Arsenal: Jack Wilshere injury proves Unai Emery right

Jack Wilshere has undergone minor ankle surgery and will be out for approximately six weeks. His injury vindicates Unai Emery’s decision to let him leave Arsenal.

It was a bit of a risk for Unai Emery to let Jack Wilshere walk out of the Emirates door at the end of last season. Wilshere, with his contract expired, was offered a new deal to stay at Arsenal. But now 26, he had concerns about playing time. Emery, to his credit, was honest. Playing time would not be found in north London. And so an exit was inevitable.

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At the time, there were two schools of thought regarding how to handle the Wilshere mire. There were those that deemed him washed out and worthless thanks to a string of debilitating injuries, primarily targetted at the ankles. And then there were those who believed that his pure talent deserved a cheap extension just on the off chance that he could resurrect his younger form.

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In the midst of the decision, there wasn’t really a right or wrong answer. As is ever the case, predicting the future is uncertain, and that is what Emery and the club were having to do regarding Wilshere. It is undeniable that they were allowing potential to walk out of the door. The difference is that they saw such potential as a highly unlikely destination for Wilshere. It was an unattainable ceiling.

And now, just a matter of months later, it seems as though Emery and his coaches have already been proven right. Wilshere, after being substituted against Wolves before the international break, has undertaken minor ankle surgery that is expected to keep him on the sidelines for six weeks. Knowing the frailties of his ankles, it would not be surprising if he missed a whole lot more than that.

It is difficult to praise Emery for his decision. He had no clue that Wilshere was to suffer another injury so soon after his departure — he has made just four appearances for West Ham United, one of which he was injured in. But that does not mean that he did not make the right decision. As it has played out, he obviously did.

Hindsight, as they say, is 20:20 vision and it is very easy to look back after an event and analyse the pros and cons of every decision made. But the ruthlessness and certainty of Emery are to be admired. He knew what plans he had for the squad. He knew what players fit into those plans. More importantly, he knew what players didn’t fit into those plans. And he didn’t let any other factor influence his decision.

It remains to be seen how the remainder of Wilshere’s career plays out. It could still so transpire that he recovers from yet another setback and somehow rediscovers his younger performance levels. But with every problem that he suffers, with every ankle surgery he undertakes, with every week of football that he misses because of yet another fitness concern, it looks increasingly unlikely that we will ever see the Wilshere of yesteryear.

And with that, Emery is proven right. He took the risk, understanding that he would be blamed if Wilshere did reconjure his former self. But he also knew that the chances were low. He wasn’t willing to pay for the lottery ticket. And now the jackpot isn’t as high. Sometimes, not buying a ticket is the best thing to do.