Jack Wilshere: Where to now?

[GeorgiaGunner]

We need serious midfield help. Mkhi and Özil aren't battlers, Jack isn't good enough to make things happen on his own, and Xhaka is a disaster.

 

[ksarp]

Why did Wilshere play the ten today with Zil shifted out wide? Apart from his off side beating pass to Aubameyang, zero creativity in midfield.

 

[Jojoba]

If Iwobi had the same game that Wilshere had people would have put him on blast and blame him for us losing the match...... and Iwobi is younger than Wilshere.

Lol, Iwobi. Iwobi has done nothing since becoming a first team player. At the age Iwobi is Wilshere was getting MOTM performances in the CL, Premier league, England etc.. what about Iwobi? Can’t even compare him to The Ox, Walcott, Welbeck.. that says it all..

 

[OSBK]

Why did Wilshere play the ten today with Zil shifted out wide? Apart from his off side beating pass to Aubameyang, zero creativity in midfield.

The setup was for neny,jack and xhaka to control midfield. Unfortunatly none of those 3 are physically a match for delembe and dier.

Wenger to blame

 

[skip spence]

As the B2B CM Ramsey is the far superior player. We suffered a lot due to his absence.

 

[Longy]

I must of been watching a different match, Jack was our best player.

Everyone knows it, we need a physical CM. Chaka just isn't the player I thought he'd be, Elneny just shouldn't start these games.
This is on Wenger for not bringing someone in.
Someone like Dembele, strong, disciplined and can play.

 

[Jury]

I thought Jack was our standout player with Cech; the only outfield player that walks off the pitch with any credit. Auba toiled... to his credit.

 

[Jury]

'Who to partner jack?', should be the discussion, now that the 'who to partner the Swiss Craig Eastmond' has thankfully died a death.

 

[GunnerBP]

I think Jack had a good match, but Wenger got his tactics and lineup completely wrong. And Ramsey's absence hurt us a lot.

I know Özil can play on the wing, but if the choice is between playing Jack or Özil centrally I'd have to pick Özil every time.

Also, Mkhi played well at RW against Everton and today he was playing LW.

Offensively, it looks like Wenger moved Özil and Mkhi to positions where they are not as effective in order to play Jack at CM. Despite Jack playing well, I think this was a big mistake. It made it really hard for Özil and Mkhi to link up, and not surprisingly our attack was almost non-existent.

Jack should have played LW, Özil AM, and Mkhi RW in my opinion.

Jack played well, but it kind of doesn't matter when Wenger has horrible tactics.

 

[Longy]

Yep.

Need a proper DM if we are gonna play this formation in some games.
But we need a strong CM to partner Jack to play in a 2 or a 3.

I see Xhaka as a Jack replacement, albeit slow on the turn and ball.
Xhaka has that long ball which we hardly see now, but Jack has proved this year that he can produce that just as good.

I'll use Wanyama and Dembele as examples.

--------Wanyama------
------Dembele-Jack
----------fron3---------

------Dembele-Jack-----
----------front4-----------

 

[Longy]

I think Jack had a good match, but Wenger got his tactics and lineup completely wrong. And Ramsey's absence hurt us a lot.

I know Özil can play on the wing, but if the choice is between playing Jack or Özil centrally I'd have to pick Özil every time.

Also, Mkhi played well at RW against Everton and today he was playing LW.

Offensively, it looks like Wenger moved Özil and Mkhi to positions where they are not as effective in order to play Jack at CM. Despite Jack playing well, I think this was a big mistake. It made it really hard for Özil and Mkhi to link up, and not surprisingly our attack was almost non-existent.

Jack should have played LW, Özil AM, and Mkhi RW in my opinion.

Jack played well, but it kind of doesn't matter when Wenger has horrible tactics.

Oz il, Mikhi were playing as inside forwards, not wingers.
Left side has always been Mikhi favoured side.
Xhaka and elneny are just not dynamic enough in attack or defence, they just got bossed.
Jack was our best player when he got the ball, always beating a man.
They just controlled the game as we sat too deep.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Jack Wilshere gets way too much credit, he looks good with his dribbling and quick 1-2's but he's ineffective and lets the game pass him. Not to mention his stamina is probably the worst on the team and looks exhausted by 60 minutes.

