan spell have seen to that. Being a goof footballer isn’t just about skills alone.

Time to part ways I think. Lots of unfulfilled potential and a hint of entitlement aren’t a good combination.

Last night he had the centre stage to show what he can do, everything almost set up speciallly for him, playing against a feisty but ultimately limited team and he failed to make an impact.

allezkev

Most of last evenings team had a centre stage, not just Jack, how many of them really took the game by the scruff of its neck?

Northerngooner

None, but that’s not what we are talking about.

Dave M

Yes, so the fact no one played well means Jack is off the hook…again? He is the most overrated player in our squad. Poeple literally think he is the greatest footballer we have, but it just isn’t even close to being true.

I said it before If Ozil was English and Jack was German then Ozil would literally be compared to Messi and Ronaldo and argued as one of the greatest players on Earth and Jack would have been out of the club about 2-3 years ago

V h

So true! Even if he was Welsh he’d be a cast off. We’ll put Dave M

Jean Ralphio

Different type of players. Ramsey and Xhaka lose the ball less also I think. Wilshire isn’t as good as either overall though he is better than both in and around the box

nacho man

he is beans
get some couple of pennies for him n jan ffs

Vonnie

Please can we move on, Jack contributes nothing and if he wasn’t English would have been sold already. Another one like Oxlade Chamberlain, one or two good games as youngsters feeding years of mediocrity as adults. We need to have seven home grown players over the age of 21 in the team. Most of our players under performing and injury prone are home grown, we need to sort the situation out. I’d be happy to sell Wilshere and Walcott in January, but at least one would need to be replaced by a home grown player, our promising youngsters aren’t old… Read more »

Goonerrific

Couldn’t agree with you less mate. I’ve seen Wilshere play in a few matches this season at the emirates, and he 100% offers something the others don’t.

The most obvious sign is some “steel” in midfield which we sorely missed v city and Liverpool.

He’d be a loss to the squad for sure, if not the starting XI

Hereford Gooner

Agreed. Watch that goal he scored against Norwich a few years back and tell me he brings nothing to the team.. His deft of touch and weight of pass are something that entirely suit our style of play, and when Ozil is not on song we don’t have many others who can bring that quality around the box. His quick one two play that brings chances for himself and team mates is exactly why he is still in the squad in-spite of his off the field problems

Dave M

This is the EPITOME of what the non-cyclops on here are talking about. Hanging everything on that Norwich goal. Brilliant moment, absolutely brilliant goal (credit Giroud too – who has WAY more brilliant moments than Jack and gets WAY less credit). But where is the rest of his moments…slim pickings. Some down to injuries, some down to him being immature (stupid off field moments), and some down him not being up for it (going on loan last year – his choice). But he is all potential, and time has pretty much run its course on fulfilling it

Bould\'s Eyeliner

The fact of the matter is that Jack (and Ozil too) are seeking to conduct a symphony, and it takes a certain force of personality, as well as vision, to force a game to revolve around you. It’s a complex series of simple decisions that cascade in both teams, an intuitive grasp of predicting 22 futures. It’s a beautiful skill, but a lot of the times, the London Symphony is being conducted by a grad school dropout, or the local youth orchestra is getting a visit from Leonard Bernstein, back from the grave. I’ll let people decide which one is… Read more »

PFo

These “one or two good games” comments are honestly some of the most idiotic statements fans could possibly make. You are entitled not to rate him if that’s your opinion, but get your facts straight: by any rational assessment, Wilshere was excellent FOR THE BEST PART OF A SEASON when he first broke into the team, before his injury problems (and has had a number of good games since).

Bould\'s Eyeliner

People tend to forget when he rescued ’12-’13 upon return with inspiring Giroud/Cazorla/Podolskiwith some Arsenal fire. Those guys were never the same after Wilshere came back. The intangibles are important in a collective.

Damon1986

He should prove himself till the end of the season.

