Cast your mind back to February 16, 2011. Arsenal had just defeated Barcelona 2-1 in the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League tie at the Emirates Stadium.
That evening, a baby faced 19 year-old Jack Wilshere announced himself to the footballing world by producing a masterful midfield performance beyond his tender years against the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
Wilshere’s heroics earned him the man-of-the-match award and a showering of praise from pundits and players alike as he was hailed as both Arsenal and England’s next midfield metronome for the next decade.
Come back fitter and stronger big man. Remind them all. @JackWilshere https://t.co/CKV7qKe0lC
— Pablo (@AFCAMDEN) August 31, 2016
Fast forward five years and apart from the anti-Tottenham chants, that match still remains the distant memory Wilshere is remembered by as injuries have ravaged his career, denying the now 24-year-old the chance to fulfil his undoubted potential.
A host of ankle, knee and foot problems has seen Wilshere miss over 160 games since 2011, with his most recently completed outing in a competitive match dating back to September 23, 2014.
Poor management and rotten luck has seen Wilshere spend countless hours in the treatment room, with his playing style coming under scrutiny due to the way he provokes tackles because of the length of time he holds onto the ball – something he says is hard to change.
Overcoming these hurdles has meant Wilshere has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates, even more so with the summer arrival of Granit Xhaka and the abundance of options that Arsene Wenger already had at his disposal.
Craving continuity in both his body and performance, the Frenchman allowed Wilshere to seek a loan move away from North London in order to get his career back on track, with the England international opting to join Bournmouth on a season loan deal.
ICYMI: All the best, @JackWilshere https://t.co/XSW8lfgnwt
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) September 1, 2016
If someone had told you five years ago that this prodigious young talent would be now plying his trade for a club who was at that time just promoted to League One in the Football League, the suggestion would have been rightly scoffed at.
Yesterday, that proposition became a reality.
For Gunners fans, Wilshere is a sentimental favourite. Arsenal through and through, having been at the club since he was nine-years-old.
From a career perspective, it was a move that Wilshere had to make and a fresh start in a new environment could see the midfielder prosper with regular game time under the young and hungry Eddie Howe as his new mentor.
But was it the right one?
One of the clubs interested in securing Wilshere’s services was Italian giants AS Roma, and from an educational sense, a move to Italian capital would of been immensely beneficial in becoming a more rounded player and grasping a different footballing culture.
The slower pace of Serie A would suit Wilshere better than the helter-skelter nature of the Premier League, and working under an astute manager like Luciano Spalletti would of been improved his game tactically.
A move out of his comfort zone would been ideal for Wilshere’s development, but in the end he has opted to remain in the Premier League – and with no disrespect the the Cherries – it’s a significant downgrade.
However, the move to the South-Coast could provide the tonic Wilshere needed in order to reach his full potential at Arsenal.
Staying injury free will dictate his destiny, as it has his entire career to date.
Wilshere has made two substitute appearances in the early stages of the new campaign and looks as though he is making positive strides towards making a first full 90 minute appearance in just under two years.
This desperate roll of the dice to save this flickering relationship could be just what is needed to prolong the 15-year marriage between Wilshere and his beloved Arsenal.
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