Aaron Ramsey’s winning goal in extra-time of the 2014 FA Cup Final secured his place in the upper echelons of Arsenal folklore and, in doing so, he has been propelled into a life of unfamiliarity. An abundance of change has taken place since that eventful day and adjusting to that has come with a steep learning curve, a curve that the Welsh international is yet to fully come to terms with. Many supporters have lost patience quicker than they gained new found admiration for Ramsey just months ago, in the wake of his breakthrough, and though there is an extreme amount of hyperbole attached to the frustration, there is some ground to suggest that it is at least partly warranted. That does not mean that there isn’t valid explanation for his supposed problems though, it’s the accumulation of a number of different factors each contributing detrimentally to varying degrees and therein lies the aim behind this article; to consider the reasons, elaborate on them, and issue something of a forecast for the future.
Arsenal fans were treated to an emergence of meteoric proportions in the opening months of the season, Ramsey’s influence on games was ubiquitous and the way in which he stepped up from midfield resonated something unique to Arsène Wenger sides post-Fàbregas. Aspects to his play were widely acknowledged when normally they would go unnoticed by the majority, team-mates identified his abilities as the recipe for salvation when things weren’t going their way, and the system’s overall dynamic depended a great deal on his form. In fact, all of that is appropriate when assessing 2014/15 to this point, and is deserving of some blame in and of itself. When Aaron is playing well, by all accounts, the circumstances are beneficial to everyone – he’s able to thrive off the universal appreciation, his status in the dressing room and his importance tactically – however when he’s unable to build momentum we see the opposite outcome eventuate, as we’re lamentably witnessing at the moment.
Everything he does on the pitch is amplified by observers, as was the case through large parts of the last campaign, but right now his every action is evaluated in a contrasting light; isolated incidents are now regarded as the constant and there is a sense of convenience to making him the scapegoat. It’s easy to neglect the positives from his performances when he makes one or two errors that support the narrative that his ego is out of control and that his hype was unjustified, it’s the fuel which charges the anti-Arsenal agendas currently prevalent in British media. Ramsey is a product of that environment and it can be very difficult to reverse the theme, although if there’s anyone at Emirates Stadium capable of finding the resilience necessary to do that it’s undoubtedly the 23-year-old. He’s relied upon even more so to turn losses into draws and draws into wins despite the lack of rhythm to his game because of his heroic antics at Wembley in May and, to a lesser extent, in August against Manchester City and Crystal Palace. It’s senseless for his colleagues to expect that calibre or production from him irrespective of context and that is something Wenger should answer for – there has to be more flexibility to the collective approach.
There’s also something to be said for the tactical imbalance drawing significant attention as the Gunners continue to underwhelm this season, and Ramsey is very much involved in that. Mesut Özil endured similar scrutiny last year, but his off the ball movement – drifting into wide, unoccupied spaces to draw midfielders away from the centre – made Aaron’s job filling a box-to-box presence with added emphasis on penetration through the middle far easier. Özil has spent time on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury and without that added assistance the same opportunities to wreak havoc haven’t arisen. They formed an understanding that reaped many rewards when both featured simultaneously, but the same issues which disrupted their coalition during Mesut’s first twelve months in North London have prevented them from manufacturing the remedy to a less than favourable predicament once again, much to the annoyance of those with high hopes following the red hot finish to last term. It wouldn’t be ludicrous to argue that the two represent the most integral parts to the side’s fate, if not by quality but by default due to the formation, and the burden of that is inevitably taking its toll.
That being said, no two players should ever be afforded that level of responsibility for a team with Arsenal’s ambitions and something needs to be done about amending that as soon as possible. Depending on who you listen to, Wenger’s ineptitude ostensibly revolves around his limited focus on opposition in his pre-match preparation, which by logic implies that he directs maximum effort to his own team’s strategies. If that is indeed the truth then more hours have to be committed to filling the void Özil has left in his absence, if you’re interested in finding a sole solution to Ramsey’s plight then this could very well be it. There isn’t anyone at present who can create space as effectively as the 25-year-old, nobody will deny that biased or neutral, however the team aren’t doomed to months of further stagnation from the former Cardiff City man if retrospective action is taken. It’s comically quintessential that Santi Cazorla, a player many consider the next best thing in the squad to Mesut, is suffering a rare dip in form, so maybe the resolution lies with propulsion, the driving force to the outfit, Alexis Sánchez. The former Barça winger has scored eleven and assisted three in all competitions since leaving Camp Nou in the summer and, Ramsey-esque, is attaining results single-handedly. The rest of the league are taking notice of his impact and are adjusting their game plans correspondingly, if Alexis is granted the license to roam and cause mayhem over a larger area of the field he could make an Özil-like contribution in my opinion.
