Where Does Jack Wilshere Fit in Arsenal's Squad?
A handful of Arsenal's weary warriors should be restored after the season's third international break.
Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Hector Bellerin should be in Arsene Wenger's matchday squad vs. West Bromwich Albion, but there are a select few whose recoveries require time.
Theo Walcott should return before the Christmas schedule without any setbacks, meaning the only long-term injuries on the Gunners' books are Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky.
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Fracturing his left fibula during Arsenal's pre-season, the England international Wilshere is expected to grace the Emirates Stadium nearer January 2016. Suffering from one in a list of successive injuries, Wilshere's chronic battle with his own body has continued for another season.
A debutant for the north Londoners in 2008, the then-16-year-old was Arsenal's youngest ever player. Wilshere seems older than he is, being in our collective footballing conscious for so long, but the 23-year-old still has youth on his side.
Acknowledging the hurriedness with which he has returned from injury in the past, Wilshere spoke at length on his recovery method with Arsenal Player (via Max Jones from Arsenal's official website):
"It's going well. I'm working as hard as I can to try to come back. I know what it takes because unfortunately I've been injured a few times in my career and I know what it takes to come back.
I'm not going to rush it. I'll make sure my body's right and at the moment I'm feeling good. Mentally this one has been the toughest to take because I had a big injury last year, came back, got myself fit, back in good form, played for England.
Then I cut my holiday short for two weeks and came in to try to get myself right for this season. I thought: 'This season I need to be fit for the whole season and go into the Euros with a whole season behind me.' Unfortunately on the last day of pre-season I got injured so it was probably the toughest one for me to take.
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Wilshere's return to Wenger's first team would not necessarily cause problems—as the Gunners need all the depth they can get their hands on—but it would certainly raise questions about the current rotation of midfielders.
Arsenal are enjoying an auspicious start in the Premier League, but by the time their prodigious midfielder returns, the Champions League could be gone (although the Europa League may be a possibility) with FA Cup fixtures just around the corner. There is every possibility matches will thin, leading to a tightened rotation across the pitch.
Wenger must devise a strategy to include his injury-prone midfielder (provided suspension or injury elsewhere do not decide for him) without disrupting the momentum that sees the north Londoners level on points with Manchester City atop the EPL table.
Looking at the French manager's midfield, though, the readily available positions for Wilshere are limited. In his current form, Mesut Ozil is undroppable; the German's creativity has opened nearly every defence Arsenal have faced this season. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Francis Coquelin has all but assured his place in defensive midfield.
This leaves Santi Cazorla as the Englishman's primary competition for regular first-team minutes (especially if Ramsey's right-wing experiment continues). Turning 31 in December, the former Villarreal and Malaga midfielder is Wenger's connection from defence to attack. Stationed in front of Coquelin, but behind Ozil, Cazorla's role is imperative for a free-flowing Arsenal.
A veteran operator, placing the Spaniard on the bench for Wilshere appears stepping backwards in many respects. One needs the calming influence of experience in holding midfield, which is an area Wilshere still needs seasoning.
The notion is a catch-22, as one can only gain experience by playing. Cazorla's contract ends after 2016/17; his logical successor is Wilshere, but as the Premier League is overtly obtainable for Arsenal this season, Wenger should consider next season as the time to fully reintroduce his young central midfielder
All of the above is moot unless the 23-year-old can recover in a proper and timely fashion. He seems to understand the importance of time and rehabilitation, and will hopefully take advantage of that knowledge.
Living on the better side of 25, Wilshere's talent still has years to mature, and eventually shine through, but only if his body works with him.
It is currently his greatest enemy.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase where not noted.
