Jens Lehmann believes Aaron Ramsey must stay fit for a whole Premier League campaign before he can lay claim to the tag ‘world class’ but admits the Welsh midfielder was fantastic when called upon last term.
Never one to mince his words, the ‘Invincible’ spoke of the importance of being consistently fit as a fundamental factor in reaching and maintaining peak performance.
Reflecting on the 22-year-old’s exploits, which included a four month stint on the sidelines with a thigh problem, the retired keeper told BBC Radio Wales:
“Ramsey was a surprisingly fantastic server of the club because when you’ve looked at the seasons before, he was good, but not that outstanding.
“And all of a sudden he knew how to score; he found the goal quite often. Unfortunately – and that’s what he has to work a lot on – he got injured again.
“And when you want to become a world class player, the first thing is that you’re always available. But when you’re not always available you can be as good as you want, but you will lose your rhythm and, slightly, your physique.
“And that’s what Arsenal can’t have with Aaron because Aaron was such a great character and talent that he has to be available all the time.”
In total Ramsey scored 16 goals in 34 appearances over the course of last season but his absence between Boxing Day and the defeat to Everton in early April certainly took its toll on a Gunners squad depleted at the time by injuries to other parties.
Given his horrific leg break in 2010, the series of niggly injuries which followed and the psychological rollercoaster that resulted from the fitness issues and other off-field issues it’s amazing how far Ramsey has come in the last 18 months. But maybe Jens is right…
Without any international football to distract him this summer (and that likely to be an on-going state of affairs basis given Wales’ history) he, unlike some of his teammates, has a real chance to hit the ground running next year. Let’s hope that a full pre-season stands him in good stead come August.
Well I’m reliaby informed by 2012 piers Morgan that ramsey is shit. I donb know who to believe
I am reliably informed by everyone in the world that Piers Morgan is shit.
I think I believe them.
At least we can all be thankful that Wales are shit.
I thought the same, and have been eating delicious humble pie ever since. But let’s not pretend he was the only one in thinking that, shall we?
Your name is amusing. Have we met before? Are you Schrodinger’s Wenga by any chance????
It is very amusing, although a tad inaccurate.
Still, cool name
According the principles of quantum mechanics, only he who admits it is certain to have thought so.
This who don’t admit it are not neccessarily pretending anything. 😉
Bad news= lots of our players will need time to recover from the World Cup (except the English cause they think Gerrard is a DM).
Good News= all the sides competing for Champions League places or the League Title have the same issue.
I’m so happy for Aaron. I’ve been backing Rambo for years now.
The thing that has helped him with his career: his nationality.
Because he is Welsh, there’s not been any real media pressure on Aaron – whereas Jack has had the media spotlight since he first came on the scene. I believe this, along with many other things, are the reasons how/ why Rambo has excelled.
The fucking bbc had this story slant towards Ramsey moving to Bayern. Thanks Mr blogs for putting this story in its proper context.
hate the media. always wanting our players to move elsewhere. Anyone seen the ridiculous article on DM about how ‘Arsenal don’t deserve Ramsey’….what a joke. Arsene stood by the kid when nobody would’ve but we don’t deserve him because we backed him to get over the injury? Aparently Ramsey is ‘too good to win the FA cup’. Where’s the sense? We should have a website simply ridiculing them and their stupid articles.
Rambo is 23, not 22… … … Maybe your face is pedantic.
Weirdly/worryingly he also said in that article that Ramsey should play a full season at that level before considering moving to a big continental side. He said he would fit in perfectly with Bayern. Not sure what Jens is doing but I’d prefer him not to suggest Arsenal is a stop gap till he moves to Bayern or Barca…
…and a fit Ramsey will have dem sugar-daddy clubs squirming and whimpering for his signature in return for shitload of cash and all sorts of vain shit including (but not limited to) autographed birthday cakes.
Nonetheless, we won the cup by the stroke of Ramsey’s foot and John Terry is a major cunt of course.
It can’t just be me that thinks that Ramsey already is world class.
Sure, he may yet get better, but on current evidence is there really any doubt?
I think he outperformed every central midfielder in europe this season, perhaps the world. But what the pervious incarnation of arsenals mad german ( mantel now succeeded by the pod ) is true, For Ramsey to get to that next level, he needs to be fit for a whole season and I think if he is there isn’t a lot out there that can stop him!
I’m with Lehmann actually, which is why I’m one (of few I suppose) who consider the BFG our player of the year ahead of Ramsey. The BFG played 50% more football this season (52 vs 35 matches), which is a massive difference. Ramsey (and Ozil for that matter) may have superior footballing skills, but neither can match that crazy level of consistency, week in, week out for 9 months without breaks. Here’s another example: RVP was only world class for us for 18 months. The rest of the time he had the skills and overall potential to be, but really… Read more »
Yeah, good point.
