Arsenal’s star Welshman Aaron Ramsey is fit and well and is raring to get our season off to a flying start. He believes that it is the games against the Big Teams that will again make-or-break the Gunners season.
“I think there’s going to be about six teams involved right until the wire,” Ramsey said on Arsenal.com. “It’s going to be difficult but I think we have a great team here and great team spirit. We’re in a good place at the moment. Hopefully we can get off to a good start in the season and put ourselves in a good position and hopefully last season where we fell away a bit we’ll improve and put that right. If we do, we’ll have a great opportunity.
“It’s important in those games against the top teams, especially in the first half. These places are difficult enough to go to and get results, especially when it’s 0-0, never mind when it’s two, three or four-nil down in the first 25 minutes. We’re going to have to be a lot more streetwise when going to these places and maybe we’ll have to sit back in the first half and then the game will open up in the second half and we know we’ll create opportunities.
“You can never predict what’s going to happen during the year. You can have your good moments and you can have your bad moments. It’s always important for everyone to stick together and get everyone behind each other. If we manage to do that and get through the bad periods as quickly as possible we’ll have a good year.
“Over the last few seasons we have sold some of our bigger players but the squad is really settled now and we’ve done the business early this year. That’s helped us to get used to some of the players before the season starts. We’ve brought in some big, quality names as well so I think that we’ve done well and we’re all looking forward to teaming up together.”
It’s good to see Ramsey in a confident mood, but I can definitely assert one thing – We will have much more chance of winning more trophies if Ramsey can stay fit all season!
Proud of Ramsey. I mean like your rebellious kid graduating with honors proud. I hope we can achieve great thing this year so we can keep motivating our players to take it to the next level.
Cant wait till Sunday.
Madrid and Barca only have that kind of money because they do their own TV rights, whereas in the PL, revenues are evenly distributed, but global Premier League TV revenues are soaring. Madrid and Barca’s days of financial superiority are numbered.
Ramsey said a few months ago that the prospect of playing for Real/Barca in the future was ‘mouthwatering’, but I don’t think he’ll leave Arsenal whilst Wenger is still here. You can tell he really respects Wenger for sticking with him through his bad years; as for the fans, I just hope he isn’t sour for the stick some of them used to give him, but at the moment at least, he looks happy here.
haha and it would’ve been similar numbers with us VS city…
Success and ambition keeps players. Ozil and Sanchez wouldn’t have come to us if there wasn’t big plans in the works. they’re both world-class players playing for very successful teams. I highly doubt Wenger’s conversations would have been ‘come over and the squad is complete.’
They were 26 and 25 respectively and committed their prime to us.
My point being that we’re a massive club with one of the best stadiums in the world and we have an internationally renowned manager who is known for his beautiful attacking brand of football. We’ve recently begun to add ambition, if that ambition leads to success even if Ramsey becomes Zidane 2.0 he won’t be leaving any time soon.
I’m not suggesting the squad is there yet… But more and more pieces are being added in the works for something great.
I love Ramsey, I think he is going to be our next captain. If you could buy just more player to Arsenal this transfer window would you buy a CD of Hummels quality or would you buy a DM who could also slot in as a CD such as Carvalho?
Thumbs up for Carvalho and Thumbs down for Hummels
It seems clear that Wenger is grooming Ramsey for the Captain’s job. But Wenger is wisely not jumping too quickly. Wenger first wants to establish Ramsey as the pre-eminent British CAM in the league and the Captain’s armband is sure to be part of the deal.
I’m not sure Ramsey is cut out to be captain. He’s a fantastic player and I’m sure he’d be great at rallying the team when we’re down and definitely puts in the work rate, but I don’t see him as the type to shout and organise the team defensively when need be. I guess it’s just me but I’ve always thought defensive players (CB’s/DMs) in general make the best captains as they’re more naturally more commanding.
Szczesney, Capt in waiting.
Ramsey’s says
“I hope we can win”
Amazing.
davidnz says:
‘insert something negative or skeptical’
Amazing..
