Jack Wilshere delighted with return to full fitness after committed display against Nagoya Grampus
Jack Wilshere delighted with return to full fitness after committed display against Nagoya Grampus
"I played 45, I felt good and in the next game I'll hopefully get an
hour and then we've got the Emirates Cup and I'm looking to get a full
game there"
Full force: Wilshere charges past Keiji Tamada in a strong performance
Getty
Jack Wilshere has given himself the ultimate fitness test - and insists he has passed with flying colours, writes John Cross in Nagoya.
Wilshere played 45 minutes in his second outing of Arsenal's pre-season tour of Asia as they came through their toughest test by beating Nagoya Grampus 3-1
.
Arsenal midfielder Wilshere, coming back after ankle surgery at the end of last season
, did not hold back in the friendly and has been doing tough double
training sessions most days to dispel any lingering fears about his
fitness.
Wilshere said: "It was tough. I went into a few tackles. But if you
don't go in properly that's when you can't get yourself hurt. If you go
in half and half you can hurt yourself. So I had to go into a couple of
challenges.
"That's my game. I can't ever lose that or I wouldn't be the player I
am. Obviously a game is different to training so I had a few aches and
pains in other places but the ankle was fine.
"I've been doing a lot of power work when I wasn't able to do the
fitness work. So power-wise I'm at the same level as the other players.
But fitness wise I'm a bit behind. But it's coming. Cooling down: Wilshere takes to an ice bath after training
Getty
"I played 45, I felt good and in the next game I'll hopefully get an
hour and then we've got the Emirates Cup and I'm looking to get a full
game there.
"Conditions here will help us when we get back to England. There's no
air. You're struggling to breathe at times. This will really help us.
"We had a three-day training camp and we needed that because before
that it was more about travelling and going to functions. We've come
through it and come through the game."
Olivier Giroud, Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi - who got a hero's
reception from the 42,919 screaming fans at the Toyota Stadium - and Theo Walcott were on target as they ran out comfortable winners against Arsene Wenger's former club
.
But two of the stars of the trip have been youngsters Gedion Zelalem,
16, and Serge Gnabry, 18, as both came on and impressed. Zelalem's
stunning pass set up Walcott's goal and he is already being compared to
Cesc Fabregas at the same age.
Wilshere added: "I've spoken about them before, especially Zelalem.
He sees passes that not a lot of players can. You think: 'what's he
doing?' and suddenly someone is in. He's only 16 and he's an exciting
player.
View gallery
Masashi Hara
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Nagoya Grampus v Arsenal
View gallery
"It won't be long before he's ready. He's so comfortable on the ball.
Even in training he's a nightmare to play against. He keeps the ball
away from you and shields it. He's not very big but he's strong.
"He drifts in and out of players. He's quite a strong lad and
technically he's right up there. He can use his left and right and sees
so many passes. He's a good one for the future."
Arsenal boss Wenger was also happy with his younger players but
concerned about growing defensive worries. Spanish left back Nacho
Monreal could be out for months after damaging a disc in his back during
the Confederations Cup.
Thomas Vermaelen, who can double up at left back and centre half, is
out for at least three months while Laurent Koscielny also sat out the
game in Nagoya with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wojciech Szczesny
carrying niggles.
That leaves Kieran Gibbs as Arsenal's only left back and Wenger
admits it is a cause for concern and it may prompt him to go back for
Swansea's Ashley Williams to bolster his back four.
Wenger added: "Monreal has had an injection and it looks like he will
miss the start of the season and of course we have lost one left back
and that's a position where we are a bit exposed.
"Vermaelen can play there, he is injured. Monreal can play there, he
is injured. At the moment we only have Kieran Gibbs who can play ay left
back."
View gallery
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
No comments:
Post a Comment