Sunday, October 13, 2024

Ramsey: I prefer playing in the centre

Aaron Ramsey says he’s happy doing a job for Arsene Wenger on the right flank of Arsenal’s midfield, however, the Welshman admits he’d rather operate in a central berth where he can be more involved.

The 24-year-old thrived in the middle of the park last season picking up the club’s Player of the Season award after scoring 16 goals that included the winner in the FA Cup final.

He did start the season in a similar role only for injuries to force the boss into a midfield experiment that struck ‘gold’…well a 10 game Premier League unbeaten streak anyway.

Speaking to the Evening Standard after Monday night’s defeat to Swansea, Ramsey reflected: “[Playing on the right] is not my preferred position.

“I am a central midfielder and that’s where I like to be. I like to be involved a lot more in the game. When you are out wide you don’t touch the ball for three or four minutes and I like to be at the heart of everything, trying to drive the team forward.

“But the manager’s asked me to do a job out there, and I do have the licence to drift in and get involved. When we are defending, I have to stay in position but when we get the ball I can drift. I am not a winger, I can’t knock the ball beyond my man like Theo [Walcott] does.

“I prefer to get in the little pockets of space, get involved and play the combinations but it is important to do a job for the team.”

Looking back at his form during this campaign Ramsey also noted how niggly injury problems have repeatedly knocked him off his stride.

“The season has been a bit stop-start for me and that’s been frustrating. It takes you a few games to get into a routine each time you come back. But other than that I’ve been quite happy. I’ve got into double figures again for goals this season [he has 10 goals] and added a few assists, too. We’ve still got some games to go so I want to score a few more yet.

“Maybe because of last season people are looking more at things like goals and assists and comparing it to last year but it is important to me as a midfielder to score and create goals. It is an important part of the way I want to play so I’m definitely happier when I’m achieving those goals. I’ve been happy with my form and I want it to continue.”

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Rohith J

14 goals in another injury-laden campaign. His ‘average performance’ has really gone up a few notches since last season. Very impressive. Going to show off by saying that I kept my faith in him during his not-so-great times too. HWB!

Hoogy

Just to clarify, on Handsome terms anyway, HFB > HWB.

Henry! Chance!! Goal!!!

Have you been drinking on the job again, blogs?

Scott P

Unless I’m mistaken, the chart on the page you linked says that he has 14 goals in 37+8 appearances this season…?

Scott P

Sorry, I just got confused. I went to 2 different sites where one said he scored 11 and the other said 10… Apparently few people know how much he actually scored. Kudos for finding the real answer, it’s a jungle out there.

Cyril Washbrook

I usually find Transfermarkt quite good for the key stats: e.g. goals, assists, minutes, position. Some other sites drill down into more detail but don’t cover all tournaments or have more data entry errors.

CB

Too many good players. Hope we keep them happy. I’m sure he knows the fans think he is great and his long-term position is centrally.

Good problem to have.

Siz C

His long-term position is central, so is Wilshere, Ozil, Ox, Coq, Cazorla, Arteta.

OOzil

winning medals keeps everyone happy..

GOONERSMURF

I have a lot of time for the welsh jesus, but the simplest things seem to elude him and playing centrally those simplest of things can be very costly indeed.

Giroud rockss

I hope he goes back to being our engine, like how he use to be. I want that running all game, making tackles, interceptions then distributing kind of Ramsey again. The energetic one with agility. He just seems so stiff and out of shape this season. Hope he can work on his fitness in the summer. On the plus side, his eye to make a killer pass has improved this season and he’s still scoring goals!

Chimichanga Monreal (cuz that's way more fun to say)

Wow he sure has goals on his mind. Trying too hard?

Mr. White

He needs to cut out the selfish side of his game for me. Overall a great player but when he shoots instead of passing or asking for the ball in tight positions and then loosin it is so frustrating.

OOzil

its the selfish part that is required for the team.. we have players passing to a team mate when in front of goal as well.. let him shoot..

Ciderman

How about a three – five – two formation?

