Wilshere was poor against Ukraine, but he remains the key for England – Beyond The Ninety Minutes
The 21-year-old’s jaded display in Kyiv is by no means panic stations for Arsenal or the Three Lions.
By Charlie Martin
08:49 PM UTC 12 Sep 2013
Wilshere struggled to assert himself in Kyiv
Jack Wilshere is widely regarded as the most promising young English player, with many people setting the nations hopes on his shoulders. He has endured a very limited international career to date, with injury restricting him from a further twenty odd caps. And, this inexperience was pretty much apparent in Kyiv, as he found it hard to assert himself in Ukraine’s Olympic Stadium.
He lined up with two England centurions in the centre of midfield, giving him the license to go forward and use his creative abilities, you would think. However, Wilshere failed to capitalise on that opportunity, wasting possession on several occasions. His service to the front men was poor, and he was often bundled of the ball with ease. Unsurprisingly, he became the object of severe criticism across media.
The Arsenal man is still very young, only twenty-one. He was the youngest player on the pitch last night, something people might forget. He performed so well from an early age that people are expecting him to dominate every game he plays. Now this isn’t something he isn’t capable of, but expecting it from such a young man won’t do justice to him.
In any case, it is far from panic stations for Arsenal or England. Every player is bound to have a dip in form, or struggle in certain games, yet it is a testament to the regard people hold Wilshere in that when he has a poor game, people feel the need to talk about it incessantly. It was not long ago when Wilshere was touted as the ‘next big thing’ in English football. It was even suggested that his emergence had lifted the burden on Wayne Rooney as England’s most creative player. Injuries may have marred his progress since then, but he still remains a massively talented player.
Wilshere will be back in action at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, teaming up with Arsenal new boy Mesut Oezil for the first time, a prospect everyone is extremely excited by. He will be hoping to bounce back with a dominant performance, securing three points for his club. Looking further on, he has a chance to impress on a bigger stage next Wednesday at Marseille. He will be desperate to rectify his poor displays for the international side, so we can expect a lot more from the midfielder in these games.
Plus England play their last two World Cup qualifiers in October. Two games they have to win. Don’t be surprised if the 21-year-old turns out to be the man who takes England through to Rio with two barnstorming performances.
Jack Wilshere was poor, but he remains the key for England, and he will be back.
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