Arsenal: Joe Willock, heir to Aaron Ramsey’s throne?

Can Joe Willock fill Arsenal legend Aaron Ramsey’s shoes? The youngster has impressed during pre-season ahead of what could be a career-defining year.

Seeing Aaron Ramsey depart for Turin really hurt. It left the fans worried for Arsenal’s remaining midfielders’ creative output without the talismanic Welshman. Where would that unique box-to-box dynamism come from? What about late, driving runs into the box? Goals, assists and mouth-watering link-up play from midfield? Not to forget the occasional wonder goal. Enter Joe Willock.

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Willock certainly gave Emery something to think about last season with appearances against Chelsea in the Europa League final, and more notably in the win over Blackpool in the FA Cup, where he bagged a brace. Seeing his name in the squad for the pre-season tour of the USA was no surprise to many fans who were eager to see if the youngster could turn impressive cameos into consistent performances.

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Featuring in all of the pre-season games, the 19-year-old has taken his extended run in the first team in his stride, impressing both fans and teammates alike. In an interview with Arsenal.com after the win over Bayern Munich, Mesut Ozil was thoroughly impressed:

"“Yesterday, against Bayern Munich, against a big club, he shows his quality. We are happy to have him.”"

Even though Willock has come up against world-class opposition, he has never looked out of his depth. Comfortable on the ball, not shying away from the action and unafraid to burst forward, the youngster is brimming with confidence. Shades of a certain Welshman, dare I say? And if you think I’m not going to get over-excited about Willock replacing Ramsey in an Arsenal shirt after four pre-season games, you’re absolutely wrong. I already have.

There are some problems for Willock to navigate this season. The highly anticipated arrival of Spanish playmaker Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid on a season-long loan has prompted fans to question how Willock will fit in with Emery’s first-team plans. Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira are yet to feature for the Gunners this season after being given extended holiday following international duties and so Willock has benefitted from a lack of other central midfield options this summer.

Nevertheless, assuming both Guendouzi and Torreira are given time to bed in to the new season, you’d guess that Willock would be in with a chance of starting alongside Granit Xhaka in the meantime, or at the very least make the bench for that opening-weekend trip to Newcastle — this would be influenced no doubt by his performances in the remaining three friendlies against Lyon, Angers and Barcelona, which I predict he will feature heavily in.

Over the course of the season, Willock will have to work hard to prove that he is capable of inheriting the responsibility of a starting central midfield role in the Premier League. That is a lot to put onto a teenager’s plate, no matter how talented they may be.

But should the youngster take his chances this season, while also adding goals and assists to his game, Arsenal could have a real player on our hands. And all for free! So welcome, Joeseph George Willock, Arsenal’s future number eight?