Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey must learn to be two people

Aaron Ramsey was wonderfully disciplined and effective for Arsenal against Chelsea last weekend. Now, he must influence the game more in a freer, attacking sense. Throughout the season, he must learn to be two people.

Arsenal’s worst performance of the season so far came against Liverpool just before the international break. With their much-publicised struggles against the better teams away from home as the context for their trip, the Gunners played with the usual naivety and innocence that has dismantled them in such games before.

The man most heavily criticised for his performance was Aaron Ramsey, who was substituted at half-time to prove his incompetence. His issue was not his ability; his issue was his positional ill-discipline.

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But just three short weeks later, in a similarly treacherous game against Chelsea, Ramsey played in an utterly different manner. He sat alongside Granit Xhaka in the midfield areas to enclose the vast spaces that Liverpool exposed earlier, only breaking forward when the opportunity suitably arose. He then hounded Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kante whenever they had the ball, suffocating them of time and space, often winning possession high up the pitch, immediately putting Arsenal on the front foot. And Arsene Wenger, this week, was keen to point out the impressiveness of Ramsey’s display:

"“Aaron had a disciplined performance [at Chelsea] and that was absolutely vital for us. If he starts from a strong defensive position, he can be dangerous against anybody. He has a huge influence going forwards, we know that, and we know that he can contribute to that. The strength in his game was, of course, his usual top-quality physicality. But he’s more focused on technical quality in his first touch and that makes him more dangerous.”"

Such comments show the contrasting stress that currently pervades Ramsey’s game. He is a naturally attacking player, with the want and the will to drive forward, making those late, penetrating runs from deep that are so difficult to track and defend against.

But, simultaneously, he cannot play with a reckless abandon, a carefree, attack-only attitude, that leaves Arsenal exposed in defensive areas, especially on the break. This is particularly true with Xhaka as his midfield partner. For all of the Swiss international’s abilities, his immobility, poor balance and agility, and lack of athleticism mean that he can be outmanoeuvred by quicker, sharper opponents when there is space in and around him.

Ramsey’s style of play lends itself to exposing Xhaka thanks to his defensive absence. When playing against teams like West Bromwich Albion, this Monday, it is more acceptable for him to bomb forwards. It is against the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool that he must play in a more reserved and thoughtful manner.

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As the season progresses, Ramsey must become two different players. He must adapt to his opponent, playing both as the free-roaming attacking midfielder, and also the hard-working, industrious, combative battler, defending resiliently and closing down relentlessly. That is not easy to do, but it is possible, and it is something that Wenger has highlighted and will be instilling.

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