Jack-In-The-Box Set To Spring Into The Limelight In 2010/11

For the umpteenth year we find ourselves pondering the plethora of Arsene Wenger’s young talents, wondering who will be the next starlet to cross into the first team threshold.

Carlos Vela, Denilson, Kieran Gibbs and Abou Diaby to name but-a-few have all made the step up to the senior Arsenal squad in recent years, but none of the aforementioned quartet have been explosive in the way that Cesc Fabregas was when he burst onto the scene at the tender age of 16.

But Jack Wilshere, the 18-year old midfielder, appears to be carving himself a niche as the next young prodigy to bring a wow-factor during the early years of his already blossoming career. He is undoubtedly Arsenal’s one-to-watch in 2010/11.

The Stevenage-born youngster hit the headlines during the 2009 Emirates Cup, where he won back-to-back man of the match awards for his displays against Athletico Madrid and Rangers, scoring a brace in the latter.

Wenger selected the rapidly maturing Wilshere for Arsenal’s Carling Cup outings during the Autumn, where he displayed a taste for the physical side of the English game; particularly in his sides defeat to Manchester City where he wasn’t afraid to put his foot in.

The clamour for Wilshere’s signature during the January transfer window saw Owen Coyle land the Enlgand Under-21 International on loan for the remaining months of the 09/10 season, where he became adorned by the fans and integrated himself perfectly into the rigours of regular Premier League football.

An invaluable piece of Coyle’s survival puzzle, Wilshere chipped in with an assiss as well as grabbing a vital winner against fellow strugglers West Ham in a 2-1 victory.

After returning to Arsenal with another impressive Emirates Cup showing against Celtic expectations have been heightened. And England’s disastrous World Cup worked to Wilshere’s gain as Fabio Capello selected the inventive playmaker for the friendly with Hungary at Wembley, as he seeks to sow the seeds for the future.

Wilshere again exhibited his passion for a bone crunching tackle when he marked his international debut by landing a crunching tackle almost instantly after replacing Steven Gerrard.

But the young Englishman, who looks like he’s yet to use a razor, is ultimately about playing ‘The Arsenal Way’.

Weaving runs, intricate passing, delicate touches and a classy finish are all part of the Wilshere armoury, and the similarities to the likes of Cesc Fabregas are plain to see. Such are the comparisons between he and the Gunners skipper, that speculation dictates that Wilshere will be the man to fill the Spaniards considerable  shoes when he eventually fulfils his evidently impending switch to Barcelona in the future.

Under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger and surrounded by world class talents such as Andrey Arshavin, Fabregas and Robin van Persie this young man will improve, grow and mature into a major player for the Gunners in years to come.

But that development looks set to be with at the Emirates this season, after Wenger refused to loan his most exciting outu again saying that Wilshere will get chances in the first team this season.

Ear marked as the future of both club and country, much is expected of Wilshere this season; but don’t bet against him achieving his target of a place in the Gunners first team and the England set up sooner rather than later.