Arsenal Vs Red Star Belgrade: Jack Wilshere begins his answer

Before Thursday night’s trip to Red Star Belgrade, I asked the question of consistency of Jack Wilshere. In an impressive display, the Arsenal midfielder began his answer.

As is ever the case with the prospect of a much-weakened side, the media coverage in the build-up to a match often focuses on a particular player of special interest. The lack of star power forces this shift in thought and debate. For Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger dramatically altering his line-up from the Premier League to the Europa League, that player has been, and still is, Jack Wilshere.

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As a writer myself, in discussing Thursday night’s away trip to Belgrade, the primary question that I had for Wilshere, barring the usual doubt over his physical fitness and the robustness of his body to deal with the physical challenges of professional football, centred on one very simple aspect: Consistency.

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In limited appearances, Wilshere had already displayed that his natural talent, natural talent that goes largely unquestioned, is still within reach. This is not a case of what was and now what isn’t. Wilshere still has, somewhere, the same ability that he boasted as a remarkable, fresh-faced 18-year-old. The next hurdle to jump was to prove that he could dip into the well of his most illustrious form frequently, not the fleeting presence that many of his teammates choose to be.

And against Red Star Belgrade, Wilshere file another example that he still has the quality to pose a creative, attacking threat. The 1-0 win was a hard-fought one, and at half-time, Wilshere’s influence on the game was somewhat limited, concerningly so. However, under clear instruction from Wenger, Wilshere drifted increasingly centrally as the game proceeded, having a growing impact, eventually providing the crucial piece of brilliance for the only goal of the game.

Receiving the ball surrounded by three Belgrade defenders, with a neat drag-back and flick, Wilshere, leaving all three flat-footed, burst into the space before him, immediately driving at an exposed defence. A neat one-two and astonishing Olivier Giroud contortion later, and the ball was nestling into the far corner of the goal.

And more than the goal, Wilshere was Arsenal’s primary creative force, especially in the second half. He slithered and slalomed his way past seemingly stationary Belgrade midfielders, gliding his way into space. He pulled and probed and tested the defence with sliding through balls. He drifted from pocket to pocket, head on a swivel, always looking to receive the ball on the half-turn and scamper forward.

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Now, consistency is not displayed in two or three performances. This is simply another to add to a growing collection. The question of consistency can only be answered over an extended period of time. For that, I will have to be patient. But for now, Wilshere is doing everything that he must to re-establish his ability and his prominence. And it is not half exciting.