Jack Wilshere says he’s planning to study videos of Italy’s Andrea Pirlo and Argentina’s Javier Mascherano after Roy Hodgson handed him a deep lying midfield role for England’s Euro 2016 qualifier victory over Switzerland.
Usually deployed in a more advanced position at the Emirates, the 22-year-old spoke enthusiastically about seizing the opportunity to develop his game in a new position by learning from a couple of renowned specialists.
“I spoke with the manager and Gary Neville in the week and they told me they wanted me to play that role and I quite enjoyed it,” he told the FA website after the 2-0 victory.
“It was my first time ever playing there, so over the next month or so I am going to look at a few videos of the game and of players who play in that position regularly – Pirlo, Mascherano and players like that and I’ll get better.
“I felt it went well tonight but next time we meet up I feel it can only go better.”
Arseblog News can’t tell you how excited we are at the prospect of Jack growing his hair out, sporting a beard and completing the look with a sachet of Just For Men ‘Natural Jet Black’ and a snarl that says, “I am La Dolce Vita…now fetch me an espresso you flithy minion.”
Tuesday night’s victory in Basle was also memorable for new Gunner Danny Welbeck, who shinned and Thierry’d his way to a fine brace that has moistened the collective gussets of Fleet Street’s finest.
Bigging up his new teammate ahead of a likely debut against Manchester City on Saturday, Wilshere continued: “He really enjoys playing up front.
“He hasn’t had that opportunity over the past few years and you could tell that tonight he really wanted to prove a point. When he gets in front of goal he’s as good as they get.”
He could do a lot worse than look at tapes of Liam Brady! Here he is at Inter playing in the same position as Wilshere did on Tuesday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEyCYLXjRhY&index=103&list=UUyKARK5QftgYPJASAeTdLwA
Don’t know if you allow links of course.
Isn’t that a video about Karl Hanz Rummenigge?
Oh crap – so it is!
Here’s the correct one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moNuQdF4kvo
Same match.
Thanks for that link. Brady, what a legend and the reason I become a Gunner.
No problem. Decade or so before my time, but I’d worship him even if I didn’t support Arsenal.
Needs to get to the training ground and work on his free kicks then!
He does well when bursting from deep… Not sure I want him to convert into our DM though! There’s a reason Wenger gave him the number 10 shirt.
With the number 10 he will be converted into a central defender taking over from Mert in the future.
interesting prospect that England could solve an Arsenal problem (where does Jack play when all our midfield is fit *and* how do we replace Shiny Lego Hair), rather than sending one of our best players back banjaxed by terrible injury.
strange
In truth there have been hints for a while that the defensive role (either alone of in a double pivot with Aaron) has been in Wenger’s plans for Jack for some time.
Could be a fine prospect, love that photo Blogs, you’ve excelled yourself, even….
Credit is due to the fine artistry of the Arseblog News Hound for that one
Football!!
That picture makes me all kinds of happy. Makes me think of Gerard Butler as Leonidas in 300.
Might be a possibility. I noticed that Wilshire’s defensive side has improved. He isn’t so easily dribbled, does not rush into tackles so easily and it a bit more measured.
The role of the deep lying playmaker will get some getting used to. I can see Wilshire in our new 4-1-4-1 formation but probably not advisable in a 4-2-3-1.
If he’s talking about a role where he holds on to the ball, dictates the tempo and helps recycle possession quickly, he’d do well to take a few tips from our very own Mikel Arteta!
Arsenal line up when all fit
Szczesny
Debuchy Koscielny Mertersacker Gibbs
Ramsey Wilshere
Ozil
Walcott Sanchez
Welbeck
might be an idea to include the ox in that 11 leaving a more effective ‘super sub’ barring that walcott ans sanchez must be allowed to swap positions
While it’s not getting the best out of Jack necessarily it’s fair to say that he’s more than capable of filling Arteta’s boots (if not his toupee).
