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Jack Wilshere’s Injury Comes at Worst Possible Time
By Josh Sippie
There really is no good time to get hurt. Not for Jack Wilshere and not for anyone. But mainly not for Jack Wilshere. The young England international has been confined to 100 appearances since his 2008 debut (via ESPNFC) because injuries, particularly to his ankle, have ruptured all progress he could have made towards fulfilling his potential.
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This particular injury to still-young Jack Wilshere may be the worst, not because of its severity, or lack there of, but because of the timing. Arsenal are hitting their stride. After a decade of very limited success, the Gunners have recovered financially and have built a team that is fully capable of challenging for an EPL title. It is just a matter of staying healthy.
Unfortunately for Jack Wilshere, that matter is already going bad. Arsenal is meshing as a team, guys are finding their spots on the team and claiming their positions. Jack Wilshere, missing even a game or two, is going to be put on the back foot to find a place on this team.
It is reminiscent of last year when Aaron Ramsey suffered his string of injuries. Despite being fully capable of playing centrally, Santi Cazorla was forced to cover for Ramsey in his absence and ended up doing so well that he was cemented as a starter in Ramsey’s role, even when the Welshman returned form injury. When he did return, he found that getting his favored position back was not easy and he was confined to the right wing.
Jack Wilshere missed out against Chelsea, where he would have found playing time, and he is also reportedly set to miss out against West Ham in the season opener. The injury and lack of training may then cost him yet another match as he tries to get back to fitness and heaven forbid there is a set back. Jack Wilshere needed this time to continue his fantastic string of performances that he had been putting in this summer.
Which brings me to my next point of why this injury is horribly timed (as if he had a choice). Jack Wilshere was starting to look unstoppable. He finished the season incredibly well for Arsenal, carried that momentum into a 3-2 international victory where he masterfully netted twice and his preseason was looking just as prominent.
This injury came just in time to remind us that Jack Wilshere is mortal. I had almost forgotten that his ankles seem to be made of glass, but now my confidence in his ability to stay healthy is completely shaken. Jack Wilshere cannot have another injury-plagued season. He has to start putting together some elongated seasons full of the success that we have seen he can bring.
Wenger said that Jack Wilshere would only be out for “days” and not weeks, so that is a boon, but until he is back on the pitch, I am worried. Wilshere looked like a world-class midfielder for the past couple months and I want to see that transferred over to the EPL for years to come.
Hopefully this is nothing more than a brief panic and Wilshere will be back soon.
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