Aaron Ramsey has hinted he’ll miss the start of the new Premier League season after confirming he now has three weeks off after Wales’ exciting EURO 2016 campaign was ended by Portugal.
After impressing throughout the tournament the midfielder had to sit out last night’s semi-final defeat to Portugal following his costly yellow card in the win over Belgium.
The 25-year-old will return from France tomorrow, along with the rest of Chris Coleman’s squad, and will likely be given a heroic welcome in Cardiff before heading off on holiday.
“I am back [at Arsenal] on August 1, so I have a few weeks off but, obviously, it kicks off a couple of weeks afterwards,” Ramsey confirmed.
“A few years ago, Germany won the World Cup and the German players came in just a few days before the first game of the season, but they missed that.
“He [Wenger] does like to give players a little break and I’ll be getting the same treatment. I feel I need a few weeks off now.”
Reflecting on his impressive showing in recent weeks, Ramsey added: “Before the tournament, I was really keen to do well and stand up and be noticed. I feel that I’ve done that.
“It helps playing in this team, as well, but I wanted to personally do my best and I think I have.”
Assuming we don’t suffer a pre-season injury crisis it’s likely that Ramsey’s absence will be covered by the likes of Jack Wilshere, Mohamed Elneny, Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and new boy Granit Xhaka.
Mesut Ozil, so influential last season, Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny also risk missing the first game of the new campaign against Liverpool (now on Sunday 14 August) given they too are still involved in France.
Could be a big season for Rambo – I reckon he can form cracking partnership with Xhaka.
But we have so many different options now that missing the start of pre-season and probably first few games could mean we find something even better!
Oh god, he said it. Now three of our midfielders are going to collide with each other in training and be out for 9 months.
They were right about Wales being a one man team. Shame that man was in the stands last night.
On that note, we signed Bale after Real decided he was surplus to requirement after purchasing Hazard…. And then I woke up. I guess all the media kissing Mou’s and Zlatan’s arse got to my head. Now I can’t wait to see them failing (a long shot but hey imagine what excuses Mou will use then).
Hazard is hugely overrated.
Hoping for an epic clash of personalities and failed performances by e specialist in parking bus together with his bus drivers.
Could be a big season for Rambo. Would it be wrong of me to say though I feel like him and xhaka are a little bit similar in their styles and we could end up with the Gerrard/Lampard problem but with Ramsey/xhaka or would it be off set by the fact neither have egos bigger than the team bus and Ramsey doesn’t actually mind doing a bit of running…..
They’re very different styles though. Almost no comparison.
Ramsey has developed into an offensive force and likely won’t even be playing in that #8 position. He needs to be one of our front 4.
Xhaka is very similar to Kroos or Alonso. Totally different area of the pitch.
Xhaka is actually able to sit back, he’s more like Arteta. Who formed the best partnership with Ramsey of any we’ve tried.
He has done enough to warrant his £50 move to barcelona surely.
he would cost more than fifty quid
Unlike Theo
In Ramsey’s absence, Bale was forced to shoot from long distance. Ramsey would have created space and Bale would have been lethal.
I do not like the fact that Ozil, Giroud, Koscielny, and Ramsey may have to miss the Liverpool and probably Leicester games… Sanchez is nursing an injury as well. Troubling, but I hope the gaffer has something up his sleeve.
Gaffer has Carzola, Theo (Akpom or Sanogo), Gabriel and Ox up his sleeve. He won’t play a potential new buy after one week of training. He doesn’t do that.
…koscielny being the biggest miss there IMO.. got a feeling he’ll be back earlier than the rest. Warrior.
Ramsey made Wales look good
Ramsey was a stand out star of the euros. He was pretty much man of the match in every match he played in at the euros. Bale started well but faded badly… But Ramsey on the other hand just got better and better and was pretty much unplayable against. Belgium.
Hope he brings that form in to the new season for us.
So where was that passion and performance last season?
I think ramsey ‘s play style is perfectly suited for the no. 10 role in the or premier-league. We signed ozil however, so we end up playing him deeper where he has to curb his creative instincts or on the wings where he’s really not a big threat.
Completely agree. But with Xhaka alongside him I hope we see Ramsey from the 13/14 season. Xhaka is the closest thing to Arteta (his partner in crime that season), defensively very disciplined but can pick out passes and recycle possession very well. However I really think away from home a 4-3-3 may be better as we’re always caught on the counter. And 4-3-3 can absolutely bring the best out of Ramsey than 4-2-3-1
Ramsey could benefit from Ozil coming a bit deeper and our wide players getting closer to the CF, a proper 4-3-3 basically. We aimed for 4-2-3-1 last season but a lot of the time, especially in defence, it looks more like a 4-4-1-1. Alternatively, I’d be interested in looking at a diamond formation. Whenever Sanchez has played alongside Walcott or Welbeck up front, with Ramsey wide right, we seem to form a diamond formation in attack with Ramsey tucking in and Sanchez surging forward. It’s produced some of our best football over the last couple of years and it could… Read more »
Ramsey was terrific throughout the Euros. But I think people are underestimating the importance of having Bale in the team in giving Ramsey the space to influence the game as he did. I don’t think it’s a question of formation (though it’s hard to imagine Arsenal ever playing five at the back, as Wales did); I think it’s the absolute fear that defenders have of Bale in possession and running at them. Only Messi, in a close-possession kind of way, inspires an equivalent fear (Ronaldo did this until recently; maybe Henry fifteen years ago was similar).
