Wilshere explains why Arteta will be a success at Arsenal
Jack Wilshere has backed Mikel Areta to be a success at Arsenal after seeing his dedication to his playing career first-hand.
The West Ham midfielder played with Arteta at Arsenal between 2011 and 2016 with the Spaniard captaining the Gunners during that period.
Arsenal seem to be turning a corner under Arteta after he replaced Unai Emery in December following their terrible start to the Premier League season.
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And Wilshere thinks Arsenal will now see the best out of their expensive signings under his former team-mate.
Wilshere said in an Instragram live Q&A with Sam Morgan: “They spent £60 million on [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, £40m on [Alexandre] Lacazette, [Mesut] Ozil is world class.
“I think they’ve got a good manager now who can get the best out of them.
“I think you need to give Arteta a transfer window and a pre-season.”
Wilshere added: “Everyone who I’ve spoken to since leaving Arsenal or even when I was at Arsenal would say they wouldn’t mind playing against us because they knew they could get opportunities. Going forward we were always a joke.
“I’m not just talking about the defence but defensively, as a team, they would get chances and I think Arteta has changed that a bit.”
Looking back Wilshere could always tell Arteta would be a coach, he continued: “When I was playing with him you don’t really think about that but, when I look back, you could tell.
“He was one of those guys in training who was always on it. He wouldn’t accept anything less than 100 per cent.
“Even if we were doing possession, he would try and base it around a game and try and talk to you about what we should be doing.
“Around the training ground he was first in, never late, he would do everything properly. His discipline was unreal.
“On the pitch as well, he was the leader for us. In the dressing room and around the place he wouldn’t get involved in any banter.
“His English was good, he knew the game, he was good. He was a big player for us.”
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