? Arsenal statistics expose midfielder's increased tiredness levels
? Youngster says he is 'scared' by growing risk of getting injured
Jack Wilshere has revealed how Ars�ne Wenger's scientific application of performance data made him realise why he could not play for the England Under-21s in the European Championship next month.
The Arsenal midfielder's participation in the tournament in Denmark had become something of a saga, with the Under-21 manager, Stuart Pearce, determined to select him and Wenger equally adamant that he should not play, after a season in which he has played 55 games for club and country at all levels and graduated to Fabio Capello's senior England team. Wilshere has been named in the squad for the Euro 2012 qualifying tie against Switzerland on 4 June.
He had been eager to help the Under-21s in Denmark and Pearce had been encouraged by this attitude. However, the tipping point came when Wenger, Arsenal's manager, "scared" the 19-year-old by showing him the statistical analysis of his work in training and matches. Arsenal use a complex GPS system to track the ground covered by their players ? it can also monitor their running styles to diagnose injuries ? and Wilshere's results painted an alarming picture.
They suggested he was close to running on empty and liable to pick up an injury. Wilshere knew he had to make the "awkward" call to Pearce and, with next summer's Euro 2012 finals in mind, prioritise a period of rest. Pearce must make do without Wilshere and the Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, who has been stood down in the light of injury concerns. He had named them in his provisional 40-man squad.
"Missing the Under-21 tournament is not just about the Euros," Wilshere said. "It's about me looking after myself. Over the last few weeks I have been feeling tired and my GPS results have shown that. It shows I am heading for an injury and that is the last thing I want. Especially heading into the Euros. There are players like Steven Gerrard who have been injured while I have been playing and I want to keep my place in the team and I have to be 100% to do that.
"My high intensity work has gone down. My body load has got more, which means I'm more heavy when I'm running and that means I'm more likely to get an injury. It was Ars�ne Wenger and Tony Colbert, the fitness coach, who showed me the stats. It didn't really sink in at first but it just kept going down, on a downward spiral.
"It scared me a bit, made me realise that as much as I'm 19 and can keep going and going, there's going to be a time when you're going to hit the wall. Maybe that was coming. Over the last four games, after about 60 minutes, you feel a bit more tired than you did in January.
"It's frustrating. Obviously the fact that I was going to get injured, I didn't want to hear that. That wasn't good for me. I said I wanted to play and I meant that. I wasn't lying. I wanted to play. I still want to play. But I think it's the best thing. Obviously there's a risk of injury and missing some of next season. I'm not saying I'm going to get injured but I want to be 100%."
On the face of it Wenger has won the battle with Pearce, with whom he has not always seen eye to eye. They clashed over Theo Walcott's selection for the Under-21s at the finals two years ago when he, like Wilshere, had become a senior international. Walcott would go on to break down in his first pre-season friendly for Arsenal and endure an injury-plagued campaign.
"When I spoke to Stuart Pearce, he was great," Wilshere said. "He said he understands. He had seen my results as well and I think he agreed with me. He called me and I called him back. It was a bit awkward but he was very understanding. He was so strong on it to start with because he knew I was up for it. If I was in the squad, I would have gone. I would never have pulled myself out and said: 'I'm not going.' It's frustrating.
"I spoke with Capello. I saw him in a lift after our home game against Aston Villa. He asked me how I was physically. I know that he spoke to Ars�ne Wenger as well, so I just said my stats were showing ... well, he knew, basically."
Wilshere will enjoy a break after the Switzerland game and return for pre-season training in the first week of July. He is expected to go on Arsenal's mini-tour of Malaysia and China.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/24/jack-wilshere-england-under-21s
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