Arsenal Vs Manchester United: Unconventionally, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil pass test

Before Arsenal’s loss to Manchester United, I questioned whether Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey could pass the big-game test. Well, in a somewhat unconventional fashion, they did.

For the past few seasons, the one criticism of this Arsenal side has centred on its inability to perform in the big games, especially away from home. 8-2 loss Manchester United; 5-1 loss to Liverpool; 6-0 loss to Chelsea. These are just some of the examples that prove such a vulnerability.

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And there are many reasons for their struggles, from Arsene Wenger’s tactical naivety to the sinking into mediocrity that is threatening to engulf the squad. But there are also less entrenched issues, problems with mere individuals, rather than a collective, systemic issue.

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Two players who I highlighted before Saturday’s evening disappointing loss to Manchester United were Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil. I wanted to see them perform at the level that they had been doing against the lesser sides. Both were instrumental in Arsenal’s carving display against Huddersfield Town in the week. Could they replicate that same level of performance against United, a team much more inclined to stifle and unsettle under Jose Mourinho? That was the question I was asking myself.

While Arsenal may have lost on Saturday, which is extremely disappointing to note, it was not the fault of Ozil or Ramsey. Three silly defensive mistakes led to the three United goals. At the other end, the end where more is asked of the pair that is establishing itself as the creative epicentre of the team, the Gunners mustered a massive 33 shots, 15 of which were on target, forcing David de Gea into a record 14 saves.

Ramsey, in his archetypal running from deep, set up the only home goal of the game, with Alexis Sanchez finding his incisive dart into the box with a lovely clipped pass and Alexandre Lacazette finishing off what may have been a slightly loose touch, or a genius lay-off.

Ozil, meanwhile, was the fluid, flowing passer that he has always been. He created four chances on the day, a figure bettered by only Sanchez, and completed 65 passes in the final third, which is more than any other player in the Premier League this season.

Additionally, the pair combined 21.2% of the possession. That means that for more than a fifth of the game, either Ozil or Ramsey were in control of the ball. They were the top two players in terms of possession in the match, with Alexis the only other player to have more than 7% possession.

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Ozil and Ramsey passed the big-game test. They performed at the level expected of them. That did not lead to the win that many had hoped for, and, obviously, that is frustrating. But they cannot be blamed for the loss. In fact, they should be praised for the display. Let’s hope they can continue in the same vein moving forwards.