When Arsenal signed Aaron Ramsey, he was dubbed one of the greatest talents in Britain. At the time the Cardiff youngster had it all, technique, vision and most importantly, self-confidence; because without self-confidence, a player is nothing. Fernando Torres is a good example of this , for a player who was described as one of the greatest strikers in the world 3 years ago, his performances declined dramatically after injury.
Aaron Ramsey is the same. Perhaps he should have waited longer before making his much anticipated return from injury, or perhaps he was fully fit when he decided to move on loan at Nottingham Forest, but personally I think he would have benefited more by spending more time in the reserves and slowly returning through substitute appearances for the first team. By moving on loan he seemed to lose his rhythm and the swagger which was ever-present before he succumbed to an awful challenge by Ryan Shawcross which left his career on the brink.
Don’t get me wrong, the Arsenal medical team did a fantastic job in getting him back to action in the first place, however perhaps his return to the Arsenal starting eleven could have been handled better. I believe he has the talent to be an Arsenal regular, it’s now down to whether he has the self belief to become an important part of Arsenal’s present and its future.
Lets not forget that centre midfield is probably one of the hardest positions in world football. Where was Andrea Pirlo at Ramsey’s age? Well he only made 4 appearances for Inter in the first half of the season before being shipped on loan to Brescia, making 10 appearances for the club to compound a frustrating campaign for a player now recognised as one of the greatest playmakers in world football. Admittedly Italian football has a different culture with regards to blooding in youngsters, players generally start their careers later and also finish their careers later, there is less focus on youngsters as owners want their coaches to get immediate results and therefore youngsters feature less than their elder team-mates.
People forget how much time Ramsey has. He has incredible off the ball movement which consistently leads him into goal-scoring positions, something most players would love to have in their locker. Yes he snatches at chances but give him time and he’ll finish them, after all, he was halfway there before his leg break. He also had the third highest pass completion rate of 87% behind Per Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta, a player who had two less assists than the Welshman. Not bad.
The behaviour of some fans towards him last season was absolutely disgraceful, yes he made a few mistakes but his head was clearly not in the right place, and understandably so. He’d been out for a year with a broken leg, his national team coach and close friend, Gary Speed, the man who had made him Wales captain, had committed suicide and to make matters even worse, people were blaming him for the death of high profile personalities and celebrities. Do you think the people making this rubbish up had heard of coincidence? Clearly not.
Unfortunately Ramsey will miss the clubs pre-season due to him featuring in the Great Britain Olympic football team, however playing in such a tournament could have a positive effect on the youngster as he will be playing alongside his hero and role-model, Ryan Giggs, someone who will undoubtedly give him guidance and advice to improve as a footballer.
Something Arsene Wenger will have to work out is the role of Aaron Ramsey in the side. When he burst onto the scene as a teenager he was a raw talent with more than competent finishing ability and confidence in his own aptitude. He also looked extraordinarily calm for a teenager on the pitch and his decision-making was assured. If we can find that Aaron Ramsey again, along with his improved attributes such as resilience and mental toughness then we could have a player able to make a successful impact next season. He now covers the most ground per game of any Arsenal player, a phenomenal work rate but one which perhaps had an impact on his performances last season.
Arsene Wenger has a theory as to why Ramsey didn’t score many last season, stating that:
“He always looks like he will score but doesn’t score at the moment. Once that will be done I think he will be more relaxed in front of goal and score more. He has played many games this year and for a first [full] season [at Arsenal] that is tremendous.”
I think Ramsey has the potential to be a very good advanced playmaker, he has excellent vision but suffers when played deeper in midfield.This is due to his tendency for giving the ball away through momentary lapses in concentration, something he will have to improve on. Nevertheless the Wales captain will have a bright future if treated right, however a potential move to Fulham this summer would be a disaster for both player and club. Ramsey will develop into a fine footballer, just give him time.
Leave a comment below on what you think of the Aaron Ramsey situation.
But first, follow me on Twitter @CookieElGooner
Victoria. Concordia. Bergkamp. 
Benaldo
/ July 13, 2012Well said, I also think diaby if he can stay fit will be a great player for arsenal
James Cook
/ July 13, 2012Yeah, Diaby is very talented also but if he doesn’t stay fit this season then it might be time to get rid of him.
Tunde
/ July 13, 2012I love ramsy the way i love wilshare and i do sincirely believe he wil improve with time. And i pray when he devolop he wil nt do nasri vanpersy farigas hlep reyes and filamini
Duncan
/ July 13, 2012ramsey oozes talent
nycgooner
/ July 13, 2012I don’t think Ramsey is good enough. I see many of the same things that you see, but I guess I am more pessimistic. I agree that his off-the-ball work is good, but his “on-the-ball” work is not so good. He dithers too much on the ball, turns the ball over too many times and gets dispossessed too frequently. He ranked first on the team in getting dispossessed and 2nd on the team in turnovers. Those ranks might be somewhat understandable if he played in a forward position, but that’s simply not good enough for a central midfielder (not surprisingly, he is among the worst in the entire league for central mids with those categories).
