Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes midfielder Jack Wilshere will re-find his best form, especially playing on the wing.
The England international hasn’t been on top form yet this season and has now been forced to move position so that new signing Mesut Ozil can fit into the central-role alongside Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini.
There will be more midfield headaches for Wenger once Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all recover from injury, but he believes that time on the flanks will help improve Wilshere.
“He is getting it back and I think playing on the flanks helps him to find that back, because on the flanks you have to do a lot of that,” said Wenger. “Once he will have that back… his performances physically recently are like that.
“Deep-lying midfielder or wide [are his best positions] because higher up he is less comfortable at the moment. He doesn’t like to have his back to goal, he likes to face the game.
“Why? Because he has a burst to pass people with the ball at his feet. From deep he does that very well, he creates the openings for that little burst to run with the ball. He is a physically strong boy, he has a good body. He can win the challenge and make the difference and open the game up.”
Wenger then likened it to the time Ramsey was forced out on the win and the Frenchman believes Wilshere has the versatility to be a success.
“You ask every good football player and he says to you [he wants to play] ‘in the centre’,” said Wenger. “Nobody says I want to play wide, I’ve never heard that.
“But on the other hand I had Nasri, he and Silva they all play wide. It’s not like they are forced to stay out there. Ramsey the other night, he played on the right side and had an outstanding game. Because he is not pinned there, he can move.
“Jack can play basically everywhere. He is an important player for the squad, and he will play. But there is competition for places of course. On one side, people want you to have good players, on the other, that means you cannot give any guarantee to anybody.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
