After Jack Wilshere has been deployed in an advanced midfield position for Arsenal of late, he has been been given a deeper role for England.

Arsene Wenger has made it publicly known that he is not pleased with Roy Hodgson’s decision to play him in a deeper role, and has suggested that the England boss is wasting Wilshere’s talent. But where is Jack’s most effective position?

Last season for Arsenal Jack was also only sixth in The Gunners’ assists chart and the England international made two appearances in the 2014 World Cup and, despite the deeper role, he failed to control the game (in the short amount of time he was given) compared with his teammates.

For England against Switzerland, Wilshere was of course played in the deep holding role but he certainly didn’t seem comfortable there. When he picked up the ball in the deeper position he wanted to run forward with it and drive towards the defence, but he was caught out many times by the Swiss midfielders and he was the main cause for a few Swiss counter attacks. Not what you want from a holding midfielder. Jack has acknowledged that he naturally wants to get forward more but states that he is happy to play in either position for club or country.

The 22-year-old has seemingly not quite got the ability to control the game under his belt just yet, but he is undoubtedly growing in quality. He plays for a club side who are known for their excellent possession ability, while England are also a side that prefers to  control the possession against the weaker opposition. He therefore rarely goes a game without completing more than 50 passes and is very much used to playing a passing style, whether it be from deep or in and around the box.

‘The future of English football’ isn’t proving his talent through his attacking statistics and he isn’t showing any real class with the ball retention side of his game either. So far this season, Gunners teammate Aaron Ramsey has been the best passer, having completed an average of 89.8 passes per game in his four appearances. Wilshere (53) is also behind Ozil (66), Flamini (56.3), and Cazorla (53.3). This level of ball retention is only really necessary in the holding midfielder role, and it’s penetration and key passes that really define an attacking midfielder.

Chelsea’s ex-Gunner Cesc Fabregas leads the way so far for key passes per game (4). In terms of how Jack competes against his current teammates, he has been relatively disappointing. Cazorla (3), Alexis (2.8), Ozil & Ramsey (both 2.3) are all in the top 13 for key passes per game in the Premier League so far, whereas Wilshere (1) is sitting in 72nd thus far. Not a great stat for an ‘attacking midfielder’. Wilshere generally plays a deeper role than all of the aforementioned players, so it’s a mystery why Wenger thinks that a holding role is that much different to the role he gives the England man. If his talent is ‘wasted’ deep then Arsene better hope he catches his teammates in his advanced play soon.

The season may only be 4 games old, but Wilshere (81.8%) is a long way short of The Gunners’ most successful passing midfielders of Arteta (95.3%) and Flamini (94.7%). It may be too early to say, but it seems that in this Arsenal squad he doesn’t have a particular role, he’s not retaining or winning back the ball as well as the defensive minded midfielders but also isn’t creating the amount of chances as the attacking midfielders.

Wilshere is learning his trade and trying out some new positions but at the moment he is in the transition phase and is seemingly a Jack of all trades but a master of none.

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