Hodgson on Wilshere

LONDON. — England soccer manager Roy Hodgson says that he retains faith in Jack Wilshere despite the midfielder struggling to hold onto his first-team place at Arsenal.
Wilshere (21), has been dogged by ankle problems for over two years and faces renewed competition at the Emirates Stadium following Arsenal’s club-record acquisition of German playmaker Mesut Ozil.

Ozil’s arrival, coupled with the stunning form of Aaron Ramsey, has seen Wilshere exiled to an unfamiliar left-wing role and he was dropped to the bench for the mid-week victory over Napoli in the Champions League. Hodgson, however, says that the tenacious and technically refined central midfielder remains a pivotal part of his plans.

“He’s in an Arsenal team at the moment where the competition for places in midfield is very strong anyway and will be even stronger when (Santi) Cazorla gets fit,” said Hodgson, whose squad will assemble today to prepare for their final two World Cup qualifiers.

“But he’s an important cog in our midfield thinking. I don’t have any concerns for him. I believe in him, I think he’s a very good player and I’m hoping that he’ll turn up on Monday (today) fully fit to play and then it’ll be up to me to decide whether I want to put him in the starting line-up.” Wilshere was last week pictured with a cigarette in his mouth while on a night out, but Hodgson said he would leave Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to address the matter. “By the time he gets to me on Monday (today), this is a story which will be long gone and I trust Arsene to deal with that situation,” he said. — AFP.