Why Arsenal and Arsene Wenger Must Resist Immediate Jack Wilshere Comeback

Jack Wilshere is stepping up his comeback. The England international completed 90 minutes as Arsenal U21s beat their Stoke City counterparts by four goals to one, and he looked to be well on the way to a return to competitive action.

Wilshere feels he is now close to taking some part in senior action. He told Arsenal's official website:

"

You can train as much as you like but you can’t get that match fitness unless you play. In the Premier League you know how quick it is so you have to get back to that speed.

I feel like I’m ready to play some part. When you’re injured you look at your comeback date and the games around that time.

The one that stands out is the FA Cup semi-final but even before that we’ve got big games and we’ve got to go to [Manchester] United as well so there’s a chance to play this season.

"

However, Arsenal should be cautious. There is no sense in rushing Wilshere back at this stage of the season. 

The patience is partly for Wilshere’s own good. The fact he’s started just seven Premier League games all season demonstrates his vulnerability. To throw him straight back into the tumult of elite competition would be a significant risk—a gradual introduction would reduce the risk of aggravating his injuries. 

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

Moreover, Arsenal are not in any immediate need of Wilshere’s presence in the side. The Gunners are currently the form team in the Premier League. Since the turn of the year, they have embarked on a remarkable run that has propelled them to second place in the Premier League.

Key to that consistency has been the central midfield partnership of Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla. At the start of the season, few would have predicted those two would be paired at the hub of this Arsenal side. Coquelin was seemingly headed toward the exit, while Cazorla was used predominantly as a wide playmaker. 

Since being thrown together, that duo have been outstanding. They have provided the team with such balance that on Aaron Ramsey’s return to the starting XI against Liverpool, he found himself deployed in an unfamiliar right-wing role. 

Should either Coquelin or Cazorla become unavailable, Ramsey would surely be the immediate replacement. Unlike Wilshere, he is relatively free of ring-rust. 

Clive Rose/Getty Images

The reality is that even when supposedly fully fit, Wilshere’s performance levels have not tended to match those of his direct competition. His starring display against Manchester City back in September has proved a glorious exception rather than the rule. 

At the start of the season, Arsene Wenger made a concerted effort to squeeze Wilshere in to his team, setting out a convoluted 4-1-4-1 system that enabled him to field his clutch of attacking midfielders simultaneously. However, the team has moved on since then. Having finally found an effective balance, Wenger would be foolish to disturb progress by hurriedly reintroducing Wilshere.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.