That’s a mouthwatering team…
I think Wilshere/Ramsey is too dangerous. I know some people think Arteta is not all that, but he sits deep, passes to the full-backs and is patient on the ball. I don’t think Aaron or Jack can do that yet in their career. Not their fault, but both love to run bomb (Aaron) and skip (Jack) forward and I don’t think Wilshere has the tactical nous yet to do that. Plus, Pirlo is an incredible playmaker but quite bad defensively.
In that picture he actually looks like Peter Czech with his head gear. Next thing we know he’ll be challenging Martinez for our 3rd choice ‘keeper role, too 😉
Versatile, versatile Jack!
I could be wrong, but I guess he has the tendency to hold the ball for a second longer, sometimes loses position; and with the holding midfielder role, those may be costly mistakes…
I don’t think you’re wrong but I do think that playing in this role can help him work on those flaws, much like how Wenger likes putting players on the wing to help develop their ability to work in tight spaces.
And if he can do it playing for England and not for us, all the better. I appreciate what Roy Hodgson is trying to do.
hopefully he can pack on a bit of muscle because i still wince whenever i see him in a firm tackle
Makelele.
IMO Arsenal and Jack will benefit a lot from him playing in the DM position with the national team. This role requires a lot of positioning awareness and simple passing, so I think this will improve him as a player and make him a better all-round CM.
Wait, what? Pirlo and.. Mascherano? Really? I’ve had pebbles in my shoes that were more creative than him. You think they’re in a “good position”, so there’s no need to stop and pick them out and then WHALLOP! Hits you when and where you least expect it. I hate those pebbles. They’re like the Spanish Inquisition.
lol
I have always felt that Jack for all his all action play, he would be better suited for the role, excellent turn of pace makes him ideal to break from deep. his passing can improve, and he’s a good tackler if a bit reckless.
lest, we forget, Pirlo, pretty much invented the position because he wasn’t good enough to be a true number 10.
I think Jack is too eager to go forward to be the complete DM, but if he and Ramsey can cover each other (the way Vieira and Petit used to) there could something in this. Among all the bollocks spouted by Jamie Carragher that was the only thing he said that made some sense.
Jack and Ramsey are both box to box midfielders. I can’t see him nailing down that DM position for club or country. Rather than pushin him in that deeper position, he should work on his fittness and shooting so he can play in that number 10 role with Ramsey behind him in a few years as I’m sure Wenger planned. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given him that number 10 shirt if he was gonna make him a defensive midfielder
Nothing wrong with a box to box mid learning to brush up on his defensive of his game. The two guys he’s studying is also two great players with two very different characteristics. Taking what is their best qualities, and making it your own, combined with what is your own good qualities could only be a good thing.
Noooo! I feel sorry for Jack’s ankles and feet. I can’t see him lasting too long in that holding role. To be fair he’s built more like a hobbit, our hobbit who has a tendency to hold the ball like his precious for just a bit too long every now and again. Mascherano is some sort of Native Indian, think hardy and robust and Pirlo is a lost disciple who has spent his career in Italy so I hope Woy and England have a better plan than Wilshere @ the base of the diamond, although I’m sure Wilshere’s center of… Read more »
Wrong use of Jack. 1) He’s a mobile player and his strong suit is his ability to carry the ball and penetrate vertically. 2) He’s not the best tackler nor the best passer. See Arteta by way of contrast. In some ways, this is from experience but Arteta was always the playmaker type which Ramsey is closer too where Jack is all action. I think England is making a big mistake and the repercussions will (again) naturally fall on Jack. As he does for us at Arsenal, Jack is best linking play between midfield and the attack. He is not… Read more »
I don’t always agree with your views on some things, Santori, but I could not have said that better or more articulately. Right on regarding Jack’s strengths and weaknesses. He likes to start deep but dribble forwards and turn defence into attack, whereas somebody like Arteta is suited to anchoring deep and doing those simple passes to widen the team.
He has got the nasty habbit of talking a lot, learn from Ramsey , keep your head down and just do it. People will notice when you produce.