Wenger commented on his much maligned midfielder after he was subjected to heavy criticism for his recent display against Anderlecht in the Champions League, providing his own insight into how Ramsey can formulate a renaissance; “It’s not about goal-scoring. Goal-scoring is a consequence of playing well first, so focus on playing well,” he noted. “You have to keep your priorities right as a midfielder, defend well and attack well and give good goals to the other players”. It’s not a damning suggestion and while one would suspect that Le Professeur his lectured his student behind closed doors, there is value to his thoughts shared publicly. For me, it’s important that he simplifies his pass selection and resists the temptation to attempt the more audacious “Hollywood balls” by prioritising retention, when a clear cut opportunity presents itself. Even now, his infamously wayward cross-field pass over the heads of everyone in red and white before going out for a corner back in August is disturbing to think about. This would help slow down the tempo and help support the often susceptible structure, opposed to leaving his peers vulnerable in transition after conceding possession. As a consequence of this I would anticipate his mentality in front of goal to improve too, regaining the knowledge of when to attempt a shot on goal and when to sustain circulation. You don’t lose that fundamental reading of the game and, once he rediscovers that intelligence, decision-making will become as instinctively natural as usual.
Football enthusiasts often find accounting their idols’ personal lives into their form difficult and that brutally objective mindset doesn’t present the best perspective of Ramsey’s struggles since his 109th minute strike rocketed past Allan McGregor in May. He’s now a married man, which is obviously a life changing event at his stage in his career, he’s penned a new contract at Arsenal with a healthy boost in salary in reward for his work last campaign, and has signed a deal to become the face of New Balance’s forthcoming venture into the beautiful game too. All of which have culminated to add even more pressure to his endeavors over ninety minutes and should be recognised, but of course that’s easier said than done when the sceptics enjoy turning on their players as much as they enjoy falling in love with them. The only semblance of consistency in his treatment by supporters is magnification, for better and for worse, and it’s tantamount that he learns to balance the psychological effects of that if he’s to mature into the world-class talent his potential promises. Although details regarding their relationship are rather ambiguous, I believe Arsène’s expert guidance on a personal level could help Aaron ride this storm with greater comfort and return to the standards set during happier times. At 23, he is still young, yet has already had to deal with huge adversity. Wenger’s tutorship brought him through the months following his horrific leg break at the Britannia and similar counsel would be very useful at the minute.
Aaron ended the club’s nine-year trophy drought with his strike against Hull and brought the first epidemic of euphoria to the Emirates, the sort of moment which, anywhere else, would have immortalised him, yet is now the recipient of the sort of flak he would have garnered had he missed a penalty to hand that glory to the Tigers. It’s a mystery, however, as time goes on to mitigate these circumstances, shades of his former self will increasingly become more apparent, much like they did eighteen months ago. Football is a fickle sport, as much as it sensationally romantic and irresistibly dramatic, though it should be remembered that this capricious culture works both ways and soon enough he’ll be heralded as the genius his lack of impetus is currently disguising. Patience is never exclusive and cannot be demanded, yet can be achieved through the correct medium. He could have been accused of fostering an arrogant attitude towards his intensity in matches, but today he’s devoid of that luxury and now it’s a matter of rediscovering the essence of what created his stratospheric emergence in the first place. This fall from grace, more than a wonder goal or a mesmerising dribble, should be enough to convince the sharks to cease circling. If that forbearance is invested into Ramsey nothing will deter him from harvesting it, the incentives to support that sign of faith don’t require explanation, and perhaps that is the embodiment of what it really means to be a supporter.
