Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey must avoid one pitfall to achieve greatness

Aaron Ramsey has seemed back to his marauding best during Arsenal’s preseason. There is just one pitfall he must avoid to achieve greatness this season: injury.

Arsenal’s preseason duties have come to an end. With only the Community Shield to play, which will pit the Gunners against Chelsea for the third time in quick succession after the FA Cup final and preseason game in China, and the Premier League just two weeks away, the readiness of the squad should be coming to fruition.

Related Story: Arsenal: Predicted FIFA 18 player ratings

The summer has been a turbulent ride thus far, with several blossoming displays, including a vibrant, 5-2 thrashing of Benfica, and some more worryingly exposed and open losses, most notably the three-goal dismantling at hands of next weekend’s opponents.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Individually, there have been several players beginning to reach their best form. Alex Iwobi has been especially energetic and bright, flying around the pitch, looking to play incisive passes, skip past defenders and scoring twice — a terrific header against Bayern Munich and a thumping strike in the win over Benfica –, Sead Kolasinac has shown glimpses of his ability, both at centre-half and at left wing-back, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has continued to show the surging, driving form that served him so well to close last season.

However, having watched every minute of the pre-season so far, there has not been a player that has excited me more than Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman has looked extremely sharp throughout the summer months, playing with the same freedom from a central role that he enjoyed once Arsene Wenger implemented the 3-4-3 system last year. He scored an exquisite goal against Western Sydney FC and was extremely busy against Sevilla on Sunday, even though Arsenal proceeded to lose.

In terms of natural ability, there are few players in the Premier League that can replicate Ramsey’s all-round game. He is industrious in his defending, he is intelligent in his running off the ball, often surging past the striker into the channels behind the defence, and his technique and touch are neat and tidy, with good distribution and a lovely strike of the ball when within range.

Ramsey has the talent to achieve greatness. There is just one pitfall that he must avoid, one that he has been unable to circumnavigate for many years. Injury.

Ramsey is continually injured. Sometimes it is season-ending, crippling injuries; other times it is momentum-stalling, muscle niggles that keep him out for just a couple of weeks. Ramsey simply cannot stay fit and match-sharp for an extended period of time.

Next: Arsenal: Complete 2016/17 player ratings

This summer, though, he has looked in extremely fine fettle. If he is able to carry on that physical form into next season and beyond, then greatness awaits for a player who has all the skill and the ability in the world.