 

[GunnerBP]

Oz il, Mikhi were playing as inside forwards, not wingers.
Left side has always been Mikhi favoured side.
Xhaka and elneny are just not dynamic enough in attack or defence, they just got bossed.
Jack was our best player when he got the ball, always beating a man.
They just controlled the game as we sat too deep.

Mkhi played mostly on the right during his time at Dortmund because Reus played on the left. Against Everton he played on the right, but had the freedom to move centrally. Özil played AM against Everton too, and he usually plays AM for us.

I'm not saying that Özil and Mkhi can't play where Wenger played them today, but it is pretty obvious that they can play better in other positions.

Wilshere played well and he was arguably our best threat going forward. His ball retention, creativity, passing, and dribbling ability means that he should play in a more advanced position in my opinion.

I'd play him at LW and give him the freedom to move centrally and switch sides with Mkhi. Put Özil in the middle and let him start our attacks. Have Wilshere and Mkhi continue our attacks, and both of them can create chances for themselves or find PEA or Ramsey in the box.

Wenger played these three in positions that they can play, but at the highest level you have to find a way to get your best players on the field and put them in positions where they can play their best. This is pretty hard to do, but Wenger definitely didn't do it today.

 

[Zaza]

Jack lacks end product. Simple as that. That's why Ramsey is seen as the better player. Either we play both together or Ramsey starts ahead of him. He had a good game today but he's got to be a bit more productive.
Maybe we should switch him to a holder.
Anyways, it looks like Wenger preferred formation is 4-3-3 with a midfield 3 of Xhaka - Jack - Ramsey.

 

[Jury]

Jack lacks end product. Simple as that. That's why Ramsey is seen as the better player. Either we play both together or Ramsey starts ahead of him. He had a good game today but he's got to be a bit more productive.
Maybe we should switch him to a holder.
Anyways, it looks like Wenger preferred formation is 4-3-3 with a midfield 3 of Xhaka - Jack - Ramsey.

Jack plays nothing like Ramsey though. You can't compare the two like that. Ramsey is constantly makes runs forward. Jack probes and prods around the box when he's prominent. He doesn't even get many opportunities to score, and that's something he could go about changing. But look at the mess behind him...

 

[Longy]

I see jack as a true CM. closest thing we'll find to cazorla.
Can play in a 3 or a 2, we just need someone better than xhaka. Somebody like Kante or even Dembele.
Stable.
4231 is how we should set up 90% of the time.

Ramsey is more a front 4 player, let him fight it out with Özil, mikhi and co, just needs to stay out of our core midfield.

 

[ksarp]

I see jack as a true CM. closest thing we'll find to cazorla.
Can play in a 3 or a 2, we just need someone better than xhaka. Somebody like Kante or even Dembele.
Stable.

Except he isn’t a 6, doesn’t create enough for a 10 and lacks the engine of an 8, and he seems to be getting worse with age.

 

[Jojoba]

Wilshere’s movement has evem gotten worse. Seems so immobile, does not make himself available for the ball on a consistent basis like he used to. He is a one-two touch give and give kind of CM, but just seems uninterested. He does a lot of ball watching, finger pointing and walking. And i am one of Wilshere’s biggest supporters. I don’t know if he is being told to be more reserved or conservative / disciplined in the middle. It’s frustrating.
Sort it out Jack.

 

[RacingPhoton]

Stood there to receive passes from Xhaka multiple times. Found his way out, even when he was surrounded by 3 Sp**s players. Best Arsenal player on the pitch yesterday. Ramsey is totally different. He has a better end product. But leaves xhaka alone most of the time. We can choose one out of wilshere/ramsey based on opponents. Or we can play ramsey in a more attacking position.

 

[Longy]

Except he isn’t a 6, doesn’t create enough for a 10 and lacks the engine of an 8, and he seems to be getting worse with age.

Wow !!!