Ramsey returns!
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed that whilst there are a few injury scares for the Gunner’s upcoming match against Sunderland, there is some good news in the form of Aaron Ramsey’s return. Ramsey has been ruled out with a hamstring injury since the opening weekend of the 2016-17 Premier League season, but after a 13 match absence, the Welshman is ready for his return to the side.
The midfielder was on fire for Wales during the summer’s European Championship. Ramsey helped his national side reach the semi finals of the tournament and was one of the most impressive players to grace the pitches in France. Many had hoped he was going to carry on such form for Arsenal this season, with memories of his fantastic 2013-14 season still firmly in the mind. He started the season with the Gunners straight from the off, despite having a shortened summer break. Wearing a new number of his back, Ramsey lined up with the rest of the team, slightly weakened with absentees, for what was going to be a tough opening fixture against Liverpool. Ramsey was positioned in a central attacking midfield role and there was a clearly a lot of pressure on the Welshman to provide for the Gunners, with main man Mesut Ozil not present for the game. Unfortunately it soon became clear that he had been rushed back far too early, was not at match fitness and in typical Arsenal style he picked up an injury that subsequently ruled him out for a matter of months.
Let’s not forget that the Premier League season kicks off in Mid-August, meaning that he’s already missed two months of the season. Luckily for Arsenal, midfield is the area in which we have the most depth of talent. As a result, his absence hasn’t been really missed, however now with Cazorla lacking in fitness and Xhaka banned, Ramsey’s return to the Arsenal side this weekend could be vital.
Ramsey’s comeback to form isn’t going to be instantaneous, in fact he seems to perform on a completely different scale at Arsenal than he does for his national side. If he was to replicate the form he showed a few seasons back, then he could be one of the most important players in the Arsenal side. However instead he has looked like a passenger at times and as a result, his place in the starting eleven is now under threat with so many class midfielders in our squad.
Wenger will no doubt be cautious with Ramsey’s return to the side, especially as it was an injury that took various setbacks along the way. However I expect Ramsey to play a large part of the game, with Xhaka absence and Santi’s injury in midfield.
By AH
Ramsey’s back
The groans are back!
Great news
With Cazorla out and Xhaka banned its perfect timing for Aaron to help us out
He was fantastic for Wales at the Euros
Hope he can get back to his best
2013-14 he scored 16 goals and 9 assists. Something close to that would be awesome
Welcome back Aaron 🙂
Squad depth is important. We act like Ramsey is a bad player. Currently, he won’t start but he can come in and help. It’s a long season. He will start some games when others are injured or out of form. If he keeps it simple and discover his good old form, then Ramsey will be great for us. Welcome back Ramsey.
My concerns with Ramsey coming back into the squad:
1 – is he playing for personal glory or team glory?
In the seasons following his statistically excellent season, many attacks or opportunities have broken down because of Ramsey taking ill-advised shots, or making runs into the box to get on the end of an attack when it was better suited for someone else to do so and for him to just hold shape. We’ve been successful this term with the CM and DM holding shape behind the front 4, letting them make the dangerous penetrating runs in the final 3rd, and the CM/DM circulating just the ball and facilitating that movement in front of them. If Ramsey will keep shape and maintain balance like Cazorla then he’ll be a suitable fill in. If he attempts to make runs into the box in place of Theo, Mesut, and Alexis in search of personal accolades, then that’s problematic.
2 – We have good balance in the team at the moment, will Arsene upset that to force Ramsey into the side?
3 – How often are we going to have to hear how well he did for Wales in the 10 role at this most recent Euros, as an argument for why he should do that with Arsenal?
We are not Wales, the technical ability and style that we play is vastly different to that of Wales. The level at the Euros this summer was average at best overall as is. Ramsey as a 10 is not Mesut. He wouldn’t even be Santi or Jack, and probably wouldn’t even be Iwobi. Give it a rest.
I hope he plays within himself so that he can add to how good we can be. Don’t try these unnecessary flicks and tricks and backheels. Just keep it simple, and we’ll be just fine. Just fine.
Not sure how this is great news because we’ve looked so much better without him. Our only defeat came with Ramsey playing, and when did he last show any kind of form? I think it was three years ago! Giroud’s absence has been another factor in our good form, but I still think he’s an extremely important squad player, as he can give us a different dimension in attack if needs be. What Ramsey brings to the table, I am not quite sure. He has a lot energy I suppose, but then again, so does a small child.
People complain a lot about Ramsey, Mertsacker and Debuchy
Fact is we need these players this season and they are Arsenal players. They are our players.
Criticism of them once in a while is fine but we should all hope that when we need them they perform well.
Ramsey has had some great performances over the years. He just needs consistency
I hope Debuchy and Jenkinson can be adequate cover for Bellerin
Mertsacker especially has so much experience and the CB pairning of Koscielny and Mertsacker has been successful. For 2 seasons Koscielny and Mertsacker were the best CB pairing in the League.
I expect Mustafi to overtake Mertsacker and he may not be with us next season but we will need him this season.
I agree, consistency is key, but how many more years does one wait for Ramsey to be consistent? I hope he does FINALLY start performing, and earn his ridiculous wage, but it’s unlikely given how many chances he’s already been given. Arsenal are weaker when he plays. I would prefer one of our reserve players to be given a chance ahead of him.
Drop the knowledge on em. People forget that we were perrinial 4th place trophy winners because we were waiting on players like Ramsey, Jack, Theo, the Ox, Giroud, Scez, Gibbs to all come good at the same time. Not being reliant on these players now is largely the reason for our recent success. I agree that Ramsey had one great year, but it was one year.
One could argue that the recent success of the team is a result of not being reliant on these guys and is forcing them to step their game up. Look at the introspection that Theo went through and how he’s improved as a result; Jack now on loan; scez on loan; ox considering that his future may lie elsewhere; chambers on loan.
so you feel the same way about Wilshere too I assume? You’re not wrong, but hope you’re not being biased. Essentially all our british players can have the same thing said about them (excluding Holding).
I do feel this way about Jack, but something about Jack makes me feel like he’s still a special talent. His technical ability still makes him a great candidate to replace Santi when he retires, in my opinion. I just don’t want us to have to ever rely on Jack, or Theo, or the OX, or Gibbs, because none of them can truly stay healthy when we need them. They might each put a good run together, but then get hurt and leave us scrambling. I like each of them being on the squad (theo in the 11 at the moment) but not being relied upon to get us Ws.
I’ve been chastised for saying this before, but Arsene didn’t choose our midfield triangle of Mesut, Santi, and Le Coq, he stumbled upon as a result of injury, and we’ve been better for it. Since then we’ve seen no midfield 3 that included both Jack and Aaron (which used to be thought of as the future of our midfield) and we’ve been much better off as a result.
Holding seems special and seems like he’s going to force Chambers to go elsewhere permanently.
yea. good to make the bench even stronger but that also means lesser game time for elneny with Ramsey back and Xhaka back after the Sunderland game.
Ramsey being back is double-edged sword in my opinion. On the one hand, it is good to have some depth on the bench, on the other hand, you know you are in trouble when Ramsey makes it onto the pitch because it means our better players are not available.
Ramsey is not in the top 2 for any of the key positions he plays in.
On the right wing Theo and Sanchez are superior
On the left wing Iwobi and Perez
Creative midfield Santi and Ozil
DM Xhaka, Coq, Elneny