Arsenal vs Newcastle: Jack Wilshere’s biggest test, if given

Arsenal may have no choice but to turn back to Jack Wilshere against Newcastle United, which would be a fantastic follow-up… right?

Arsenal stretched their winless streak to three against West Ham, and in each of the three, the Gunners have dominated but lacked that finishing edge, which is all that really matters. With Newcastle coming up, the stars may be aligning for a grand return to prominence, but it all starts with deployment.

Arsene Wenger‘s back four was a pretty solid experiment that gave some key glimpses into where the team may be headed, and it is in the direction of Jack Wilshere.

With Aaron Ramsey still absent, Jack Wilshere may be called on again, for the second time in four matches. This is absolutely exciting, but for me, there is a massive kidney punch of trepidation attached to it.

Everything that we are doing with Wilshere feels brand new. He was healthy and we weened him back incredibly slowly, rather than just tossing him into the pit. It was frustrating at times, but it was the right thing to do.

We have to be cognizant of his injury problems no matter how much we want to leave them in the past. This lad just can’t stay on the pitch long and until he can, there is always going to be that concern that he may never.

Related Story: 5 Things We Will Learn From Aaron Ramsey Injury

As such, if he is deployed against Newcastle from the off, which, again, is the second match in four days, it is going to be the biggest test of his career. Not even in terms of if he can stay relevant or stay in form, but in terms of if he can stay healthy. Because if this lad can play anything like 160-180 minutes in the span of four days without suffering a nick, then I think a lot of fears will be flushed away.

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Not for good, but for now.

The thing is, Wilshere spent a full 90 out there against the Hammers. He was working his arse off, pushing for the breakthrough and you could tell that by the 70th, 80th minute, he was fatiguing. He wasn’t as sharp or incisive.

That’s okay. That’s expected. But that is also bothersome going into Newcastle because it’s doubtful that his achy muscles have had the chance to fully recover.

I will always think of Ramsey and how many times he suffered muscle injuries because he plays so hard and so often.

Next: 5 Things Learned Against West Ham

Wilshere has to avoid any sort of injury. This is his big chance, with his contract negotiations around the corner, to prove that he can hang with the intensity of the Premier League and the workload that it entails.