Jack Wilshere made his West Ham United debut against Liverpool on Sunday and the Hammers might be facing the same issues that Arsenal did.
West Ham United’s Jack Wilshere was once the bright future of English football when he first broke through at Arsenal in 2010.
That season, his first full one at senior level, saw Wilshere named the PFA Young Player of the Year as he earned himself a place in the Team of the Year at just 18 years old.
Since then, injuries have held him back but also something that has held back many English midfielders before him: where is his best position?
The 26-year-old began Sunday’s game against Liverpool as an attacking midfielder in front of Declan Rice and Mark Noble but he was of little effect in the first half – no one seemed capable of finding him up the pitch.
Manuel Pellegrini did spot this, replacing Rice with Robert Snodgrass and dropping Wilshere back into a more traditional midfield role alongside Noble.
Wilshere certainly found more of the ball but it suited Liverpool to have him picking it up and trying to drive from inside his own half- and it didn’t suit West Ham much with Wilshere having to remain disciplined while doing it.
He’s certainly been tried in both positions regularly over his career for both Arsenal and England but at 26 years old, he still hasn’t nailed down either.
If West Ham want to finally be the ones to get the best out of Wilshere, they need to move the biggest obstacle; he must get position locked down, one that he can focus on making the best out of and moulding his considerable talent around.
On Sunday’s evidence, it’s going to take a little longer to figure it all out.
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