Friday, March 29, 2024

Player of the Week: Aaron Ramsey

We can accept a draw at United given how bleak that performance was. It had alarming shades of the old, useless Arsenal reminiscent throughout and we looked a shadow of the team that has performed so well this season. the players were off key all game until Ramsey upped the ante and Wilshere came on to give arsenal a much needed drive. He’s been excellent following his return. Happy that Theo got the goal. He really should have started on Wednesday. As for player of the week well I  think its fairly obvious and Gary Neville rightly pointed it out.

The only real performer out on that pitch, both games, but mainly United, was Aaron Ramsey. You could almost see the shackles flying off as soon he was given permission to play in the heart of the midfield. From there it was twenty minutes of sublime football and impact from the Welshman. I really hope he’s our future captain. He offers so much. He’d be my choice. And let’s face it, it’s him or Wilshere. Then again if Wilshere has a year without injury you could easily see him as the natural successor for Arsenal’s captaincy, being no.10 and English and academy prodigy and all.

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Arsenal were pretty dismal for the 60% of the game and it looked to be a very depressing evening after Giroud and Sanchez were both guilty of wasting the best chance of the game. Alas, the 70 minutes came up, which meant change. Walcott and Wilshere came on and proved the difference. Not only because of their impact but because they allowed Arsenal to adopt a more natural approach in the form of playing their two stars in Wilshere and Ramsey at the heart of the action with Theo providing the width. The goal game from Ramsey picking the ball up and launching it brilliantly to Walcott who took it ran and fortune saw his cross deflect in the neat. The relief was enormous. losing to United could have been disastrous given the last result and how much promise this team has showed over the last 12 months.

Then Sunderland came to our place and we stumbled about in the dark again. Sanchez is understandably showing signs of rust and if he plays on Sunday then that would be truly ridiculous. He’s hit 50 games already, which is also ridiculous for an player adapting to a new country. Our best player on the night was arguably Theo Walcott with his distasteful and ignorant 20 minutes game time. Wenger needs to play our best players in their best positions. Theo Walcott is alongside Sanchez as our best forward and winger. He’s had his recovery time. Now it should be about getting him smiling and smashing goals away. He can’t do that with a measly 20 minutes every week. And despite what people think and say with regards to being happy if he left, this is also ridiculous. We’ve given one of our best the cold shoulder purely because he’s been out for so long. It’s no way to treat one of your leading players. And Stirling is not an upgrade yet. An unpopular opinion, but I’m constantly stunned by the abuse and blame that gets laid at Theo’s feet. Even more so when you watch his growth pre-injury. This is not a timid Theo Walcott any more. He’s a weapon, and one that  many don’t seem to want to use. Just look at his impact against Sunderland. That is the player Arsenal needs and already has. Theo’s position is not where improvements need to be made. It’s also interesting to see that Liverpool fans aren’t crying too much over losing Stirling. That tells a story.

Anyway, that’s just me backing a player that’s stayed when everybody else has left for glory. Ironically, that’s what Stirling wants to do. But if you say Stirling and Theo, then we’ll chat some more.

It’s no surprise that Ramsey is attracting attention from them guys in Spain because soon he’ll be dominating world football. Ramsey was the one who fought the criticism and proved everybody wrong, and told Theo to sign, so his heart’s with Arsenal. Not too bothered about these rumours. I don’t think Ramsey will ever be for sale. And I don’t think he’ll make Fabregas’ mistakes because he’s smart and grounded.

He’s been Arsenal’s spark in the two games this week and he’ll have a say in the FA Cup final. I hope he scores the winner. Imagine that!

 

 

 

 

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