Arsenal: Bridging Aaron Ramsey, Alexis Sanchez rift key to progress

Arsenal clicked as a unit against Manchester United, but the visible disconnect between Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez continued to grow. This must be fixed.

Arsenal’s win against Manchester United has given a fresh burst of optimism in the world of the Gooners. The Champions League looks remarkably attainable and, if nothing else, at least we can have a Spurs-like celebration of finishing above Manchester United. That is, assuming everything goes according to plan.

This team still has a lot of gelling to do and one concerning problem continues to develop on the pitch. It’s happened ever since Aaron Ramsey came back into the starting XI and the ripple effects could be coincidence, but it seems unlikely.

Yet again against United, we saw two of the most influential play-makers, Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez, connecting on the pitch. They were picking each other out and seemed on the same page.

Then, as the game goes on, they drift apart, squabble, and rather obviously avoid one another. Perhaps on purpose. Perhaps subconsciously.

Either way, it leads to testiness and visible frustration.

This rift has been a part of the club every single time these two are on the pitch together. It’s easy enough to understand where it stems from. They both want the same thing. Both have, at one time or another, been the driving force behind this attack. Ramsey’s time was just farther off.

Now that they both want control, there doesn’t seem to be enough to go around. Which is a crying shame because, as mentioned, when the game is in the early stages and tensions haven’t started flaring, they look fantastic. Alexis is honed in on Ramsey’s runs and vice versa.

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It is the perfect foundation to free up a bit of behind-the-curtain work for Mesut Ozil as well. If Ramsey and Alexis can figure out a way to bridge the rift between them, Ozil can fall out of the spotlight, where he likes to be, and the trifecta of attacking goodness can be complete.

Then we just need a class striker and all of a sudden, world domination.

I think the solution is actually quite simple. The two are both headstrong and self-assured, that much is certain. But they are also both dedicated to being the best that they can be. Once the chances they keep creating for each other start finding the back of the net, the problem is solved.

Tensions will diffuse as they realize that they can both be effective, work together, and produce solid results. Maybe even share.

Finding that third, consistent attacking force has been key for Arsenal since Ozil and Alexis arrived. Santi Cazorla was there, but he was never a real threat to goal. Ramsey can be that threat. We saw against United how smart his runs are. They always have been. He just needs to bridge the rift between himself and the other creative centers on the team.

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Arsenal may have moved a couple steps ahead of Ramsey in his numerous injury absences, but that space can be made up quickly, as it looks like he is already doing.