Dave M

Clearly he doesn’t have the patience for that. He is already agitating. To focussed on the world cup, when he should be focussed on his on pitch performances and what he can contribute for the team. Last night showed he still doesn’t merit a starting role in the 1st XI

Greg

From last night though he should be streets ahead of coq or elneny

ramgooner

Looks to me like the whole midfield is structured to get the best out of Ramsey in the absence of Cazorla. I think amongst the British players the boss would rely more on Ramsey and Welbeck than Jack and Walcott. It’s a shame considering how long these two have been at this club. Although I am not a big fan of Ramsey I have to admit he has proven me wrong time and again with his contribution to the club and that’s probably why he enjoys the trust of Wenger. Watch the highlights of all our convincing big game victories… Read more »

Hereford Gooner

Good assessment… I do believe that central midfielders (and CB’s) hit their peak much later than players in other positions, because whilst the skills can be there players need experience to develop positional and tactical awareness (one of the few abilities that can genuinely be coached and learned – unlike talent and natural ability). It is very rare to see excellence or consistency in the game of CBs or CMs (especially CDMs) beneath the age of 25 (could argue even up until 27ish). Cazorla wasn’t the player that he became for us when he arrived, and I cannot think of… Read more »

Arsefull

Ramgooner makes a number of really good points in terms of Wilshere as he is most similar to Carzorla in terms of skill set and effectively working in small spaces, but like Ramsey wants to play further up the pitch. I hold Wenger somewhat accountable here as he tends to exacerbate some on his players’ pretensions at the expense of holding them accountable to what is in the best interests of the team; in the case of Jack he is too slow to play in number 10 role, which was evident yesterday as we plodded forward with Giroud without creating… Read more »

ramgooner

@Hereford Gooner. Absolutely their peak is in front of them. Any Arsenal fan would expect them to stamp their mark at our club by guiding us to a league title which they are capable of but the one problem i have with them is their generosity. Not so much the generosity on the field but off the field. Every time these two have come back fit from an injury they have showed impatience to stake a rightful claim for their place in the team. The injury cycle is never ending with these two. @Arsefull I agree especially with the pretensions… Read more »

Fotballing Genious

Well, this is getting boring.

Imo his injuries made him lose his compuser when it really matters. With the shooting, his final ball, the last dribble etc.

All his end products is nowhere to be seen, get a few quid for him this January and then move on..

David Hillier\'s luggage

I think Jack needs to stop thinking about England and just try and get back in the Arsenal first team. I’ve commented before that Southgate sounds like he’s making excuses, if he saw a role for Wilshere in his squad going forward he would have told him the requirements of game time and position personally (he’s on record as having called and texted the likes of Rose and Lallana, even Barkley). He hasn’t, and won’t though. Same for other players he doesn’t rate like Smalling for example, who he dropped and only explained with a sly dig during a press… Read more »

ritabhash

While they are at it, they might as well bring back Scott Parker. Lad is an engine in midfield and has the ‘tenacity’ and ‘aggression’ without the ball and is the epitome the English midfield(Never mind his on the ball capability. That is a secondary attribute that Southgate/FA look at. The first attribute has to be that you need to compete with Mo Farah for the marathon.

Anonymarse

So much hate for Jack on this page, difficult to understand

ritabhash

Hate is a strong word. the thing is he isn’t in the first team starting XI right now and perhaps rightly so. Right now he is competing with Sanchez, Ozil and Welbeck for that spot higher up the field in the front 3 and I would choose Ozil and Sanchez/Welbeck over him 90% of the times purely because you don’t have to be worried as a manager and be cautious with them like you have to be with Wilshere . If Wenger wanted him to play in Cm, rest assured, he’d have started him in CM instead of labouring along… Read more »

Dave M

Well said

Chuqu

Jack has won man of the match award in almost all the games he has started for us this season. What more do you want? I’m surprised to see so many negative comments about him in here. Personally, I hope he’s offered a new contract. He was mostly fit last season and he has been fit this season. He’s a decent footballer and he’s one of us. Also, we don’t know if Santi will still play for us. We need to keep Jack.

IamsterdamGooner

Too left footed to ever replace Cazorla imo, I like Jack really but he isnt nowhere near Santi. Xhaka is left footed too, so I don’t think that combo would work. Jack needs a Coq 2.0 beside him.

With all his talent and very good left foot, I don’t get why Wenger hasnt hammered on working his right foot from being youngster. Surely by now he would at least been able to dribble a bal with his right foot?

PFo

I agree he doesn’t warrant a place in the front three, but would argue he shouldn’t be far off challenging Ramsey and Xhaka for a place in a deeper role, or better yet, playing alongside them in a 4-3-3. It’s Wenger’s fault that he’s insisting on thinking of Jack as a number 10, which isn’t his best position and never has been. He’s a Cazorla (in his latter years). Not saying he’s as good as Santi, but he’d still be very, very handy to have out on that pitch in games when our buildup is struggling with Ramsey-Xhaka.

