Jack Wilshere makes small first step in World Cup audition as Arsenal salvage draw with Chelsea

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It is World Cup year so the auditions start here. For Jack Wilshere, this one could have been over within the hour and that would have been a shame.

Wilshere's recent return to fitness and form has been encouraging. This was the 26-year-old's sixth Premier League start in only three weeks of intense football.

The Arsenal midfielder was impressive during his team's win at Crystal Palace and their draw at West Brom. Here, with bigger questions asked, he was progressive once again. 

Jack Wilshere scored Arsenal's opener as they drew 2-2 with London rivals Chelsea

The 26-year-old impressed in patches but needs to stamp his authority on midfield more

His goal will not harm him. The first of the game, it was well-taken. His attempt to deceive referee Anthony Taylor with a dive after already being booked was less clever. It would have been a huge call to send Wilshere off. Taylor's view was obscured and from 15 yards away it would have looked a marginal call at best.

Nevertheless, fortune was on Wilshere's side and his experience and football intelligence both mean he should probably should know better. 

In the wider context of Wilshere's attempts to resurrect a career blighted by injury, England manager Gareth Southgate will not consider him for his World Cup squad until he proves long-term fitness. It is still hard to look away whenever he goes to ground.

Here at the Emirates, Wilshere looked robust enough. He was booked early for a late tackle on Cesc Fabregas and then withstood what was probably an inevitable return dose from his opponent. So far so good, then.

Wilshere must look to give Arsenal a rhythm and a pattern to their play against top teams

In terms of his football, it was hard to make a consistently firm judgement in what was another helter skelter game.

Wilshere still looks the part, scurrying across the ground in that familiar bow-legged way of this. From that perspective, he has always looked a little like a throwback. He does in terms of his unstinting effort too. Wilshere can never be accused of lacking interest in a game or a confrontation and the way he ghosted in to the penalty area for his goal reminded us of his sense of timing.

Too often here he was not helped by the chaos that so often seems to swirl around him in the centre of the Arsenal midfield. Why do Arsenal's games against good opponents always turn out like this?

Wenger's team remain potent and capable on their day but there is rarely the kind of discernible rhythm or pattern about their play that it is easy to detect in other top teams.  

Wilshere's goal was well-taken and showed endeavour that epitomises his approach

His attempts to deceive referee Anthony Taylor after already being booked was less clever

Against that background Wilshere must show an ability to take hold of that area, and with it a game. That is the role he seemed destined for as a younger player and it is what he must aspire to now.

There was a time when he may have developed as a lone holding player but that now looks beyond him. Previous England managers reached the conclusion that he has never been able to time a tackle quite well enough to play there. There was evidence of that failing against Chelsea.

Equally, there were signs of the vision and creativity that marks out special players from ordinary ones. He is at this most dangerous when passing forwards or attacking on the turn, forcing defenders to make decisions they don't wish to. Here Chelsea's backline didn't always look comfortable when he chose to break from deep.

Wilshere really can still pass, too. One lovely ball from deep in the second half found Alexandre Lacazette and almost led to a goal. A minute later Wilshere scored himself.

Ultimately, it wasn't enough for Arsenal to win this game. From the moment they scored first, Wenger's team regressed. For them, and for Wilshere, the steps forward remain small ones.