Arsenal’s midfield has come under scrutiny in recent games. The question of whether to play Jack Wilshere in a deeper role is still ongoing, Frenchman Mathieu Flamini is not producing the form he used to which resulted in a move to AC Milan six years ago and Mesut Ozil is being dubbed as one of the biggest flops the Premier League has seen. The midfield, in any football match, is where battles are won or lost and is a defining factor in gaining maximum points.
One Gunners player who this season is failing to show the form he is capable of is Wales international Aaron Ramsey. Considering the work rate and composure on the ball Ramsey brings, the midfield maestro has rather gone unnoticed in a derailed Arsenal squad. This is the last thing Arsene Wenger needs considering they are currently sitting in a disappointing eighth place, 15 points behind the leaders Chelsea. Aftre spending heavily in the past two years, a serious title challenge should have been in store, but it has gone completely in the opposite direction.
This is the chance for the likes of Ramsey to buck up their ideas, and become a leader on the pitch, which is the fundamental reason why the North Londoners are failing to compete with the big guns of the Premier League.
Ramsey started last season with a bang, and quickly become an early contender for the Premier League player of the year, before his unfortunate injury arose in the latter stages of the season. Ramsey ended the season strong, and he capped off another fourth place finish for the Gunners by scoring the winning goal in last season’s FA Cup win against Hull City. Last season saw Ramsey notch an impressive 18 goals, and scored nine in his first 10 games in all competitions. This was the perfect response after coming under some heavy criticism since his move from Cardiff City.
This year has seen him score just three goals in 18 games and even got himself sent off in the 0-0 Champions League qualifier away at Turkish outfit Besiktas. With Mikel Arteta and Wilshere the first choice holding midfield players, Ramsey will often be used as an impact substitute. With his technical ability and eye for a goal, Ramsey should never be used as an impact substitute; he’s too good for that.
With a crucial Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund in store, and in need of a win after failing to hold onto a three goal lead at home to Anderlecht, this is Ramsey’s time to shine.
With Wilshere set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines, this is all the more reason for ‘Rambo’ to show that has the abundance to show he still has the prowess and drive to perform like he did last season. With too much reliability on Alexis Sanchez’s shoulders and Theo Walcott finding his feet again after a long lay-off with an ankle injury, Ramsey desperately needs to rediscover what he is truly capable of.
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