Our season depends on what business we do before the end of the transfer window and injuries during the season. If we sign a commanding DM and largely keep away from injuries, I think we will be up there. There’s more business to be done, we also need to add a striker/ left winger. I’d wait until next summer and go after Reus for that though. This summer id pick up a deep lying powerhouse (Pogba, Kondogbia). Both would do a great job. I think that we have enough quality at CB if worst comes to worst. We have our starting partnership (Kos/Mert) we then have Chambers as 3rd choice and Miquel as 4th choice. If Miquel isn’t made 4 choice this year he should be sold. I personally think he has the quality to be cover for a few games. If something comes up that’s good, take it, but I wouldn’t just panic buy and bring in anyone. If they genuinly add quality and are better than Miquel then go for it.
Everyone and their brother is analyzing and predicting the EPL right now. But until the transfer business is over and we can get a good look at how each club looks as a team on the pitch, it is all just speculation.
I personally would like to see 1 CB and 1 DM arrive at Arsenal. I fear it may just be 1 CB. But Wenger often surprises, both positively and negatively so who knows?
yeppers.
to quote @geoffarsenal ‘could be an interesting week’
though nothing has been publicized so far, to me that suggests there’s still a few things in the works.
ahhh CL qualification, first few league games and the last few weeks of the window. Buckle up!
The 4th place sustainable model
works very well for Arsenal.
The first place model requires
greater risk and asks the question is
winning the EPL actually worth it?
you’re proposed model would lead to a mid-table finish at best…
leaving us a better first-team with absolutely no cover whatsoever while competing in multiple competitions is not a risk… it’s downright insanity.
it’s not intelligent, you are not operating on a higher level and seeing things we don’t, this model you speak of is not adopted by any team on the planet let alone a successful one, you’re making it up as you go along based on nothing, and it epitomizes stupidity.
When Ramsey says things like this I feel like doing a phrase a la De Niro in Analyze this.
Ramseeey, youuu, youuuuu
The 4th place model means
retaining 5-6 average players
rather than 2 top class
but more expensive players.
Last season Arteta Flamini Diaby
Kalstrom Wilshere
were prefered to Kheidra and Martinez.
Giroud Sanogo Bendtner Park
Podolski Walcott were prefered
to Suarez and Higuian.
Releasing Bendtner Park and Vermaelen
is good but I believe retaining 11 average players
Giroud Sanogo Campbell Podolski
Monreal Miquel Arteta Flamini
Diaby Coquelin Rosicky means the club is still
a way off being a 1st place model.
9 of these players should have been released this summer
I would have kept Campbell and either Arteta or Flamini
and ditched the rest.
oh hush…
whinge whinge whinge.
it’s called depth and experience david. so i take it youth promotion for you isn’t a priority today?? now it’s all about your perceived dead-weight? typical, it chops and changes based around whatever your ill-informed negative rant will be based on for the day…
The key to a successful squad is having squad players who can support the first-team and fill in throughout parts of the season without needing a few games to get in form and know their place. If you look at Ferguson’s very, very successful model at united it was built around this. A great first-team with Veterans in the squad roles because when he called on them they knew exactly what was needed of them. They didn’t light it up when they stepped on the pitch but put in solid, reliable performances when needed.
Podolski – Goals
Flamini – Defense/Energy
Rosicky – Energy
These are literally the blue-print of players you need, model professionals who can chip in and do their bit when called upon, and have done over the last few seasons.
Khedira and Martinez? hilarious that you would chose these two… One just did his ACL and the other spent 90% of last season on the sidelines. Gutting the squad of it’s dependability and relying on one of those two, yeah that’d work wonders… idiot. but i’m sure they keep fit in your computer game though?
If we say Ferguson was
successful because he had
solid veterans to back up
a great 1st team.
Arsenals 4th place team over
the past 7 years has never
had a great first team to back up
because it was full of mediocre dross.
we’re evaluating squads…
Arsenal had a fourth place ‘squad’ and a big reason it was a fourth place squad was a heavy reliance on Ramsey which resulted in his eventual long-term injury and inability to cover for theo’s qualities in his extended absence as well. If Giroud was added to the injury table we would have been lucky to make europa, let alone lift the F.A. Cup. And you want to gut 9 players from that and add 2?? even a child could see that is madness…
You are a fool if you didn’t rate our first-team last season. We progressed from the group of death in the CL which no-one gave us a hope for with convincing victories against Dortmund and Napoli, won the F.A. Cup and led the league for the majority of the season. 7 pts from the top with 2 key injuries to our most dangerous goal threat and a top 3 midfielder in the league!!
