Thursday, 1st November, 2012
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that midfielder Jack Wilshere is mentally tough enough to cope with the expectations which are being placed upon him.
Wilshere made his comeback for Arsenal last weekend when the Gunners took on QPR, beating Mark Hughes’ men 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
It was the 20-year-old midfielder’s first outing for the senior team since suffering a stress fracture to his ankle in the summer of 2011 and Wenger did admit after the match that he had kept Wilshere in the dark about playing in order not to overly worry him.
In the end, the midfielder played 67 minutes, being eased back into action carefully.
There are no end of expectations upon the young Englishman, with Roy Hodgson’s England team also ready to benefit from his fitness, while for Arsenal his return is like signing a new top quality midfielder.
Expectations then are sky high – but Wenger believes Wilshere can handle them.
relatedNewsStory"He can cope with it mentally", the Frenchman told Arsenal’s official site.
"Football is fantastic when you can play. That is one thing that Jack has learnt in that long spell he was out, because 17 months in a life of a young boy is massive."
And Wenger stressed that, for now, it is simply important Wilshere enjoys being back on the pitch.
"I just want him to enjoy playing football. He loves football, he loves to play and the most important thing is he keeps that happiness on the pitch."
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