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Jack Wilshere has revealed he has been studying Xabi Alonso and Andrea Pirlo as he looks to thrive in a deeper role for England. Wilshere, 22, appears set to be used at the base of the diamond in Roy Hodgson's new-look midfield and the Arsenal man has taken particular interest in studying Bayern Munich's Alonso. "I get the clips through on my iPad -- about 20 or 25 minutes' worth of stuff," he told the media. "The analyst guys with England send them to me and they highlight some of his key strengths. "[Alonso] had a record number of passes in one game, nearly 200 in one match, which is ridiculous. Watching players like him and Andrea Pirlo, you learn how clever they are, how intelligent they are on the ball. "In that role it's important you have to understand that if you lose the ball, the opposition are in a dangerous position to counter-attack. Whereas if I was playing a little bit higher, on the edge of the box, you can lose it and you have players around who can get the ball back. "You learn how they use the ball and you learn when it's a good time to dribble or sometimes pass. I enjoy playing that role. I enjoy getting on the ball and starting attacks." Reflecting on his experience playing the role in last month's 2-0 win over Switzerland, Wilshere said: "I did lose the ball and once you lose the ball it's a 50-yard run back. It's a long way back for the whole team. "[The 5-0 win against San Marino] was my second game there and I thought, 'I've already improved,' so there's a lot more to come from me, but the more I watch players like that [Alonso], the quicker I'll learn." With Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard having announced their international retirement after the World Cup, Wilshere believes it is time for England to move on from the "Golden Generation." "As players now, we don't have to worry about the past," he added. "Basically all the players from that 'Golden Generation' have now stopped playing at international level, so there's a space for us to come in and write some history ourselves. "We're young, we're eager, we want to learn, and we want to win something with England. "Before the Switzerland game people were questioning whether we were ready. I think we prove every game that we're learning."
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