This is mind-boggling to me. Ramsey has clearly performed better throughout his career when he is advanced in midfield. His best attribute is his skill in and around the box. His worst attribute is positional discipline. I suppose he could be a very good deeper midfielder if he learned how to play positionally. But he's turning 26 this season and I don't see him changing his stripes. Why Wenger can't see this is beyond me. He refuses to acknowledge that his players have weaknesses that need to be considered when incorporating them into the game plan.
How do you figure? His best period was the nearly 2 calendar years he played with Arteta in a double pivot, and what made him great in that time was his ability to be a difference maker in all phases. I think Wenger bought Zhaka specifically to try to get the best out of Ramsey by giving him an ideal partner.
A number of us disagree with you on that. Against bad teams, Ramsey should be played next to Xhaka (which is partly why he was signed). Against mid-table sides, mix and match based on the oppositions. Possession only becomes an issue against the teams that are really good in midfield, and only Man City and Tottenham fit that definition in England.
Against anyone who can pass the ball and move it well in posession and also counter attack Ramsey needs to play in a diamond or as the most advanced cm in a 4 3 3
I just have a feeling xhaka and elneny are going to dominate the deep midfield slots. Not just on our team, but in the league. They both are pretty aware defensively and collected moving the ball forward. I don't think Ramsey can compete with them in the deep slots. Advanced he can't compete with ozil and even santi on his day. I think Ramsey will find himself being slotted in wherever he's needed--on the right, from the bench when we are fighting for a goal, #10 when mesut is tired or hurt, tactically when AW wants 5 possession players, etc. Another season like last and I'd guess his agent will be in his ear about moving on to a club where he can be deployed similarly to his exploits with Wales.
There's an interesting backstory to Ramsey's summer, but I love the look of him in that #8. Injury permitting, he'll boss this season.— AFCAMDEN (@AFCAMDEN) August 7, 2016 Apparently Ramsey was thinking about leaving this summer.
You nailed it. He is becoming the swiss knife of the MF. He clearly not suited for the deep CM positions. One of then is Xhaka, the other is for Santi or Elneny depending on the opposition and for rotation purposes. Ramsey does not have the positional discipline of an Elneny or the technical nous of a Santi for the role. Both of them are better than him at this position. His free attacking role for Wales fits him perfectly but at Arsenal, this position is taken by the untouchable Mesut. He is in a conundrum and he may need a move, at some point in a year or two, if he wants to fulfill his potential and play regularly.
yeah, Ramsey gonna be in the first XI all season barring injury. And he gonna have a great season too. You both gonna have to deal with that.
If anyone is going to end up playing less than they would like (especially if a wide player is bought) , it is going to be Santi.
Dude, there is no need for that...You may not like Arsene but calling him senile is totally out of line for any Arsenal fan.
pretty much. Santi is the guy who is clearly not first choice. And Wenger plays Ramsey whenever he is healthy.
Hope he kicks on as you say, but based on what I've seen so far this preseason Ramsey is the odd man out once ozil comes back. I'd say Ramsey will play out wide against pool. AW will play two of elneny, xhaka and coq deep with an inexperienced back line. AW also plays santi when he's fit as well, maybe this is the year that changes that but he's looked pretty good so far. I'd say for pool: Rambo---Alexis---Walcott -----------santi ---elneny-----xhaka Solid base, santi to move the ball and beat the press. A front three that is about as good as we can put out at the moment.
Agree. It may be a choice between Iwobi and Ransey on the left. Vs Pool press that is a safe MF to have.
I don't see where Rambo plays when everyone is fit. He made a good fist of playing on the right a while back, but if we could get a confident Ox on the field I'd rather that. You could play him at 10 or at the tip of a diamond, but he's no playmaker. He's more about arriving in the box to get on the end of things a la David Platt (one for the kids there!) so you really need to play with good wide men delivering crosses for that and there's the small matter of having no place for Ozil. He doesn’t cut it as one of the deeper two, he gives the ball away too much. In short, if you want to play him as a regular starter, you need to set the team up to play to his strengths otherwise he's great squad depth.
You can play Ramsey anywhere on the pitch. Id actually like him in Oxlade's current position, but you could sit him beside Xhaka as well. He fits, its just up to Wenger to make it happen.
First touch is a tad inconsistent, but if he keeps things simple and just plays, he's perfect for a three man midfield. A real diamond of a player, even.
For me .. Ramsey remains my favorite player and also the player I critique the most For me the best position is box to box midfielder with more liberal attacking Swiss knife of midfield might best option, yet still believe that he and Ozil could work well together