Arsene Wenger happy to give Jack Wilshere more time

Arsene Wenger has revealed the secret to Arsenal star Mesut Ozil’s success – he barely trains between games.

Ozil has already provided 16 assists this season and was on the scoresheet himself in Arsenal’s last outing against Bournemouth.

Ozil has been a model of consistency for the Gunners as he has started 18 of their 19 league games – a statistic which takes on added importance given the injuries suffered by midfield colleagues Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sanchez. ‘Mesut, I gave him one-week holiday during the global break. We rest him a lot between the games.

“You know I’m an optimist and I always think: ‘OK it’s true that he hasn’t played many games in recent years.’ I hope at some stage that will stop because he is young and I hope I’m right”.

Some of the things you see on the pitch… his goal against Bournemouth alone.

There are no questions on Theo Walcott’s mind as he considers the contribution of Ozil.

“I am optimistic”, he said. He is only going to get better and better. I play him in training with Koscielny, with Mertesacker, we have three central defenders that will be needed, but how I rotate them I haven’t decided yet.

Newcastle United didn’t manage a single shot on target and just one attempt overall when they played Arsenal at St James Park earlier this season.

“You also look at the impact Ozil can have on other players. The finish [against Bournemouth] was class”.

When asked if Ozil has been the best player in the top flight this season, Walcott was adamant with his response.

But Walcott also believes Arsenal’s tradition of finishing the season well and getting players back from injury – like Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Francis Coquelin – will give them a great chance for the run-in. “Wenger really likes this, but Gabriel is definitely putting pressure on the German – and you only get the love from Wenger for so long”. The former Barcelona man is probably raring to go after more than a month on the sidelines and I firmly believe Anfield would be the flawless place for Arsene Wenger to unleash the beast.

“I heard last night the cliche; “nobody wants to win this league”.

Steve McClaren, Newcastle: “We can’t wallow in defeat and don’t celebrate too hard in victory because the next one is just around the corner”.