Goal.com and the Daily Mirror go head-to-head…
The twittersphere was abuzz with discussion about Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere Monday, after Goal.com’s chief football correspondent, Wayne Veysey, published an exclusive claiming the England international was facing ‘an uphill’ battle to play again this season, after aggravating an ankle injury.
The claim was quickly denied by the Daily Mirror’s go-to Arsenal expert, John Cross, but old Wayne has been quick to defend himself. Let’s take a look at the action so far…
Veysey kicked us off with this explosive tweet…
EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal rocked as #Wilshere ruled out for six more weeks with ankle injury #AFC goal.com/en-gb/news/289…
— Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) March 18, 2013
…before launching into a cyber attack on Arsene Wenger, AVB and Roy Hodgson.
Arsenal ignored the warning signs with Wilshere (AGAIN!) and are paying the price. AVB is doing same at #THFC by not rotating team enough. — Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) March 18, 2013
In the cases of Hodgson & Wenger both look like dinosaurs, applying methods of 10-15 years ago to the very modern issue of fitness & rehab. — Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) March 18, 2013
After receiving a barrage of abuse from irate Arsenal fans, who had the impertinence to suggest he hadn’t done his research and didn’t know what he was talking about, Veysey was bailed out by Goal’s chief UK editor, James Goodman, who pointed to a Robert Pires injury as an example that his colleague was speaking total sense.
Veysey then naturally backed the point up with some “research” of his own…
@gooner_66 @wayneveysey When Robert Pires suffered a major knee ligament injury in 2002 he blamed it on fatigue.
— James Goldman (@James_Journo) March 18, 2013
This article on Pires is a useful starting point, if dated (via @securegb) physioroom.com/research/fatig… Check this out, too fifpro.org/news/news_deta…
— Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) March 18, 2013
Enter the Daily Mirror’s John Cross…
I am assured stories/rumours on Jack Wilshere being out for season are NOT correct. Nothing has changed since last week. He’s doing OK #afc — John Cross (@johncrossmirror) March 18, 2013
Veysey, however, believed Cross was taking his comments out of proportion somewhat.
My Wilshere story doesn’t say he is out for the season. Says he has been ruled out for 6 weeks until May. — Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) March 18, 2013
Hmmmm. Season ends in May…pretty much the same thing, eh Wayne?
Much to Veysey’s chagrin, Arsenal appeared to back up Cross, with a spokeman for the club reportedly telling esteemed talk-radio station talkSPORT: “Nothing has changed in Jacks’ recovery, there’s no setback or further damage to his ankle and no concern about any long-term problems.
“Jack was told to rest and we are still on course for him to resume training and be available for selection for the home game against Reading.”
Football clubs, as we know, are not always entirely truthful, particularly when so much is at stake, and our chief protagonist was quick to point this out…
Worth remembering that Arsenal also denied that Walcott had agreed a new contract in 2nd Wednesday of January. When he had & deal was done. — Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) March 18, 2013
Away from concrete journalistic facts and into the murkier waters of “in the know info”, there was also disagreement… Respected Arsenal “ITK” Geoff backed up the club’s stance:
News: Just got an update on Jack. Was told he has an “has an outside chance of being back for West Brom but he is expected back for Norwich” — Geoff Arsenal (@GeoffArsenal) March 18, 2013
Geoff’s mate Dean H felt otherwise:
I’ve heard Jack *could* be out until the end of April and there’s a possibility we may not see him again this season.I’ll keep you posted.
— Dean H (@DeanLDN22) March 18, 2013
We’re not sure who to believe so we’ll leave with some words of wisdom from the man himself (it’s not really Jack, it’s a pardoy!)…
Failing is what makes us stronger
— JackWilshere (@JackWilshere5) November 4, 2012
Veysey and his supporters will do well to remember this is if Wilshere returns for Arsenal’s next Premier League match with Reading.
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