Jack Wilshere set to miss six weeks due to chipped bone in foot

Jack Wilshere sustained a hairline crack in a bone in his left foot - the same foot that has plagued his career up to this point - during England's friendly match yesterday versus Denmark.  The club's dot com reports that Wilshere will miss approximately six weeks due to rehabilitation, which puts his return, if all things go well, around the home fixture versus West Ham or the away visit to Hull City.

Personal feelings aside about internationals (especially international friendlies), this isn't so much a blow to the club as it is to Jack Wilshere himself.  It's fair to say he's had a topsy-turvy season, with a few highs and some notable lows.  The talent on display whenever he's on the pitch isn't the issue with him so much as it's the understanding of responsibilities and positioning required while playing.

This was an issue, of sorts, a couple years ago when Aaron Ramsey was coming back from his gruesome assault at the feet of Ryan Shawcross.  Through continued, relative good health that allowed him time to work out these issues both in training and in matches, Ramsey blossomed last season that eventually flowed into this season where he was arguably the best player in England during the first few months.  Wenger's given time to Wilshere this season to get match experience and further his career and overall football acumen, but picking up setbacks like these every few months will perpetually keep him from reaching the heights his teammate's achieved.

When the five British kids signed their long-term contracts last season, many were relieved to see Wilshere's future commitment cemented, including me.  It's obvious that he's got the talent and he's shown moments that we've seen so many times before in great players during the beginning stages of their respective careers.  But what Wilshere's missing are the extended periods of uninterrupted play that allow him to grow from "exciting player for the future" to "key cog in competitive club."