Arsenal are flying and a certain superman is returning. The welsh wizard. Aaron Ramsey, of course. There’s no denying that the large portion of the Hull game belonged to the Welshman and his all action trait once again exploded into life, and certain games just allow him to do that and to get away with it. Hull was one of those games.
He played with all his unrestrained enthusiasm and heart and was effective in most areas of the pitch and every time he touched the ball, there was usually the expectation of seeing something audacious follow. It feels like we’ve got Ramsey back to his blistering best or there about; all that remains is stunning goal to accompany all of his build up play, which has been impressive over the last month. Even more so when you take into consideration the frequent magic emitting from Mezut Ozil. Then there’s Sanchez of course who doesn’t seem to be able to not contribute to every game.
You also have to question that the reason Ramsey is an assured starter is purely because of how dynamic he is compared to everybody else in the team. Emphasised with devastating effect when he made a ghost run through the Hull defence, picked out perfectly by a slice of majesty from our own corporal magician in Santi Cazorla. Ramsey made the run and took the ball down brilliantly and the rest was as inevitable as his two back-heels per game.
He spun the defender and a slice of fortune saw the ball smash into the net. But it’s Ramsey’s goal. It’s all his own work, much like Sanchez is often rewarded for his non-stop antics. Perhaps this is the way Wenger is leaning to now in terms of recruitments and possibly why Theo Walcott is still being shown the cold shoulder – something I’m not comfortable with.
Quick word on Theo. I can’t be the only one who finds the whole thing bizarre and the thought of letting him go seems ridiculous given how strong we are now. He is still among our very best players and when he’s at his best Theo is unplayable. I can’t see the benefits of leaving him out in the cold when Arsenal are in the best position they’ve been in for a long, long time. People seem too ready to forget how outstanding he was pre-injury, the goals, the fire, he was finally the real deal. And now people are happy to see him fade out into nothing? I don’t believe that. And if he were to go then I’d question Wenger, despite the allure of Sanchez and Co. Theo is Theo.
Anyway, as it stands Ramsey is keeping Theo out and recent performances suggest that’s not going to change any time soon. He prefers the middle and is more effective in the action area of the pitch where he can do his Rambo thing more effectively. It’s a sign of his talent and attitude that he’s still effective from the wings, he’s still impacting every game he plays in.
I think that’s why he’s a fan and Wenger favourite. There’s so many areas to his game that he influences the football even when he’s not playing at his peak level. He’s sharp too, always thinking creatively, whether it’s an improvised shot, trademark flick, or spin and pass – of which were all on display against Hull, highlighting the very unpredictable and exciting nature of Aaron Ramsey. He really is turning into an unorthodox world-beater. Give him the arm band. See what happens. It might be the biggest fireworks display yet.