Hi Myles
First off, just a thank you for publishing my e-mail as one of your twelve. I hope it inspired a new breed of slightly more open-minded readers.
I wanted to talk about Jack Wilshere.
What are your thoughts on the lad now, having seen him play not just at Arsenal, but Bolton as well ?
I know you feel he may not be given a chance, as Wenger would rather play an unknown French or African player.Yet having seen his performances for Bolton, do you think he might now get a chance? If so, do you think he has what it takes to make the difference?
Cheers,
Sam
Myles replies :
Jack could make a difference.
I’m sure he could make a difference. At Barnet, you saw how he combined with Arshavin to create that goal for Jay Simpson. Not many Arsenal players could have done what he did there. The best thing you can do for a good footballer is to give him another good footballer who can read him, make runs for him, play with him.
Jack Wilshere is a proper footballer who can do a bit of everything. He could have played for Bobby Robson or Brian Clough.
But Wenger doesn’t trust Englishmen. He doesn’t want to manage Englishmen. He was within 48 hours of selling Ashley Cole to Crystal Palace and then he discovered that Silvinho had a hot passport. Wenger always finds a way to sell his English players. It’s very sad but we are powerless.We are always told they are not good enough to be in Wenger’s team.
Two years ago Wenger preferred Amaury Bischoff, a ridiculous crock who should never have been on Arsenal’s payroll. He put Bischoff in front of Jack. Then last season he put Fran Merida in front of Jack.
I’d advise Gooners to watch very closely what Wenger does with Wilshere over the next five weeks.
Don’t watch anything else, just watch what he does with Wilshere. And see if he gives a gifted English player a chance, or just pretends to give him a chance.
Myself, I expect Jack to go back on loan to Bolton, where he will continue to improve. Then he will be sold.
Personally, I would LOVE to see Jack Wilshere make a career at Arsenal and play for England and get 50 caps. But Wenger’s track record since 1996 is this : he does a lot for France and nothing for England.
Clearly, Jack is a player English fans could identify with.
I’ve been waiting a long time to see Jack given a run of league games. If the first team was packed with great players, I wouldn’t mind Wilshere being on the bench. But the Arsenal attack/midfield is average, with one great player and a Russian enigma.
And Arsenal’s one great player in that area has told the manager he wants to play for Barcelona.
In 2004-2005, Fabregas started 34 games and came on as a sub in 12 others. He could look round the dressing room and see Bergkamp, Pires, Henry, Reyes, Lehmann, Lauren and Sol Campbell. Freddie scored 14 goals that year.
That Arsenal team finished 12 points behind Chelsea but six points above Manchester United.
What did Fabregas see last season when he looked round the dressing room? He saw reasons to leave.
If Cesc Fabregas believed that third is a trophy, he would NOT have told Wenger he wanted to go.
P.S. Amaury Bischoff, 23, played one game for Academica Coimbra in Portugal last season.
Wilshere, 18, played 14 games for Bolton in the Premier League.