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Arsenal Have Serious Dilemma With Jack Wilshere Return
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal will be welcoming back Jack Wilshere soon, as the Englishman looks to repeat last season’s fantastic closing form. But where does he fit?
With no recent injuries, the Arsenal team is only getting stronger. Francis Coquelin and Alexis Sanchez rejoined the squad and have provided a much-needed boost. Danny Welbeck returned shortly after and his brief moment of heroics may very well have saved Arsenal’s season.
Related Story: What Is Arsenal Doing With Alex Iwobi
The last two injured players are Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla. Bring those two back and the team will be whole yet again, minus one Tomas Rosicky.
Jack Wilshere is the latest to return to work, according to the Mirror. The young Englishman suffered a serious leg injury in preseason training and therefore has not played yet this season. All this after impressing so much at the close of last season. When put on the pitch, his penetrating runs offered a new facet to Arsenal’s often recurring themes in the attack.
That new facet could become an absolute game changer going into the closing stages of the season. Arsenal have gone stale at times this year, being shut out by such sides as Hull City, Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton, just to name a few. They went three straight EPL games without scoring a goal.
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That’s not the way to get ahead in the most competitive league in the world.
And they didn’t. Arsenal fell behind. They have recently turned that trend around and are on the way back up, sitting just two points behind Leicester City.
So how does all of this involve Jack Wilshere? Well, the oft-injured midfielder, as mentioned, offers such a unique and rarely-used talent that Arsenal could sorely use. He is not afraid in the attack. His runs and ability to cut loose on a shot make him a constant threat to the other team.
However, with a return set for early April, Arsenal have time to deliberate how exactly they want to utilize their undoubtedly-talented, yet much-maligned spark plug.
For starters, it looks as though Mohamed Elneny was brought on to play the same role as Jack Wilshere. Perhaps Wenger finally realized that it was impossible to bank on Wilshere’s health. Add to that the return of Santi Cazorla, who figures to leap into competition with Aaron Ramsey, and the midfield is starting to look nearly at full capacity (except for that elusive DM).
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That brings us to the point of it all, where does Wilshere go? The Englishman has had decent enough success playing wide right, as it allows him to cut in and fire on goal with his powerful left foot. However, he, like Aaron Ramsey, is a central midfielder and with the tremendous ability that he has, he will be looking for a central role. That is, assuming he can stay healthy.
Then there is the question of him playing a deep-lying role, which Wenger has consistently denied him. So for all intents and purposes, we will deny him as well.
What it comes down to is Wilshere proving he can stay healthy. Right off the bat he is going to be doing nothing more than substitute duties wherever he can find space. He may find some room at No. 10 but Iwobi is making a strong claim on the spot, so wide right might be all he has.
Honestly, that’s not the worst-case scenario. No one has claimed the role and given the fact that Wilshere has ample pace and dribbling ability, he could fill the role that Aaron Ramsey established. With the added benefit of that powerful left foot.
Plus, wide right has less risk for Wilshere to be tackled charging blindly into the fray – where he would be injured.
Next: Mohamed Elneny Decision Incoming
All things considered, this is exciting. Jack Wilshere is a potentially prolific player who, if he can stay healthy, can offer Arsenal so much. Unlike so many players on Arsenal’s squad, I have 100% confidence that given a string of health, Wilshere will find a way into the squad. He has the talent and he has the faith of the boss.