If you can’t find positives in that then why do you even bother supporting (it feels weird using that word because it’s the complete opposite of what you do) Arsenal?
1st place model as well?? you’re arrogance is dumbfounding…
Real, Barca, United, City, Bayern all recent successful squads have depth galore.. name me one successful squad in the history of football which has done what you’re proposing??
‘I would’ve released 9 players..’ well, lucky for us the only Arsenal squad you’ll be managing any-time soon is at home playing FIFA…
time to spend big….
time to spend smart 😉
Well said davidnz
there is no doubt that we lost out in the Epl title race last season due to injuries and fatigue to our players. hopefully, with this new fitness coach and a deep squad, we would win the EPL/
hey leo, whats happening with carvalho or any other CDMs
we are signing them all…..
Carvalho, Mvilla, Capoue, Sissoko, Mbigwa, Schnerlin, Diame etc….
we need a large squad with quality backups…
Our current system is focused heavily on the freedoms afforded to our wingers. The LW is basically a false-10 and the RW is a supporting striker or inside forward. The 4-1-4-1 when played effectively is a lot more rigid and the best example is Pep’s Bayern who plays with pure wingers to devastating effect.
I completely agree that a tweak is needed against the big teams but i think we saw it in the city game when Wenger basically removed the 10 and had Wilshere playing deeper alongside Ramsey and Cazorla drifted inside and was essentially playing the false-10. The additional midfielder can provide options on game-plan as well. If we want to go with the additional defensive minded player Flamini can be added and given a ball-winning role, or if we’re to focus on a more direct approach Wilshere or Ox can be included with their bursting midfield runs similar to Ancelloti’s use of Di Maria (not saying as effective, just a comparison of benefits). Or, touch wood, if Diaby can find any form of fitness, he and Ramsey would be devastating playing in front of Arteta.
I guess my main point is that a shift to the 4-3-3 may sacrifice the extra creative player, but the 4-1-4-1 takes away Sanchez/Theo’s and Ozil/Cazorla’s influence on the attack as well..
On a side note….
Arteta/Chambers
Diaby/Flamini, Ramsey/Wilshere/Ox
Sanchez/Theo, Giroud/Sanogo, Ozil/Cazorla
Pretty sexy…
I think it’s Arteta that should be on the bench against stronger teams. He’s good against smaller teams but doesn’t have enough presence against bigger teams. Now that Javi Martinez is off the table, I don’t really know who we should bring in instead.
A DM should protect the back four from being broken against by slowing down the opposition and giving the rest of the midfielders a chance to get back and help, Arteta is just too easy to get past, he can’t outmuscle people and definitely can’t outrun them. Arteta is the type of player that excels in games where you have a lot of the ball, so he can dictate the game with his passing, ie. against smaller teams. Against bigger teams you don’t have as much of the ball, so he’s not as useful.
I still think we should stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation for these games with Özil. In big games, you play your big players.
This season we’ll have Alexis and Theo, so we have a counter attacking threat – teams won’t press as high against us, giving us a little more space to work in. We shouldn’t struggle as much as last season.
‘A DM should protect the back four from being broken against by slowing down the opposition and giving the rest of the midfielders a chance to get back and help’
Exactly! so it’s not his job to ‘outmuscle’ or ‘outrun’ them. it’s his job to plug holes and buy time then distribute from deep.
If the opposition is running at you with the ball, how do you slow them down? You get in their way and stop them getting past you. You hold them up. To do that you have to be able to run and, if need be, push them off the ball.
Khedira ? when did he became a DM???
@Davindz .. You call Rosicky, Campbell, Wilshere average players? Pls i need to get in touch with admin, they need to throw you out ASAP !! You’re a Spud in disguise.
We MUST sign ALL:
Carvalho
Khedira
Reus
Cavani
Hummels
Agger
Falcao
please tell me that was sarcastic… there’s about 200million worth of players there