The name's Wilshere ... Jack Wilshere. Note the spelling, folks, as you're going to be reading the name a lot over the next decade and hopefully more, as I predicted when eulogising about the then 16-year old after I first saw him grace Barnet's Underhill one Monday evening last Spring (2008). At that time the Arsenal website did not even have a player profile for the lad. Remember, then, where you read it first. Admittedly I also predicted Ashes humiliation earlier this Summer; I'm very happy with my 50% record.

Insert a 't' and you DO NOT get the county of which Salisbury is the capital. Young Jack may never wear the number 7 shirt but he'll soon be licensed to thrill - regularly. Arsene being Arsene is keen - rightly, in my view - to dampen our short-term expectations. Call me a sycophant, but I believe that we Gooners should spend far less time reading the rumour mill, which is not good for the blood pressure, and instead devour every official quotation, especially from Le Boss. After Sunday's demolition job of Rangers, Arsene said of Wilshere: "... he has gained some power now. A year ago he had to go across the pitch and now he can go straight. At that age that is normal ... The only problem in England is knowing the impatience of the people..." When the Messiah speaks, we should know by now to hang on his every word. So why don't we?

Arsenal fans being Arsenal fans are waiting impatiently to have a trio of our young guns on the plane to South Africa, enabling us to cock a snoop at the press, the Spuds and any other boors who, in their typical straw-clutching fashion, have tried to ridicule Arsene's supposed French Foreign Legion. An injury-free Theo is a shoe-in to at least make the squad and Kieran Gibbs will be promoted from U-20 and U-21 duty, I predict confidently. Reading between Arsene's recent lines, he does not discount Jack being 'ready' for World Cup 2010. Impatient... me...?

Here's a thought. What odds that in a year or two the England team has more Arsenal players than the Arsenal team has England players? A bizarre thought, perhaps, (a bit like imagining one hand clapping) but is it so ridiculous? Today Wembley, Monday night ... er, Underhill. If such comes to pass, remember where you read it first.