Of course, his finishing is also horrendous, but that will improve with time (I hope). The concentration issues, ball holding and general decision-making worry me more. He’s still capable of putting in that key pass every so often, but there’s too much sloppiness in his game.
I hope he improves, but I’m not counting on it. I guess it’s not surprising that many of his teammates supposedly do not rate him.
James Cook
/ July 13, 2012most of that stuff is unarguable however to say his finishing is horrendous would be inaccurate. What evidence do you have to say his team-mates don’t rate him?
nycgooner
/ July 13, 2012Perhaps “horrendous” is too strong, but it was pretty bad. 2 league goals in 62 shots is a pretty bad strike rate and was the 2nd worst on the team among goalscorers. Ramsey knows this as well and had this to say on Arsenal player:
“I certainly had some chances up there, but it’s not just at Everton – I’ve had a few! I’ve been getting into the positions, but one thing I need to improve on is my composure in front of goal. It’s so frustrating because I really should be putting the ball away.”
My “evidence” on his teammates not rating him is admittedly questionable, so I used the word “supposedly.” Supposedly, RvP, Rosicky et al. do not rate Ramsey highly, but it’s all heresay. Wouldn’t surprise me if it were true though (but of course I’m biased since I don’t rate him myself!). 😉
James Cook
/ July 13, 2012You have to remember he’s only 21, and has had a series of horrible events happen to him. Just give him time.
a francis
/ July 13, 2012You obviously didn’t watch Ramsey play last year. He was terrible in so many areas. He couldn’t score, pass or defend effectively. He does nothing particularly well. He’s not creative or dangerous offensively. He’s not good enough to compete against the top midfielders at the top clubs. Look at Arsenal results when he played 30 minutes or less in a game and then look at the results when he played more than 30 minutes per game. The results show that the team did much worse the more he played and the team did great when he played little or not at all. The fact is he is not good enough to bring Arsenal titles or trophies.
James Cook
/ July 13, 2012Yes I did, but I don’t think you’ve read my article.
Simon
/ July 13, 2012Good post. I did find myself shouting a lot at the TV last season every time Ramsey made a missed placed pass, but the guy is still young and has overcome an awful injury. Im certain that he was rushed back into action far too soon, to help with the injury problems that we had in midfield. He should never had played the 40+ games that he did. Hopefully this will be his season to show what a talent he is.
James Cook
/ July 13, 2012Completely agree mate, was unlucky at times with his finishing as well though, shots off line, good saves etc. I’d trust Wenger’s judgement over the average Ramsey hater!
p libardi
/ July 13, 2012arron ramsey is a one off talent, gifted with vision, a calm mind, and an intellect beyond his years.
Ubong brendan
/ July 13, 2012U absolutle right, i beleive in ramsy more dan any oda player at his age, he is playing in de most difficult position, he needs time.
bakrima
/ July 13, 2012i DO AGREE THIS BOY WILL HAVE AN EXCELLENT FUTURE AND BECOMES A WORLD CLASS PLAYER IF GIVEN THE RIGHT CHANCE AND CARE.
Dont Believe the hype
/ July 13, 2012I remember when Fabregas took over midfield control from Patrick Viera he got a lot of heat “from men to boys” i think was the common complaint. Ramsey is a great talent and it must be very hard on the boy to be getting this kind of stick from the same fans who once supported him when his injury almost finished him. That injury, Gary speeds injury and the loss of fabregas and Nasri finding yourself thrust into a demanding role would rock any young mind. He will learn from this experience, and come out a stronger character for it. Wenger clearly believes in him and once he discovers his confidence he will be an awesome player. We need to stop looking for a blame boy and starting getting behind this lad. Those who are screaming for him to be sold should be careful they dont get what they ask for and he goes on to recover and become the world class player he threatens to be.
James Cook
/ July 13, 2012You’re a wise man. Thank you very much.
wale
/ July 13, 2012Ramsey is too ordinary to be an arsenal player. He’s overhyped. I don’t know why when you ve players like bellamy in wales, he’s the captain. He’s sloppy on the ball, gives it away a lot, he lacks speed, he’s lacks confidence and u said it ‘momemtary loss of concentration’ cost arsenal some games last season. He just okay and I don’t think there any room for improvement. If u had said Jack wilshire, now there a talent. If he were fit last season,ramsey would ve been on the bench most of the time……song, arteta, wilshire anyday anytime with rosicky waiting to come on when needed…..please wenger get M’villa
Dipor
/ July 13, 2012Ramsey is an incredible player , last season was his first season after his long term injury . He needs time to come back to his very best. Ramsey should not be sold.
Taiwo
/ July 13, 2012Yea, Rambo is one of my best player @ Arsenal including Diaby & Bendtner . If given enough tme & chance.i believe they will improve & also prove what they can offer to the 0club.
AndyP
/ July 14, 2012Good article with which I totally agree with. Given time, I too believe he will become a very good AFC player. He was played out of his natural position as a holding midfielder last year due to JW’s injury and no replacement being signed for Cesc, until the January transfer window when we signed MA, who we should have signed as Cesc’s replacement last summer IMHO.
James Cook
/ July 14, 2012Thank you but MA was signed on 31st August.