Arsenal: Jack Wilshere to Spain holds nugget of concern

Arsenal are “reportedly” at risk of losing Jack Wilshere to Spain and while I find this hilariously ill-founded, there is one major nugget of concern.

Arsenal and Jack Wilshere are destined to confront their separate yet somewhat identical ill-fated journeys together. It has always been that way. So much potential upset by forces outside of their respective control.

So any time rumors of Wilshere leaving pop up on the ol’ News Feed, I usually brush over them with a chuckle and an “Okay mate” meme. This time however, I stopped and thought about it, and what I found was a nugget of concern. Not that he might leave, but that he might actually be better off it he leaves.

I shudder as I say it, but here’s why I say such a blasphemous thing – the latest rumor is tying him to Real Betis, where he has been tied to before, but it’s not the team that matters, it’s the league.

It’s no secret that Jack Wilshere has a world of talent, and Arsenal banked so much on being able to build around that talent. But one injury after another intervened, and while not all of the injuries were the same, a lot were the result of a far-too physical tackle from Premier League defenders.

You can probably see where I am going with this. Wilshere needs to be protected, as much as I hate that word when it comes to professional athletes. He needs to be given space to exercise his ability, his passing, his vision, all of that.

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And Arsenal play in a league that doesn’t like giving people that space. Just ask Granit Xhaka or Mesut Ozil.

Now, that doesn’t mean that injuries don’t happen in Spain or Italy, but it’s certainly not as physical as England, where defenders see your tender spots as targets to be aimed at.

As a Gooner supporter, I want to see Wilshere succeed at Arsenal, but as a supporter of the beautiful game and letting talented individuals contribute to that overall beauty, I want to see Wilshere healthy and given a decade of good, wholesome play.

Because ask yourself, would you rather him play ten healthy, complete years elsewhere or two fractured, broken seasons across ten more years at the Emirates? That’s the question that gave me my nugget of concern. That maybe Arsene Wenger feels the same way, and wants what is best for Wilshere.

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Or maybe I’m just babbling. Whatever the case, I want to see Wilshere succeed. I do not, ever, want to see him injured again.

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