Araj

The question really is why? Why is Wenger considering him for roles where there is more competition? You won’t really know how good Wilshere can or cannot be until you give him a match. In the B team matches so far he has performed well in each and every match. Nowhere is Wilshere suggesting that he should be the first choice starter week in week out right now. But surely Wenger could have given him a single start so far. Every team shuffles it’s pack and while Wenger does far less than other managers he seems to right now consider… Read more »

PFo

this.

Anonymarse

I dunno i think some of it qualifies as hate and most of it is very negative.

He is ‘one of us’, and on his day a very good player. He’s been with us for a very long time and wants to stay.

He’s had some good performances and not being able to displace Ozil and Sanchez (who both seem to be leaving) doesn’t exactly make him shit. Needs to find more consistency.

Maybe it won’t happen for him here but it doesn’t seem impossible.

QMantis

My heart would love jack to make a real fist of it and really stand out in the b team games and to grab any chance he might get in the first team…. but my head says na he’s lost it, don’t seam to have that extra burst of the mark any more. It’s probably better for him to test himself elsewhere and get a full season of games under his belt to have any chance of getting the best out of his remaining years.. playing alongside the other b team players last night was hard to watch and none… Read more »

gooner

Hopefully he signs and stays fit. Relatively. Trouble is, when he was fit and playing for us, he was in that number 8 position which later went to Ramsey. For all the talk from the boss about him playing on the front 3, basically where Alexis is or the opposite wing, I think it’s down to the dilemma on his hands. Jack plays where Ramsey is playing. Not the defensive midfield and neither the number 10 role. He was playing there before Ramsey but the boss has a big problem . He won’t drop his future captain ( just me… Read more »

PFo

Simple: we should play 4-3-3. Despite the great result against Spurs, we’ve seen the drawbacks of the 3-4-3 this season and it shouldn’t be our default formation (used for certain one-off games, sure).
Cech
Hector-Mustafi-Kos-Monreal (or Kola–they can compete for the LB spot until age catches up with Nacho)
Ramsey-Xhaka-Jack
Ozil-Laca-Alexis

This is our best lineup, given our current squad (and Santi being crocked).

Addicus

In Wilshere I see a very creative attacking midfielder who needs protection behind him so he can go forward relentlessly and feel free to create. The problem with this at Arsenal is Ozil is a better version of this player. I also see a man who the public or himself isn’t sure he can hold up to the pounding that comes when you embarrass defenders and they physically beat you back. You could see it when he was down holding his leg in the first half. We all worry for him. Only time will change our mind on that. I… Read more »

ronaldo

I don’t blame you jack, but if you can wait until a new manager comes in and then decide what to do

afcchamp88

I want him (and everyone) to do well. But he is not playing top opposition, playing in a playmaking role, and still isn’t producing goals. I haven’t seen him do anything on the pitch this season to merit a league start. The only reason anyone has tossed around the idea is due to lacking performances of players in the team. He’s not pushing the door open as much as other players were leaving it open, and now that we have momentum, it doesn’t seem on the horizon. The issue becomes when/if we sell Alexis and Ozil in January, then we… Read more »

Atom

The opinions of Jack are so heavily colored by the fact that he’s a local lad in a team largely bereft of them. At this point in his career he is a squad player for a big club or a starter for a small club. The question then becomes for his level of wages and his injury history whether or not he is worth keeping as a squad player or if given his age we should be allocating the minutes to much younger prospects at this point. The other side of the equation is Jack is going to have to… Read more »

Danny

Or fight his way back into the first team? He’s 25 after all. Anyway why do you care? You’re an American right? You wouldn’t understand why him being a local lad is important. It matters. A lot. Not to you and the other plastic foreign fans, but to those of us who grew up nearby and supported the club through all the actual shit times.

Atom

He’s almost 26 which is entering the prime age for players. Thus far he has been unsuccessful in fighting his way back into the team, following last year where he decided to not even try once he lost his place in the England squad. Anyone who has ever supported a local sports team understands what it means to have a local lad in the team, regardless of where they were born.

Atom

I would also add that “supporting Arsenal through all the actual shit times” has nothing to do with location and only means that you over 45 years old as Arsenal have pretty consistently been mid to high table since the early 1970s.

