Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere says he is pain-free and wants to take either Santi Cazorla or Francis Coquelin’s place in the Gunners line-up when he returns to action.
Wilshere is yet to play this season due to an injury he picked up in pre-season, the latest in a long line of fitness issues, he has had 13 injuries since October 2009.
The England international was interviewed on Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday and give an update on his recovery:
“It’s going well. I’m pain-free, out the boot and off the crutches and moving around. As I said, this one was mentally the toughest one to take.
“I’ve done it so many times where I’ve put a date on it and then people say I’ve a setback if I’m a week late. I had surgery five weeks ago and it’s going good. I’m in the gym every day.”
The injuries to Wilshere have allowed Coquelin to become on the first names on Arsene Wenger’s teamsheet, as he has formed one of the Premier League best partnerships with Santi Cazorla.
But that holding midfield role is where Wilshere sees his future. When asked about his favourite position, Wilshere answered:
”I think it varies because we play differently with England than we do for Arsenal and also I think we have different types of players. If I had to say which one I prefer, I’d have to say the deeper one I play for England.
”I like to get on the ball and start off attack, receiving the ball from the defence and turning and facing the game and creating a picture. It’s different with Arsenal because we play a different formation, with England we play 4-4-2 with a diamond whereas with Arsenal we play a 4-2-3-1. So ideally with Arsenal I’d like to play in one of the two deep-lying roles.
”With the boss the way he is, when he plays me on the right he always says ‘if you want to come in and create things then you’re more than welcome but when you lose the ball, that’s your position, keep the shape and defend from there [the right].”
While I love Jack Wilshere as a player, he is not somebody you can rely on, even for the second half of the season. Bit if he is able to get fit, he will at least give Arsene Wenger another option in central midfield if he decides to rotate Coquelin Or Cazorla.