Though I still don’t think time on the pitch determines a player’s standard. RVP is still a world-class footballer (amongst other things) until he stops doing exceptional things on the pitch and even then the ‘form is temporary – class is permanent’ cliché comes into play.
You’re right regarding Mertesacker having the better claim to player of the season (over Ramsey) due to playing time. Though Ramsey would still be a contender. I can’t see how he couldn’t be.
But we won the FA Cup!!!!
He’s getting married 🙁 I thought I stood a chance…
Well…You can try me;)
My Idea Of A Perfect Girl – “Goonerette”
Looks like he’s followed through in that pic
Read the article on BBC, he goes on to say that Ramsey needs to wait a while before he needs to move to a big club like Bayern or Real. Why should he move, Arsenal can become a powerhouse if we win the CL and PL in the next 3 years.
Newshound, the link takes me to the Hartson article on the eve of the final “Ramsey will be a big summer target”?
In a recent interview, didn’t Ramsey himself say that playing for a club like Real Madrid one day is “mouthwatering”? Maybe Jens is trying to get him to pump the brakes on that one?
Aaron won’t move…he’s 23 I believe. We have him till 2018 when he’ll be around 27/28. Midfielders usually peak at 25/6. Plus…if we achieve our potential why should he leave?
Depends how greedy he gets. Can’t see us offering Man City/Real Madrid wages for a long long time to come.
typical fans. Everyone else is morally corrupted but fans.
new challenges, experiencing new leagues, …
Ramsey is a very good player, is duty on the picth is excellent. If he stay healthy we will see a beast on the picth, lets go Gunners.
Ramsey is a very good player, his duty on the picth is excellent. If he stay healthy we will see a beast on the picth, lets go Gunners.
A fit Ramsey = more points, no doubt about it. I always liked him and knew he’d come good. But to get a classic FA cup final winning goal in extra time was just beyond what I thought could have happened. Nobody deserved it more for what he’s been though.
For all those saying that we can’t afford real madrid/Bayern wages we can.
Mezut ozil is 3rd highest payed player in bpl.
Cazorla and ramsey are on 120k a week as far as im concerned.
Mesut probably wouldn’t be the third highest paid player even in utd squad, let in the top4 teams. Actually, being very conservative with wages might be allowing arsenal to spend some 30m/year more than most of the other clubs and some will run into very deep trouble with their wage policy. Just look at barcelona which need(*) to sell a couple of players to accumulate the fabled 80m transfer kitty, including the likes of cesc and sanchez. Similarly for utd.
(*) and perhaps will, we will see
Mesut is most definitely not the 3rd highest paid player in the league. He’s our highest paid player though, followed by Ramsey then Walcott.
Also Rambo is on 120K a week and Cazorla is on about 80K.
sorry what is this story about? I saw the word Ramsey and my eyes misted over…
Ramsey is on 100k a week mate. Maybe the next conract he’ll be on 120. Hey if Madrid want him they can offer us 120 Million and we’ll think about it.
16 goals in 34 matches !@@! I’m glad more people/sugar daddies aren’t jizzing their pants over the best Welsh player in the world and his Tom Cruise unmonkey like looks… Unfortunately for the amount of running he does to get himself in advanced positions I think it would be unfair to expect him to play 50 matches a season he probably covers 30% more ground than the BFG so comparisons about appearances are somewhat unjust… He puts in a very honest shift defensively, tackles like Rambo every match and in theory if he played 50 matches he will be approaching… Read more »
There have been moments when watching Ramsey that have reminded me of the best of Zidane. Just moments, mind, but still very few players could cause me to make even that sort of statement.
I’m so excited to watch him continue to develop, and I hope that he becomes the living symbol of the second of Arsene’s great runs as Arsenal manager.
I still get perplexed when people say “So and So must stay fit”. Even more confusing is when they add “if HE wants to …”
I think people should state this fact of life properly: Players WANT to be fit all the time, the whole season. You can only sympathize with one when they get an injury and say it differently at least. Now, what can we advise Rambo? – don’t train too hard, don’t go in to challenges or what?
We can only wish them a ‘fit’ season when it comes to that subject.
You gaze upon my thoughts.
Lehmanns then snarled at the conclusion of the interview on remembering the John Terry is still a massive cunt©. He then grabbed his coat and careened down the street.
Like Walcott, Ramsey came good around 23 +.
Watch for jack next season when he turns 23.
Also think Ozil will settle in and if he can add a bit more gumption rather than drop his shoulders first thing it doesn’t go his way, he will be outstanding (Much like fabregas when he added aggression, again I believe around 23)
It’s around the age when players come to an epiphany with all previous experience or not.