Opinion: Adapt or die for WIlshere

The Arsenal midfielder has one year left on his contract to prove his worth after a career blighted by contact injuries. Now is the time to change.

“They certainly will offer him a new contract,” Martin Keown confidently stated to the Mirror. “We know Jack is a special talent. His injuries have marred his career. It must be tough for Arsene Wenger to watch. How many times has he broken ankles and had operations? His quality isn’t in doubt, it’s his health that’s the issue. There are some big decisions to be made but I would feel he is someone Wenger would try to keep. Somebody that he will try to support.”

The former Arsenal defender’s comments came out the same day that news Jack Wilshere is set to miss the begin of Arsenal’s preseason, which includes tours of Australia and China, as he is still building his fitness up after finishing last season with a fractured tibia in his left leg.

Keown’s words may give Wilshere a little bit of comfort but he really needs to impress his manager Arsene Wenger. Having spent last season on loan with Bournemouth, and with very little to show for it, the Arsenal midfielder is heading into the final season of his current contract and time is running out.

This latest set-back means he is now behind in his preparation for what is surely a make or break season. If Arsenal are going to offer him a new contract, it is surely the last chance and you must wonder if he can’t make it through the year without picking up more injuries, which leaves a big question. Will he be able to salvage a career at all?

The once great hope of English football is now 25 and hasn’t completed a whole season of football in five years and is very far down the pecking order for both club and country. In sports, a downward spiral such as this tends to continue and examples like the careers of Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate show how difficult it can be to get the body to work to the needs of the talent. Like Keown said, the quality of Jack Wilshere isn’t in doubt, it’s his health.

Physically, the problem the Arsenal midfielder has is repeated foot, ankle and leg injuries from contact with other players. His current set back is a hairline fracture of the tibia in his left foot sustained in a collision with Tottenham’s Harry Kane.

Looking back over Wilshere’s career and the evidence is quite clear; he isn’t physically capable of large amounts of contact. It is time to for the Arsenal midfielder to address this, but can Jack Wilshere change his game to save it?

It wasn’t so long ago that Roy Hodgson had a plan to use Wilshere as the base of a diamond formation. A sort of deep sitting play-maker, the quarterback, hoping the Arsenal man could help England play out from the back like Spain. To achieve this the then assistant coach Gary Neville instructed Wilshere to study former Bayern Munich pass master Xabi Alonso.

To learn how Alonso moves and passes in a constant pocket of space whilst roaming the busiest part of the park was the task and for a couple of games Wilshere looked like he had really taken it on board. England suited a system that relied on a pivot. But it was short lived and now Tottenham’s Eric Dier is firmly in place as the deep lying midfielder for the national side.

Arsene Wenger was unsure the position was for Wilshere and stated his preference was for the midfielder to play further forward, but by studying the likes of Alonso he can pick up a new way of operating wherever he is on the field.

By taking Neville’s suggestion and expanding it, looking at other players of Alonso ilk, Wilshere could redefine his style and salvage his Arsenal, and possible international careers. Avoiding the clustered sections of play, staying away from the scrappy challenges and keeping his legs away from others will prevent injuries and prolong the career of an immensely talented football player but it could also improve parts of his game.

Players like Alonso, Andrea Pirlo and Andreas Inesta seem forever unmarked and free, always with time to pick the right pass and it’s their movement and clear-headed approach to the sport that give them the edge. It’s one of the key functions of modern football, creating space and utilizing it that Wilshere needs to fully understand. Going into packed areas’ and dribbling into trouble are only going to continue to impact him physically. A more measured approach, taking a little aggression out and putting more emphasis on finding the right space at the right time to really impact games are vital to Wilshere’s evolution.

By admitting his weakness and really taking on the advice of others, Jack Wilshere could still have time to shine. For now, the midfielder is on catch up. If he stays with Arsenal this season he will be behind the many central players already at the club, but a change of mentality and a bit of luck he could be that special talent we hoped for.