Rambo was a big miss last night and I suspect he would have made the difference – just hope whoever wins tonight goes on to win the whole tournament!!!
Obviously Wales didn’t have a chance without its Master of Dragons. It’s fucking mental mates. Mental. Two yellow cards in five tournament games, no biggest-game-of-your-life for you buddy! Sorry. All yellow cards given by referees are fair and reasonable.
Super proud of Rambo. He showed his quality and made his country proud. Hope he repays Arsene’s consistency with him this season
No probs. Liverpool will be missing Joe Allen.
I’m sure he’ll end up playing alongside Xhaka, but I can’t help but think that playing him on the left of our three forwards behind the striker (with Alexis on the right, Mesut as the no. 10, and Santi partnering Xhaka in the middle) would allow him to replicate some of the incisive running and passing which he’s shown for Wales in a position higher up the pitch. Mesut would then be able to drift wide into the space that Ramsey creates by coming inside on to his right foot. Anyway, just a thought.
“I wish there was a match for 3rd place that he could still play in before he takes a break!” -No one
Haha, that may be the best part of this euros. No 3rd place match. Excellent.
Sign a bloody striker and CB
Hope he rests well for the coming season. AND also hope today’s rumours about a bid for Drexler and West Ham coming for Walcott are true. That would be a hell of a signing and good riddance respectively.
*Draxler*
Thought you meant Clyde “The Glide” Drexler. He would be a very different signing.
Ramsey played alright in the games he played apart from the England game. His wayward passing is his problem, let’s hope he does better this coming season than last with his confidence back.
In Wales squad he was one of the main men and a key player, In Arsenal he is just another squad member and there are several players higher up on the food chain. But I think Ramsey prefer to be the central key player everyone looks to. He had a great season for us a few years back when he got to be the main man in midfield. I also notice he said it was important for him to do well and stand up and be noticed in this tournament which will probably lead to speculation that he put himself… Read more »
I am sure Juventus, Atletico, PSG and Dortmund would like to have Ramsey. Fans want Wenger to buy Draxler but we already have our own Draxler even though Ramsey has been quite inconsistent playing for Arsenal. Lot of our players pay the price for Wenger not wanting to change his system.
I seriously doubt that Ramsey would want to go from a starter at Arsenal to anything at West Ham. I also seriously doubt that Wenger has any intention of selling him.
Ramsey isn’t a starter at Arsenal which is why it would be a good move for him
Ramsey is a starter at Arsenal
Hopefully he has put himself in the window and we can cash in. Not good enough in the system we play but could be a star elsewhere for lower team who build game around him. Take 20 million for him and wish him well.
Most fans can’t see past their noses. Buy a superb up and coming 30m holding mid and they complain about too many midfielders etc. We always suffer knocks We need to have the cover. To me next season : CF – Giroud Walcott (new player to replace Walcott) RW – Ox Campbell LW – Alexis Iwobi (Gnabry) AM – Ozil Ramsey CM – Santi Jack DM – Granit Coq UM – Elneny (Zelalem or Jeff) RB – Bellerin Chambers LB – Monreal Gibbs CB – Per (New player to understudy Per) CB – Koscielny Gabriel GK – Cech (Either of… Read more »
I know it should be fun to see how our players get on in the final stages of the tournament, but I have to say it’s equally frustrating from an Arsenal point of view. The first couple games of the season will almost have the feel of pre-season matches as the team we put out will be a lot different to the line-up we’ll be using for the rest of the season. Wouldn’t be too much of an issue if we had some easy home games to open with, but we’ve got Liverpool and Leicester who’ll both have pretty much… Read more »
Wales clearly missed Ramsey. Shorn of him, Bale had to carry much of the burden on his own. The likes of Allen (Bigged up by the press as ‘world class’ when under Brendan Rodgers) too easily exposed for his mediocrity. Those who pompously believe they know more about football and development than Wenger should do well to also remember (yes he has his flaws) but he had faith to bring in Iwobi, Campbell, Coquelin and Bellerin where many were bleating on about how these same players they now laud lacked quality for Arsenal. At the same time they were going… Read more »
When he was in his Welsh Jesus pomp (at Arsenal not last week) was he playing the 10 or 8 role? For a couple of months he was the best player in the league. If it was the box to box role, maybe he can duplicate that with Xhaka behind him?
Hoping our players come back and perform as well as they have on the international stage this summer. Kos, Xhaka, Ozil, Rambo, Giroud & Alexis have all been brilliant and we need them to step up again this season
Ramsey, Giroud, Kos, Mesut, Sanchez etc will all be delayed starters and of course we have Danny out too, oh how I wonder whether our manager will do anything about it by spending money that actually isn’t his?
Rest Ozil atimes and play Rambo there. If it doesn’t work you can always make early substitutions . Rotate the squad, keep everyone fresh. Rambo can play there and can be effective too as we have seen