Man Like Ozil

So what would that look like? Ospina; Gabriel, Merte, Kosc; Coquelin/Ramsey, Santi; Bellerin/Ramsey, Ozil/Wilshere, Sanchez/Gibbs; Giroud, Welbeck/Walcott? It’s one of those silly things that looks brilliant on paper and on Fifa 15, but probably wouldn’t work in real life. It would mean sacrificing our wingers. We could play ultra defensively with Bellerin and Gibbs (purely making the cut for me because I still think he’s a better attacking fullback) but leaving Ozil very exposed through the middle. Similarly we could go for broke – Ramsey and Sanchez out wide, Ozil through the middle and a dynamic strike partnership up top.… Read more »

Flashmob

I see it differently

Dreamer

Wish i would be in the center of the Bench cause i still don’t rate him. Hope Wneger brings in a powerhouse for the middle of the mid field to play along side the Coq and push Santi into the number 10 role although his is playing great in there beside the Coq i think he would be better than Ozil in that role a top class keeper and please bring a world class striker who does not need 10 chances to score.

MegaJulz

ZzzZzzZzz

Arsene's Zip

Not sure if trolling or just a fucking idiot.

Lemme guess…. you want Wenger out too?

Dreamer

Wenger out, Redknapp in

Stillmatic

Well, at least your username is accurate.
So you’re not completely useless then.

La Défense

Welsh Jesus seems to be rather too focused on goals and assists for a “central midfielder”. It’d be nice to hear him say things like supporting our Coq in times of distress, holding the shape, improving on his already impressive tackling and interceptions figures from last season. Goals and assists will always come, and they should be a bonus, not his first priority.

adriano

He’s not really a “central midfielder” anymore. Ramsey has evolved into a unique offensive talent, and in our system he has a lot of freedom.
Last season we wanted him to shoot every chance he had, because everything was going in. Let him continue to play his game his way, and the goals will come back with a vengeance.

John C

Ramsey isn’t good enough to be a unique offensive talent and the rest of the team aren’t good enough either to accommodate his talents, which to my opinion aren’t that unique.

He has to learn how to be more of a team player

Chilli

?

Left

He should really give the right wing position a go. I think he fits there quite nicely and helps the team balance, considering the amount of central players available.

Stringer Bell

Yep, last 2 home games when teams set up to defend we have failed to score and with Ramsey, who is clearly not a wide player, playing wide of a front 3, we created one attempt on target in about 150 mins of football. Clearly the width he provides is working and the middle is not getting to congested. I like Ramsey and believe he has great potential but he is nowhere near as good as some believe. He gives the ball away and gets caught in possession so many times. Then he may pop up with a goal and… Read more »

John C

Like a few people on here, i’ve been far from impressed with Ramsey this season. I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, he really needs to take a look at Cazorla if he wants to start playing central midfield again because Santi has shown him up big time this season playing out of position. In my opinion for Ramsey to get back into central midfield he has to play a lot closer to our defensive midfielder, move the ball forward quicker and cut out the stupid tricks and flicks that don’t add anything to his game. I personally… Read more »

Glasgow Gunner

To think he is only 6 goals from last seasons heroics is quite surprising.

Not too shabby for a stop start season and better than I thought. He perhaps hasn’t imposed himself on games as last year but if he is fit, he plays.

Let’s hope for less niggles next year and watch him kick on a bit.

Fatgooner

I’d prefer to see Ramsey in the middle too. That wide right position should be for either Welbeck or the Ox: we miss out on creativity and attacking power on that flank when Ramsey plays there. Against the weaker sides we could get away with Ramsey and Cazorla together – Le Coq doesn’t have to play every game.

CB

Good point, he is best suited to the middle so long he plays in a disciplined way and runs the furthest of all our players, like he did last season. He still managed a lot of goals turning up late in the box. I like the idea of him and Coq so there is someone getting in the way of counter attacks if Ramsey is attacking.

Stringer Bell

We’ll said sir. I agree completely. Coyg

Chimichanga Monreal (cuz that's way more fun to say)

Apocalypse alert….no thumbs down for fatgooner. What is the world coming to? (I thumbed you up for only second time ever.)

Maybe you need to grow up….thumbing him down does not put a hole in his chest.

Did my Dizzle

It’s a good point. We pummelled lesser teams in a world before Coq. Ramsey and Santi in the middle and Ozil in front could be brilliant.

Stringer Bell

Ramsey needs to be dropped and sit on bench if he cannot dislodge santi. Wenger I’m afraid try’s accommodate.

alagbakore

What is HFB and HWB?

Rodders1971

Huge Welsh Beard.Not sure about HFB…

Randy Pan the Arsenal Fan

Horrifying flaccid brobdingnagian

alagbakore

Thanks

Eternal Titi Berg Pat Nostalgia

Iol

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