Danny

I’m 35 which is old enough to remember Bruce rioch and Stewart Houston in charge. They were some actual shit times.

If you’re American and you support Arsenal, you probably only started in the last decade or so. In which case, stop whinging, you knew what you were letting yourself in for.

And footballer’s prime years tend to be around 28. Not nearly 26.

Atom

You realize they were in charge for all of one year right? A players prime depends on the position they play and their style of play.

Vonnie

You’re well out of order Danny, no need to insult Arsenal fans or think they are any less than you because they don’t live in North London. You’re not ‘ard just because you watched some seriously bad football a long time ago. I agree with everything Atom is saying, and as I said above if Jack wasn’t English I think he’d have been sold long ago.You sound like one of the miserable old geezers I’ve had to stand next to at the Emirates sometimes. Arsenal is a world wide club these days and our fans across the world are true… Read more »

Man Manny

In my heart of hearts, I sense this will end with Wilshere leaving. Truth be told, he hasn’t been exceptional; all we’ve had is wishful fans exaggerating every positive input from him. Like yesterday, nothing came off for him. He should’ve stayed last season; that’s when he crossed the rubicorn if you ask me.

Rogerbij

A lot of people either in one camp or the other – he’s crap, or he’s a top player. Neither are true, he’s a pretty good but injury prone player with a lot still to prove, and who cant quite crack back into the first team. Good luck to him, Im happy enough to extend his contract, but probably not for the kind of money he is thinking about. Look at his whoscored page – how often has he started half the Premier League games in a season? If a new contract means a big outlay for the club there… Read more »

Franky

Wilshere obviously brings something else to this team. His willingness to advance with the ball in midfield and his link-up-play (Norwich great example) is great and Arsenal-like. With that said, I’m not his biggest fan. Although, with Alexis and Özil possibly leaving I would be fkg mad if we let Jack go – cuz I don’t see Ramsey/ Xhaka/ Iwobi/ Coq (LOL)/ Elneny (LOL) doing what Jack does. He offers something different and has the ability to beat his player, like Nelson’s solo v.s Köln. Damn son, he is one for the future!

santori

Jack certainly tries very hard on the pitch and wears the club on his sleeves. But it must be frustrating bc you need time on the pitch. Personally I think he is better suited slightly deeper as a link player next to Granit or Coquelin. Wasn’t quite sure we got the best purchase playing him so high up on the right. I would have preferred to see Iwobi start. The young Nigerian is good moving things around the pitch. Either of Elneny or Coquelin for me should have started next to Jack who tends to prefer pushing forward through the… Read more »

Danny Taylor

How you think that going to go jack. Wenger ” Jack your just not very good” Jack “did you not see I played half season at Bournemouth” Wenger ” that’s problem “

lula

Wilshere: so can I stay.
Wenger: I’m gone in a few years so if you want then yeah but no guarantees.

Too unlikely?

Anthony Hylton

People have to forget Jack isn’t that young kid we all saw with bags of potential anymore. I now see a player who is a B team player like Walcott. He isn’t good enough and you would be crazy to change your formation to accommodate him. People will say he has played well this season and did ok at Bournemouth last year till injury. In answer I would say how many goals or assists has he produced? Jack can’t be trusted anymore hence the reason he won’t play for England and realistically needs to move on for his career sake… Read more »

Alexstratz

Judging by the comments and votes, Wilshere is again the player who does not play but is somehow the “savoir of Arsenal”.

TomAFC

Would a 4-2-2-2 formation like leipzigs last year work in England? only way i can see us getting all our players into the starting 11.

some players just have to realise that they have too sit on the bench until their positions is freed up my form or injury, Ramsey has been in good form would be an insult to drop him.

Alexander Pleb

I’m still scratching my head how his Arsenal carreer has come to this 🙁 …..

Banksy

Hopefully this comment section isn’t the general consensus on Wilshere because i can’t really believe some of the things I’m reading. We’ve lost so many players in the past that we could have kept. Players that loved the club or at least understood the values of Arsenal. If Jack wants to stay and he’s fit…. he should be given his extension damn it. He’s fit for the first time in ages, you lot are talking about him like he’s from down the road. He’ll improve as he gets more game time but to hear so many just dismiss the possibility….… Read more »

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