Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey creating the only dynamic duo needed

The fluctuating futures of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez leave Arsenal in a position of needing to find some sort of link-up aside from them and Aaron Ramsey is doing it.

Most good attacks are built on partnerships. Arsenal are certainly one such attack. You could argue that part of the problem in the Olivier Giroud years was that he had no consistent partner that he was just always on the same wavelength with.

These days, it has been Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, forming a partnership of super-stardom that has led to countless highlight reel goals and magical moments.

But with those two likely to move on, that partnership obviously evaporates in the process. Even if one goes, it’s gone. It takes two to tango, as they say.

It’s imperative, therefore, that the Gunners tart to cobble together a partnership not involving either of the two, and including Alexandre Lacazette. Even if that partnership was between either Alexis or Ozil and Lacazette, the problem still exists of sustainability.

However, going outside of their two main creative forces, the nearest potential partership may come from either of the wingbacks or the man that has stepped up to the plate, Aaron Ramsey.

Getting Lacazette to settle into the team was a priority, but it goes without saying that we really would prefer to see him settle in without a primary influence from Ozil or Alexis, given their volatile futures.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

And that is where Aaron Ramsey has stepped into the void.

Lacazette has scored eight goals this year. Three have come directly from an Aaron Ramsey assist. Those three assists account for 50% of Ramsey’s total and, in the process, both Ramsey and Lacazette top the Arsenal goal contribution chart with nine each. Mesut Ozil is nearest with seven, all of which come only when he is accompanied by Alexis and Lacazette from the opening whistle.

The Ramsey and Lacazette partnership is growing more potent by the match. They are benefiting from each other’s presence as they seem to share the same thoughts with their intelligent runs. We saw this first-hand against both Manchester United and in the opening goal against Huddersfield.

This developing partnership is (as of writing) tied for the third deadliest partnership in England. Cesar Azpilicueta has found Alvaro Morata for five goals and Kieran Tripper has found Harry Kane for four goals (two of which came from a 15 minute stretch against Huddersfield). Other than that, Sadio Mane has found Mohamed Salah three times and David Silva has found Gabriel Jesus three times. The same number of times Ramsey has found Lacazette.

Next: Arsenal vs Manchester City Player Ratings

Surviving outside of our Ozil-Alexis dynamic duo may well come down to replicating that duo with long-term guys. Ramsey and Lacazette are doing that.

Home/Arsenal News