Jack Wilshere

[ZacNaloen]

He's over rated anyway. A lot of hype about a young player based on the fact he can kick a ball fairly straight and is English.

That's a good oxf*rd reason to be hyped about an english player tbf

[Royal Rother]

at the last 2 posts!

[TBM]

He's over rated anyway. A lot of hype about a young player based on the fact he can kick a ball fairly straight and is English.

wtf?

He's probably one of our best midfielders

[Ian Royal]

He's over rated anyway. A lot of hype about a young player based on the fact he can kick a ball fairly straight and is English.

What do you expect? The competition is Frank 'bundle through the defence nearly falling over and shin it at goal' Lampard. In comparison Wilshere is Xavi.

[Brain Traysers]

Fair enough m8, but I've actually heard that it is true from people that would know, I've not just read about it on Twitter.

I've heard it resurface again recently. It wont be confirmed in my mind until the FA bottle the decision to make him captain in a few years time

[6 Million Dollar Man]

Good player? Yes. But he's not even the best midfield player at Arsenal. Cazorla is technically streets ahead of Wilshire. Wilshire is hailed as being the future of the England team, while Cazorla can't get near the Spain team. I know it's going slightly off topic, but it puts England's chances of winning anything in the near future into perspective

[Hoop Blah]

Cazorla has played over 50 times for Spain.....

As for Wilshire, he has a lot to prove yet, especially after such a time out through injury, but he is a very good player and shouldn't be dismissed just to be different.

[Royal Rother]

As I have said before, he is the best midfielder we've had since Gascoigne.

Great first touch which means, like most Spanish players but unlike every other English player around, he can receive and control the ball whilst closely marked, can ghost past players with a dip of the shoulder, can dribble and pick a pass with vision.

But in reality he's done bugger all yet of course. Now he needs to score more goals, stay fit, and make sure he fulfils that brilliant potential.

[ZacNaloen]

Unfortunately that year out through injury has obviously put his development back at a critical age, but maybe England really needs him to get fit and stay fit cos we have nothing else coming through near his ability.

[creative_username_1]

As I have said before, he is the best midfielder we've had since Gascoigne.

Great first touch which means, like most Spanish players but unlike every other English player around, he can receive and control the ball whilst closely marked, can ghost past players with a dip of the shoulder, can dribble and pick a pass with vision.

But in reality he's done bugger all yet of course. Now he needs to score more goals, stay fit, and make sure he fulfils that brilliant potential.

when Arsenal beat Barcelona 2-1 he wouldn't have looked out of place on either team

[creative_username_1]

As I have said before, he is the best midfielder we've had since Gascoigne.

Great first touch which means, like most Spanish players but unlike every other English player around, he can receive and control the ball whilst closely marked, can ghost past players with a dip of the shoulder, can dribble and pick a pass with vision.

But in reality he's done bugger all yet of course. Now he needs to score more goals, stay fit, and make sure he fulfils that brilliant potential.

when Arsenal beat Barcelona 2-1 he wouldn't have looked out of place on either team

lolz at me, i think i may be thinking about Fabregas

[Royal Rother]

The only player in the England set up anywhere near world class. Last night, great 1st touch, driving forward into space at every opportunity, laying the ball off to feet.... trouble is, I'm not sure there's anyone else quite on his wavelength.

If he and Ozil can both stay fit, they could set the PL alight for Arsenal.

Much the same as Cleverley is doing for Man Utd.

[creative_username_1]

The only player in the England set up anywhere near world class. Last night, great 1st touch, driving forward into space at every opportunity, laying the ball off to feet.... trouble is, I'm not sure there's anyone else quite on his wavelength.

If he and Ozil can both stay fit, they could set the PL alight for Arsenal.

Much the same as Cleverley is doing for Man Utd.

Are you serious or taking the piss?

[Royal Rother]

The latter!!

[retro_royal]

The same Cleverley that played more games last year and ended up with a league winners medal?

I will give you though that maybe Wiltshire has a better first touch, and he can droll a shoulder

Hope PoweLOLLOL as next manager

[Royalclapper]

Didn't have his best game for England last night as he appears to want to do too much too soon. The maturity will develop hopefully over this season if he stays fit for most of it. At international level he's perhaps still got his Arsenal head on and can be a touch gung-ho steaming forward and trying to take everyone on. The next two games at Wembley may be more suited to his current game as England will be more attack minded in their approach to the games. If he can harness his impulses and convert them into measured runs, passes and bursts forward then he could be a key player should England qualify for Brazil.

[BR2]

Good player? Yes. But he's not even the best midfield player at Arsenal. Cazorla is technically streets ahead of Wilshire. Wilshire is hailed as being the future of the England team, while Cazorla can't get near the Spain team. I know it's going slightly off topic, but it puts England's chances of winning anything in the near future into perspective

With Ozil joining is he now just 3rd best?
The hype around this player has gone on for years and is similar to what happened with Joe Cole.
He obviously has ability at a time when there is a dearth of up and coming young midfielders.
There was an interesting article in the Press yesterday written by Howard Kendall about young players and he of course started with Preston's first team at only 16 and was the youngest to play in an FA Cup final.
The object of the article was the massive rise in expectation for Ross Barkley who has only played a handful of games for Everton and yet has already played for England.

On checking, I see that Wilshere has only played 65 senior games for Arsenal (scoring just the one goal) and yet he has already played 10 games for England.
I feel that he still has a hell of a lot to learn and our media have already gone way over the top about his capabilities.
Hopefully he will have many years playing for England and will learn more about when to pass,when to tackle and when not to dive as well as chipping in with goals that are expected from a midfielder.

It surprised me that Kendall was never capped for England and Colin Harvey only once (?) having performed within a midfield that included Alan Ball and was the best in our football for 2 or 3 years at a time when the English team was one of the best in the world-is that because there were so many more to choose from?.
In the current era of more international games outstanding midfielders like Currie,Hudson,Bell and Hoddle would surely have exceeded 100 caps.
The current side is so lacking in flair that we desperately want Wilshere to succeed but so far he shows promise but IMHO not much more and if only there were a few more decent midfielders around that aren't in their 30s.

[genome]

He just looked short of fitness last night, didn't quite seem with the flow of the game. Then again, not many England players did.

[Royal Rother]

He tried to do too much and nothing came off.

I suspect he was told to take them on at every opportunity because the other midfielders were going to sit and protect, but he completely lost the plot and ended up playing like a little boy.