Arsenal vs Brighton: Rolling the dice on Jack Wilshere a crap idea

Arsenal has an opportunity to slip Jack Wilshere into the starting XI against Brighton and Hove Albion, but this is one of the worst ideas ever.

There is nothing that I want more than to see Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil phased out of the club, assuming that they are going to leave (if they are going to stay, disregard this). But if there were to be one thing I want to see more than that, it would be the return of Jack Wilshere to the first team starting XI. Which is convenient, because Arsenal has a chance to kill both of those birds (seagulls?) with one stone.

Brighton & Hove Albion will not have to face Mesut Ozil, as he is still injured. Which provides an interesting scenario – could Jack Wilshere come back?

The Englishman showed superb quality yet again against BATE Borisov and it looked as though he was fully fit and ready to go.

So doesn’t it just seem like the perfect opportunity to roll with that momentum and slot him in against Brighton?

Absolutely. Positively. Not.

Let’s not forget that the one thing that has held back Wilshere is his health. That’s literally the only thing. Everything we can do to prevent brushes with health problems should be done. Which means not starting him with just three days between starts.

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Wilshere played the full 90 against the Belarusians, only his second time playing the full 90 this year and as Arsene Wenger has wisely pointed out, we have to be patient. We can’t rush him back into the starting XI and expect him to play 180 minutes a week. That’s unreasonable and it’s asking for problems.

Think Aaron Ramsey. When he used to have to play in the Champions League and the Premier League, he would always pick up hamstring problems.

Risking Wilshere is a bad idea, especially when you have a young and cheery Alex Iwobi (if he’s healthy…) ready to go pick up all the pieces that Ozil may or may not leave behind.

Iwobi is in need of more opportunities to prove himself, and this looks like one fantastic chance to do just that. Brighton is not a team that we should have all that much trouble with, so the young Nigerian may be able to have himself a solid outing and start compiling some confidence.

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I want Wilshere back so badly and I like to think that after international break, he may be able to slip into the Premier League squad, but for now, let’s take it easy.