Jack Wilshere puts smoking controversy behind him as the Arsenal midfielder ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"I'm not a smoker, I don't smoke 10 a day or whatever as people have been ­saying. It was a mistake and I've learned from it. It's tough.

"I don't think I need support. I spoke to the boss [Arsène Wenger] and the boss supported me through it.

"He gave me a little telling off. We dealt with it. He put me in the team on Sunday and I hopefully repaid him with a goal.''

After scoring, and before bumping into Lewin, Wilshere wandered across to the away contingent and threw them his shirt.

"Especially the away fans with Arsenal are amazing and you really feel that when you are on the pitch. You can feel the positive attitude.''

As for England fans adopting the Arsenal fans' song of "he smokes when he wants", Wilshere said: "I'd prefer them to change it to 'he scores when he wants'."

He accepted that the not-so-crafty fag showed a lack of professionalism.

"I'm not just a footballer. I'm an athlete. We have to be at the top of our game. Not just at the weekend but in training every day I am playing with the best players – Mesut Özil, Santi Cazorla. You can't be slacking behind them. There's no hiding place.''

A mix of contrition and defiance, Wilshere knows he is not an automatic first choice in the centre of Arsenal's midfield and was pushed left at West Bromwich Albion.

"There's a lot of competition for places so it's tough to get in there. I wanted to play for Arsenal from a young, young age so if I'm playing on the left, the right, deep lying or a bit further forward I'm just happy to be on the pitch.

"We play a sort of a two and a one in front [in midfield] and that's Özil's position but I would love to play behind that. I'm not a left winger – that's me doing a job for the team. I'm always looking to improve as well.''

How would he rate his form this season? "Out of 10? Six ... and a half.''

Aware of the expectation on him for club and country. Wilshere looks for guidance from Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

"Those two are on over 100 caps. You can learn from them, speak to them and they help you through it.

"Eventually that's what I want to do, make 100 caps. I've a long way to go, a lot to learn.

Gerrard is always talking to me, saying 'keep going, work hard'. I can learn from Gerrard's range of passing, his shooting, and from Lamps, the way he gets forward and the goals he scored. I want to score a few more goals and he's the perfect one to learn from.''

After the West Bromwich game, Wenger was asked whether Wilshere could become a regular goalscorer and "he said 'No!''

Wilshere laughed. "I think he said the same thing about [Aaron] Ramsey last season as well and look at him this season! He can't stop scoring. Hopefully I can prove him wrong.''

Wilshere enjoyed training at St George's on Tuesday with focus on more of a possession game against Montenegro.

"We can play that possession football. If you look throughout the squad you wouldn't say there was a bad technical player.

Daniel Sturridge has been the best striker in the Premier League this season. Wayne Rooney is a clever player and you saw him and Sturridge linking up today in training so hopefully that will be a good partnership.''

Wilshere had a caveat. "We are English and we tackle hard and we are tough on the pitch and we are hard to beat. We have great characters.

"You think of Spain and you think technical but you think of England and you think they are brave and they tackle hard. We have to remember that.''