Arsenal: Adapting second-best to signing for Aaron Ramsey

Aaron Ramsey’s ongoing contract dilemma at Arsenal is really the chief cause of stress these days, so at least he is making progress in other ways.

As this new era gets underway, there are a lot of unnecessary stresses regarding the current state of Arsenal. All of this progress is going to take time and if we can step back and accept this truth, then there is really only one major stress currently at the club – Aaron Ramsey.

The Welshman remains in the final year of his contract after the supposed summer deadline passed and a new deadline has been set – for January. Which means that we are about to go through the same tense winter window that we did last season. Although, last season it worked out magically, so fingers crossed.

Ramsey has reasserted himself this season, proving to be our best No. 10 in the span of just four games. He’s had to work his way into the starting XI and now that he’s there, there is no possible way that he gets taken out. He’s leading the club in creating chances, he is his usual heroic self in terms of popping up in deadly positions and he contributes far more defensively than any other No. 10 we could conceive of.

All in all, we need to keep him. But as the deadline has been set for January, there is no reason to sit here and hold our breath that he may sign a bit early. He won’t. So let’s look for other positive signs.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 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
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Because I have one.

Ramsey has been outspoken about the progress under Unai Emery, and the positive signs that he is seeing. He is also talking about how well he is fitting into the Emery system.

Again, I never put much credence in words, but in Ramsey’s case, I think it’s more than okay to do so. Not least of all because he and Emery both spoke about their eagerness to work together over the summer, which was a good enough sign in and of itself.

Hearing that Ramsey is settling in and loving his new role is the best possible thing we can learn in this situation, since we know that he won’t be making a decision over his future until January. Until that decision point comes, all we can ask for his his happiness and his continued involvement.

He has both of those things as is. Problem solved (well, partially).

I hate to get any hopes up, but it all seems like an eventuality. If he sees the progress in the club, and if he sees the promise in his own position, and in the grand package of what Emery is delivering, then why would he leave?