Former Gunner is expected to be in the Bluebirds XI this afternoon
Hatters manager Jack Wilshere knows full well that Luton need to be a wary of his former Arsenal team-mate Chris Willock when going up against Cardiff City this afternoon, a player he feels should be playing at a higher level than League One.
The 28-year-old, whose brother is Newcastle United forward Joe, spent over 15 years with Arsenal’s academy while Wilshere was also at the Emirates Stadium, as he went on to make two League Cup appearances during the 2016-17 campaign, a season in which Town’s boss was then on loan with AFC Bournemouth.
The former England youth international then went to Benfica and had loan spells at West Bromwich Albion and Huddersfield, before a move to QPR in 2020 where he played almost 150 times. Willock headed to Wales in the summer of 2024, unable to prevent the Bluebirds being relegated from the Championship though, along with Luton, as this term he has got seven goals and five assists in his 27 third tier outings to help Cardiff climb to the top of the table.
Cardiff CIty attacker Chris Willock - pic: Lewis Storey/Getty Imagesplaceholder image
Cardiff CIty attacker Chris Willock - pic: Lewis Storey/Getty Images
He scored the winner when the two teams met at Kenilworth Road earlier this season, City coming out on top 1-0, as when facing the Hatters he has managed two goals and two assists in his eight outings. On facing the ex-Gunner, Wilshere said: “Chris was there when I was playing, he used to come over and train with the first team. He had Joe Willock there who was his brother and another brother who was at Man United, so a really talented family.
“At the time Chris was the one you looked at said he had the most talent and would go on to have the best career, probably Joe is winning that race at the minute, but Chris is a top player for this level and probably someone who shouldn’t be at this level, but he finds himself at this level. I think he’s committed to that this season as you can see with his performances and he’s someone we have to be wary of.”
Willock is part of a Cardiff side, who under head coach Brian Barry-Murphy, after making a superb fist of their efforts to return to the Championship at the first time of asking, losing just five times this season to sit at the summit, two points clear of Lincoln City and seemingly odds-on to be promoted in May.
The 47-year-old, who was appointed in June last year, is in his second role as a number one having spent two years with Rochdale, then heading to take charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, before a spell as first coach at Leicester City under Ruud van Nistelrooy. Asked if he had come up against from his days with the Arsenal academy, Wilshere continued: “He was with the 21s and I was with the 18s, so never directly, but I remember watching the 21s games against each other and he’s someone who picked up a lot of knowledge from there.
"He added to his experience in League One and League Two, so a good coach and you can see what he’s done with the team at Cardiff. I played against Cardiff last year when I was interim with Norwich and Aaron Ramsey was there. It felt like at that time it was going to be a big job for someone to do to come and turn that around.
"He’s done a top job at that, so credit to him. They play some really nice football which we’ve got to be ready for. I like the way they play, how aggressive they are out wide, their rotations and getting behind the defensive line in those areas and then attacking the box. They are someone I look at and I enjoy watching.”
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