Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that he is very cautious over midfielder Jack Wilshere and has reiterated the importance of not over-playing the Englishman.
Wilshere missed over 17-months of his career due to a serious ankle injury picked up in the summer of 2011 and despite returning in great fashion at the end of last season, the 21-year-old is still prone to taking a knock here or there.
After returning to the first-team, Wilshere hardly missed a game until he picked up another injury on the same ankle which made him miss the rest of the season, which resulted in Wenger admitting that he was over-playing him.
The Arsenal boss has already rested the midfielder this season and he has admitted that he has to be very cautious with how he monitors his fitness levels.
“He was a bit tired [before the Fulham game] but it was more about giving him a rest,” explained Wenger. “He could have played but it made sense to give him a breather because we’re playing every three days at the moment. He is not 100 per cent yet, but he is 90 per cent.
“I’m a bit cautious because he’s had a few operations. I don’t want to make a mistake on the medical front and overuse him because the ankle is the most important part of any football player.
“I take always medical advice. If the ankle is not inflamed, if he has no pain, then we would not rest the player. If they say there is a little inflamed ankle, we would say ‘OK, let’s not [play him]. I do that with medical advice.
“I would be a bit more cautious with Jack [than with others]. Until we feel he is completely free from any risk, of course.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
