Source: Team_Talk
Wenger surprise at Wilshere form
Arsene Wenger admits even he has been taken aback by Jack Wilshere's development, with the Arsenal starlet set to face Shakhtar on Wednesday.[LNB] Wilshere is expected to return to the Gunners side for the Champions League Group H clash at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.[LNB]Wenger has brought through many talented youngsters, moulding them into world-class players - such as Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who misses the trip to Ukraine because of a hamstring problem.[LNB]The Gunners boss, however, has also long championed the need for patience with Wilshere.[LNB]The 18-year-old has grabbed the headlines for some impressive displays - as well as his needless red card against Birmingham - since his return from a productive loan spell at Bolton which saw the combative midfielder rewarded with a new, long-term deal.[LNB]The Arsenal manager, though, admits even he did not envisage things would go so well in a short space of time for the teenager, who won his first full England cap at the start of the season.[LNB]"I am very much surprised. I didn't expect that to happen so quickly," Wenger said.[LNB]"You have to be open-minded in our job and most of the time when it happens like that you are happy."[LNB]Wenger is confident Wilshere - who has now served a three-match domestic ban - can help fill the void left by Fabregas' absence to provide link to an attack which has netted 14 goals in three European games.[LNB]"When Fabregas is not there you have to share a little bit the decisive passing, the building up of the game between [Samir] Nasri, [Jack] Wilshere or [Tomas] Rosicky for example, so that is the task we have," said Wenger.[LNB]"We have many creative players who can create good passes and that is what I count on.[LNB]"Wilshere is not scared to take the ball so he will have a part of it to do."[LNB]Wenger deployed Wilshere to great effect in a more advanced role when Arsenal travelled to Partizan Belgrade.[LNB]And with Andrey Arshavin and Alex Song both also carrying knocks, the teenager could be asked to do so again.[LNB]"If I play with two more defensive midfield players behind him he can play that role," the Arsenal manager reflected, "but if I use Jack deeper and for example Nasri or Rosicky in front of them, he remains in the same position."[LNB]Arsenal may be on something of a roll which has seen them march into the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup and very much back into the Barclays Premier League title race, but the Gunners have yet to win in Ukraine.[LNB]Shakhtar may have been thumped 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago, but the Minors have yet to lose at their new Donbass Arena home and have won all three games since without conceding a goal.[LNB]As well as calling for some "neutral" refereeing from Swiss official Massimo Busacca, Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu has promised his team will deliver a much-improved display on Wednesday night, something Wenger agrees with.[LNB]"I expect Shakhtar Donetsk to have a reaction of course and a response from that heavy defeat," the Arsenal manager said.[LNB]"They are a better side than what they have shown at the Emirates. For me they are one of the best European sides.[LNB]"On the other hand we have a good opportunity to qualify straight away and finish top of the group and you want to take that chance. [LNB]"I believe as well we want to confirm that we are stepping up a gear from game to game and that we are capable of being consistent and that is what is at stake for us."[LNB]Wenger added: "I will remind the players Shakhtar is a strong side that we perhaps caught on a good day for us at Emirates.[LNB]"They will have been hurt by what happened, and at home, they will be a completely different team.[LNB]"If you let them get into a flow, they can cause you many problems. We will make sure we are well aware of that."
