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Jack Wilshere - England’s future holding midfielder?
Wednesday 09 February 2011
Fabio Capello spoke last week of his admiration for Arsenal’s young midfielder maestro Jack Wilshere, labelling the teenager “the future” of the national team. Few who have seen the 19-year-old play this season would disagree with the statement, such is the midfielder’s quite obvious talent. What would’ve struck a cord with many who have watched the player this season is how Capello went on to state that he saw Wilshere occupying the holding midfield role in his side, before going on to compare the Arsenal man with Claude Makelele - the player who is regarded as almost creating the holding role at Real Madrid and Chelsea.
The analogy seems strange on numerous levels. First of all, Capello rightly points out that Wilshere is a better technical player than the Frenchman, although admits he loses out in the physical stakes. But what made Makelele such a fantastic asset in that position was his ability to read the game and break down opposition attacks, as well as starting his own team’s forays forward by finding gaps in between the opposition’s strikers and midfield, and move the ball on to a more creative member of his team. It was for so long an unsung hero’s job, but his influence and effectiveness in the role was vital to Jose Mourinho’s hugely successful rein at Stamford Bridge.
With Wilshere, it seems using him in such a position will restrict his excellent playmaking abilities and bursts forward. Wilshere is a player greatly gifted with the ball at his feet - with quality both in passing and fleet-footedness causing numerous problems for opposition defences. Using him in an anchor role would deny him the freedom to use his prowess in areas that could hurt the opposition. Indeed, the anchor role is largely there to create freedom for players of Wilshere’s ilk. At Arsenal, Wilshere’s all-round ability allows him to operate alongside Alex Song in midfield in order to allow Cesc Fabregas to play in the hole behind the striker. But it is a role with freedom, with Song acting as the midfield destructor, allowing the duo to cover each other if one bursts forward.
There’s no doubt Wilshere could do a job in the holding role for England, with his tenacity in the tackle and passing ability good assets in the role itself. But he is a player who loves to get forward, and is dangerous when he does, and taking that away from him seems strange. The holding position is also a role that leans towards experience rather than youthful exuberance, with know-how of games and situations critical to performing well. Capello did state he thought Wilshere “read the game well” but at 19 and, with just a season of top-flight football under his belt, he is bound to be still naïve in this area, even if he does possess a natural intelligence on the pitch.
What might strike a cord with many readers is the case of Italy’s mercurial midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Here was a player that, until the ripe age of 22, was considered a gifted and talented maestro, but one numerous coaches failed to bring a great deal out of. But Carlo Ancelotti’s idea of using Pirlo in something of a quarter-back role in front of his defence - starting the attacks, dictating the play from a deep position - completely transcended the player’s career. He is now looked upon as one of the finest midfielders of his generation, and arguably Italy’s most important player when they won the World Cup in 2006. It will be interesting to see if Capello sees a similar opportunity here and whether Wilshere possesses the sheer quality to pull it off.
What is clear is that Wilshere is seen as a hugely important component of England’s future and that can only be a good thing. The youngster has all the attributes of a top midfielder, and such is his ability, he could ply his trade in numerous positions and still do a very good job. Whether his best position for England is the holding role remains to be seen however.
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