In a fascinating insight into Jack Wilshere’s loan season at Bournemouth, the club’s Head of Medical Services has revealed how new techniques and close cooperation with Arsenal have seen the midfielder remain almost injury free this campaign.
Dr Craig Roberts told the Training Ground Guru website how they’ve put specific plans in place for Wilshere who has been blighted by injury throughout his career – and at times they have frustrated the midfielder.
Having missed almost all of last season, Bournemouth have implemented ‘acute-chronic training ratios’, a system developed by an Australian sports scientist.
“Jack has had a lot of overuse type injuries over the years,” said Roberts. “He’s had some traumatic ones as well, which every player can get, but he’s a player who is prone to break down if the load is too high.
“For us, particularly given that he hadn’t played a lot leading up to joining us, we were very very strict in terms of the amount of training he would do in the week leading up to a game.
“There is a lot of new interesting data coming out in terms of looking at acute verse chronic load and matching up how much you can do this week based on what you have been doing for the last four weeks.
“We were very strict on what he could and couldn’t do. Jack didn’t like it, because he just wanted to get out and train and play.”
And he also revealed how he has been in close contact with Arsenal club doctor Gary O’Driscoll over the training and playing regime Wilshere has been part of.
“Arsenal have been amazing, we’ve worked very closely with them,” he continued. “We communicate regularly with them in terms of where Jack is, what he’s doing, how things are going.
“Gary [O’Driscoll] and I have been in very regular communication. They have been as instrumental in managing him as we have.”
The full article is really very interesting, and expands on the techniques used – read it at Training Ground Guru here.
Good news if we can use this to avoid the injuries we’ve had to key players like Cazorla.
It’s a difficult one to assess, but I think on balance I’d like him back here next season. We don’t have anyone quite like him in many respects.
Interesting article regarding his fitness though. It perhaps explains why he hasn’t played so many games recently.
Actually, I think he picked up an injury a few weeks ago – fairly recently – and is just making his way back (regarding his recent absence from the team).
he was involved in bournemouths winning goal this weekend. king scored 3-2 on the rebound from a wilshere shot after a typical burst through midfield
Keep him, definitely. At 32, Santi’s not going to play for much longer and together with rumours of Ozil departing we can’t afford to lose Jack as well.
Something for Arsenal to learn from.
If you read the article youll note Arsenal is part of the equation “Arsenal have been amazing, we’ve worked very closely with them,” [bournmouth medical team]
Yes, but the “Arsenal doctor” has been there before and never seem to give him a good period of injury free playing time.
So he might be doing few things correct but not all. So why not learn from Bournemouth doctor too. Keeping ears/ eyes open to good advice. Heard before?
Getting the full equation and working with it rather than using a partial equation
Unfortunately, Wilshere has not developed in the way that his promise as a 16 year old had suggested.
He doesn’t even stand out as a star of the Bournemouth team, he’s just one of the others.
Other than being Bournemouth’s player of the month three times so far this season.
Nov and Dec. When was the other time?
Or did you make the other month up?
Every time I’ve watched Bournemouth this season I’ve particularly watched jack. It’s nice to see him play so many games at last but he doesn’t quite seem the same Jack to me. Definitely the burst of speed he used to possess has completely gone and this takes a lot away from the dribbling ability which was such a trademark of his. But his eye for a through ball and metronome passing are still there and I would still put him at least on a par with Elneny and ahead of Coquelin in our hierarchy of midfielders. His ball retention is… Read more »
I think we can sympathise with Jack saying “I’ll think about it”. He’s probably spent more time in physiotherapy than he has on the pitch while at Arsenal. His mindset is “if I can’t play games, my entire career’s at stake now”. Aaron Ramsey is one of my favourite Arsenal players and I’ve doggedly defended him for years when he’s been criticised on here, but right now I’d rather have Jack in our squad and find Rambo another employer. We’ve gone past the stage where Coquelin and Elneny are any kind of benchmark if we want to win titles again,… Read more »
The other thing I think about is Jack is wanting to be careful how he responds to such things right now. He’s admirably being very respectful of and dedicated to the Cherries while he’s there. He’s also likely being mindful of not just coming back to Arsenal because it’s easy for the team to keep him as a bit player. Cheap comments aside about the money involved, he’s had a very rough bunch of years of late, and he no doubt has a lot of very difficult thinking about his career and future to sort out. I for one just… Read more »
I both agree (about loss of speed and not same Jack) and disagree (through balls, etc) He still works hard at both ends but for me his speed and desire to drive up the middle of the pitch look greatly diminished. And his first look to pass seems to always be sideways or backwards as opposed to his past (at times overly) aggressive passing instincts. Both confidence and physical abilities seem to have taken a big hit due to his ghastly injury history which is very understandable but sad to see.
I haven’t watched Bournemouth play but couldn’t that be a matter of tactics? Ie, “Jack, stay put, don’t put us in danger” whereas at Arsenal he was more or less free to roam about as he liked.
He also didn’t have Gabriel breaking his leg in training
i agree with you jack no longer has his burst of pace . he lacks the strength to become a ball winner like xhaka although he is good enough to as more attacking midfielder in midfield three . coquelin is no longer the required quality we need , but elneny is the ultimate utility player capable of playing xhakas role or further forward. he should be used much often . and i still feel rambo has a future preferably in a midfield three .
There’s a difference between not having it and not displaying it
I don’t know that I think he’s ‘lost’ as much as that. What I see is a player that’s playing smarter, rather than just going harder. He’s playing with more positional discipline, and is much more in control. It’s lovely to see a player go hell-for-leather at the opponent but it’s lovely for 1-2 matches and then it’s gone 1/2 a season. And this applies to many more players than just Jack. Going like that and NOT getting kicked off the pitch is the very very rare talent of someone like Messi who has otherworldly close control and it doesn’t… Read more »
Thats’ what happens when a player is over-used. Plus being told for years that he is the Future of Arsenal, Future of England and blablabla. And you get an injured prone player. Let alone a guy who when he played, never impressed.
Sign me up.
If jack comes back how will he get to reach his full potential given that he has to be very carefully managed.
The extra pressure to perform for the Arsenal will only result in more injuries and less game time.
Great player on his day and maybe this season will help him get back to near his best.
I’m still positive about Jack’s future at Arsenal, and this article helps justify that optimism.
Getting a full season of matches and training under his belt will be a huge advantage for him in the next few years. This isn’t just a 1-2 month build up. He’s gradually built up a base of strength and fitness over a whole year (OK, fingers crossed…..)
The Australian Sports Scientist is Tim Gabbett. I’m sure he’d like the recognition. I may just tweet it to him. Acute/Chronic is a interesting, and perhaps the first official steps by the sports science community into the realms of injury prediction. Sadly, like many sports science research, it is still heavily flawed, particularly in a predictive use. Al support of its models as retrospective, which doesn’t really help. But it’s basic premise is right I believe; that rapid spikes in training loads compared to the steady development of training load can lead to injuries, and the best way to prevent… Read more »
You’re not going to change the way he plays which is the problem. And the best thing about Jack…he goes in fully committed foot in tongue out. The risk to injury was there and it has been a chronic several years of stop and start because of it. Whether he stays with us or leaves, he may have to alter his play a bit now that he is maturing and his injuries may become even more risky. Personally I think we will miss his fight but we also need someone in midfield who can replicate the sort of ball holding… Read more »
I can read between the lines well enough. Just come out and say it. You want to resign Alex Hleb.
Nice