Nicosia Gooner
09-04-2014, 09:39 PM
ack Wilshere is the shadow of the player who burst onto the Arsenal scene in 2010, according to Joey Barton.
The Gunners midfielder was handed a starting berth alongside Liverpool’s ever-improving Jordan Henderson as England were 1-0 winners against Norway at Wembley on Wednesday night.
The pair have been earmarked as the Three Lions’s future following the retirement of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, but Queens Park Rangers star Barton was unimpressed with Wilshere’s display.
“The retirement of Lampard and Gerrard has meant that England need to find a new midfield partnership, and it is looking like that’s going to be Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson,” Barton said.
“While Henderson’s form for Liverpool alongside Gerrard has really earned him a place in the England set-up, Jack Wilshere has been a shadow of the player who burst onto the scene a few years back and seems to be earning his call ups on reputation. He needed a big performance, but he didn’t deliver.
“His passing and forward runs were nowhere near where they should have been, and he seems to pull out of tackles too much for me. If you’re going to play two in midfield they both need to be able to get stuck in, and they both need to be able to create.
“Obviously some players will excel in one area or the other, but a basic level of aggression and willingness is a prerequisite in an England shirt. Only one of them had anything like that desire last night.”
Wilshere scored one goal in 35 Premier League appearances during his breakthrough season in 2010/11.
The Gunners midfielder was handed a starting berth alongside Liverpool’s ever-improving Jordan Henderson as England were 1-0 winners against Norway at Wembley on Wednesday night.
The pair have been earmarked as the Three Lions’s future following the retirement of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, but Queens Park Rangers star Barton was unimpressed with Wilshere’s display.
“The retirement of Lampard and Gerrard has meant that England need to find a new midfield partnership, and it is looking like that’s going to be Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson,” Barton said.
“While Henderson’s form for Liverpool alongside Gerrard has really earned him a place in the England set-up, Jack Wilshere has been a shadow of the player who burst onto the scene a few years back and seems to be earning his call ups on reputation. He needed a big performance, but he didn’t deliver.
“His passing and forward runs were nowhere near where they should have been, and he seems to pull out of tackles too much for me. If you’re going to play two in midfield they both need to be able to get stuck in, and they both need to be able to create.
“Obviously some players will excel in one area or the other, but a basic level of aggression and willingness is a prerequisite in an England shirt. Only one of them had anything like that desire last night.”
Wilshere scored one goal in 35 Premier League appearances during his breakthrough season in 2010/11.