Jack’s back at Arsenal after injury nightmare ends

HE has played just 605 minutes of competitive football for club and country.

Yet despite 17 months on the sidelines with injuries that threatened to end his career, Jack Wilshere is once again Arsene Wenger’s key man.

If Arsenal are to sort themselves out after a troubled few months, they need Wilshere to maintain a blossoming midfield partnership with Mikel Arteta.

Wilshere had never previously played with new signings Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.

But nor had he lined up with Per Mertesacker, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho and Arteta as they all joined at the start of last season while Wilshere was crocked.

This win over West Brom, after just one victory in six Premier League matches, was crucial — even though Arsenal were helped by Santi Cazorla’s disgraceful dive, which led to the opening goal from the penalty spot.

While Mikel Arteta was impressive — and netted both goals from the spot — Wilshere was outstanding.

The England star was rested for the midweek defeat at Olympiakos following a 2-0 loss at home to Swansea.

And he admitted: “I am playing at maybe 90 per cent. I am not sure. Every game that goes by I feel better fitness-wise.

“When I get up to 100 per cent I will really show what I can do.

“It is a new experience — my first injury. I did not know what to expect. I spoke to a few players who have had long-term injuries.

“They said you will come back and have a good game and you think, ‘I am back’, then you will have another game and you are not so good.

“I think my adrenalin got me through the first few games, which is why I was so up for it. Then you start to realise it is not as simple as that and things start catching up with you. Then you start to get back to your best.

“It is a new team from when I played before. It will take time and the more games we play together the better we will get.

“It was a tough week. Especially after losing to Swansea — we were all devastated.
“We wanted to make things right and the boss wanted to rest some players for Tuesday, so we could not do it then. It worked.

“The boss has been great for us and we have players who can come in.

“I thought we were unlucky in Greece as we had a good performance, although we were through anyway. Santi, myself and Mikel were all rested and we were up for it. Mikel is great. Tactically, his positioning is the best around.

“He is not the biggest lad but the amount of balls he wins in the air is good.

“He has adapted well. He is an older player and is great for the younger players. You can talk to him on the pitch and off the pitch.

“I speak to him during the game. I say, ‘Mikel, if you want to go forward I will sit’ so there is a good understanding there.

“He knows I want to go forward and get on the scoresheet but he is the same. At Everton recently, he was our most attacking midfielder.”

Wenger admits he must be careful with Wilshere, who missed the whole of last season with niggling ankle and knee problems.

The Emirates chief declared: “I have to be cautious. We have to see if he has no reaction.

“It was good to leave him at home in midweek. To give him a breather.

“But when he plays at that level and you are under the pressure we are under to win the games, it is difficult to leave him out.

“He analyses his game well and is very demanding with himself. He works hard in training, he is a worker.

“The surprising thing for me is that he is in advance.

“I expected him to be back, next year in February, at best. This is much earlier than I expected him to be.

“He’s an enthusiastic player — he goes for the challenges the day before a game.

“When the best players have that attitude, you have always a chance.”

Arsenal took the lead after 26 minutes on Saturday. Cazorla dived over Steven Reid’s challenge and Arteta struck the penalty down the middle.

Arteta repeated the trick on 64 minutes after a foul on Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Wilshere added: “I think confidence comes with winning games.

“When you lose games, your confidence will be low and the atmosphere will not be so good.

“But now, after the goals, the fans were getting behind us and the main thing was to get the three points.”