Arsene Wenger has explained that while Jack Wilshere is looking ‘mature’, his next step should be to compete for a place in the Premier League starting XI.
Wenger sang Jack’s praises after his sharp performance for the Gunners against BATE Borisov on Thursday night. The midfield scored and assisted during the 6-0 victory, earning plaudits from the media, fans and obviously his own boss.
“You will see more of him because he had a little fracture [before] the start of the season, but now I would not even say he is coming back – he is back,” the manager said.
“The next step is for him to be competitive in the Premier League and to fight for his place in the team. He will get games, he will get the opportunity to show that Jack Wilshere is back.
“I would say this is the most mature Wilshere I have seen, in the game and outside the game. He is not excessive, he has taken a distance from the pressure that was always around him.
“He is a special talent and since he was 17 all the attention in the country was on him. He has gone through huge disappointments, but now he is a father and a happy father.
“You can see he thinks with a different perspective and I personally feel this is the most mature, balanced Wilshere I have seen.”
Jack is yet to make a single Premier League start this season and has only totted up 65 minutes with his substitute appearances. However, as Wenger suggests, you have to imagine that a start is just around the corner.
Wilshere smashes home Arsenal's third pic.twitter.com/oLTSauMDpO
— Terje (@xArsenalTerje) December 7, 2017
At the beginning of November, Wenger mentioned that Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are currently preventing Jack from featuring because he sees the 25-year-old starring in a more attacking role. However, the option to play the Englishman further back is always there.
The issue with Jack, as with most of the Arsenal players, is consistency. He can blow hot and cold. Against BATE this week, he was on fire but away to FC Cologne, he was decidedly off the boil.
Arsenal face Southampton at 12pm on Sunday and the trip to St. Mary’s could be the perfect opportunity for Jack to prove himself. The choice is Wenger’s.