HENRIKH MKHITARYAN – IS HE THE AARON RAMSEY UNIA IS LOOKING FOR? by Nicholas Oyoo
For the umpteenth time, we are here again. A key player in the Arsenal XI is holding us ransom to pick the biggest cheques or leave us to move elsewhere. Aaron Ramsey, it is reported he is demanding 250,000 per week. However, if his display in his personally favoured position against Man City (where he was anonymous for the match) and the introduction of Alexandre Lacazette confirmed there was something amiss.
Emery is not hiding what he feels about the capabilities Aaron Ramsey possesses and he is not the first to see how good the player can sometimes become. When on song Aaron Ramsey is almost unplayable. However, the Spanish manager should not be blinded to the fact that he could have other options in the squad.
If Ramsey does end up leaving, Unia Emery must realize that, in the squad, we have a player capable of making us forget that Ramsey is missing. We must have forgotten when Mkhitaryan crossed over from Manchester United in a deal that has Sanchez move the other way, he found an Arsenal with most of us feeling downcast, and after a few games we suddenly seemed to realized we had actually just completed a heist of the Old Trafford. We were not just smiling again. We actually started believing we had dodged a bullet in letting Sanchez go! This was because of the performances Mkhitaryan mustered. He seemed to know just where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was and just how to unlock the stubborn sides to get the goals coming.
We all remember the pleasant questions of how do we fit all our fire power into the same side made up of Lacazette, Aubameyang, Ozil, Mkhitaryan and possibly Ramsey. And we dreamt and the Manager too was facing similar thoughts. Here Below are statements attributed to the Arsene Wenger about how to play Henrikh Mkhitaryan. “He can play in different positions, but personally I see him first in a wide position, but I’m thinking about him a possibility to play through the middle,” the manager said, as reported by Arsenal.com.
With Ramsey looking like he’s lost form and demanding a leg and foot to sign back in, perhaps it’s time to for Unai Emery to try what Arsene Wenger had been contemplating and putting Mhkitaryan in the place Aaron Ramsey operate from and we see what would happen with the Armenian. I’m convinced Mkhitaryan and Ozil sharing the central area with Mkhitaryan operating slightly deeper could have our midfield added more steel and character like never before. The Armenian would win dribble duels and provide killer passing we know he is far capable of. He would not track back due to pace, rather due to experience of reading the game and not exposing the Central midfielders all the time like Ramsey does. Trying out the Armenian in this role and if he succeeds, and Arsenal should not have to negotiate from a position of weakness with Ramsey. In fact, Mkhitaryan might just help us forget there was once an Aaron Ramsey, just like many of us were happy to feel much better when Sanchez left and he came in.
With Mkhitaryan and Ozil going central, Ramsey out of the team and Lacazette paired up with Aubameyang, Arsenal suddenly look very menacing again. Here is a pattern that would have the two in the centre. Pattern 4.1.4.1. in fact, I dare say this would trouble Chelsea if this is the side they face this evening.
——————————Lacazette—————————
Aubameyang——-Ozil———Mkhitaryan——-Nelson/Guedouzi/Iwobi/Rowe
——————————–Torreirra————————-
Monreal——-Mustafi——–Sokratis———–Bellerin
—————————-Cech—————————–
Who needs Ramsey?
Nicholas