Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey injury thrusts responsibility onto Mohamed Elneny

With Aaron Ramsey unavailable for selection until January, Jack Wilshere will likely be rested for Arsenal against West Ham United on Tuesday night. That thrusts the creative responsibility onto Mohamed Elneny, a player who is not renowned for his ingenuity.

In his post-match press conference after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United, Arsene Wenger gave a piece of team news that would reverberate throughout the squad. Because of his importance to the starting XI, the versatility and influence of the position that he plays, and the after-effects that it will have on those in reserves, it is a far from positive development.

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Wenger revealed that Aaron Ramsey would be unavailable for selection until at least early January thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in the draw with Southampton earlier in the season. Given the congestion of the upcoming schedule, it is quite the blow.

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The first game that it effects, though, is one that Ramsey would never have played in anyway. That is because of the trickle-down impact that an injury to a senior member of the squad can have. Because of Ramsey’s absence for upcoming Premier League games, Jack Wilshere, a player who would usually play in a game like Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against West Ham United, must now be managed more carefully due to the need of his fitness in the league.

That leaves a substantial hole in Arsenal team. Many of the players that have played significant minutes in the lesser cups this season are solid, consistent but limited professionals. They are hard working and reliable. They understand their duty and they execute it soundly. But they lack the spark of creativity that a player of Wilshere’s quality can provide.

Specifically, with Wilshere now being rested, the responsibility of offering more than just solid rests on the shoulders of Mohamed Elneny.

The Egyptian is a metronomic passer. He regularly tops a 90% pass completion rate, he is calm and composed on the ball, and he provides an element of control to Arsenal’s play when in possession, dictating the tempo from a deeper position without ever offering a cutting burst to open up the opposition.

That role is extremely valuable when there are other players to offer those moments of ingenuity. But given the expected line-up on Tuesday, it is unlikely that that will be present. If Elneny is the conservative and reserved passer that he usually is, Arsenal will find it extremely difficult to create opportunities in attacking areas.

Next: Arsenal Vs West Ham: Predicted starting XI

Elneny is a solid squad player. He is dependable and trustworthy. He does not make many mistakes and he performs at a consistently decent level. But he often lacks moments of spark. Rarely does he provide the something special that is often required to win matches. But without Wilshere, that is what is being asked of him on Tuesday. It’s time for him to step out of his comfort zone and take a risk.