Aaron Ramsey – Over-hyped or Misunderstood?

[A_Gooner_Matata]

I think the fact that people were advocating Ramsey for a first team spot, is exactly why General is judging him as one.

So, if we all agree that Ramsey isn't ready for a first-team spot, can we end this unnecessary critique?

 

[Zico]

It's a truly sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in, AGoonerMatata. At the end of the day when your starting central midfielder is Denilson, then it is not totally unreasonable to ask if Ramsey is short-changed. It is perverse. Under normal circumstances, a man like Ramsey would be away from attention playing for our reserve team or Wolves.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

When I said Cesc doesn’t hold the monopoly to what an Arsenal midfield should look like, I meant you cannot liken a player’s game to Cesc’s and use it a basis to support the view that he’ll make it. Neither can you say that you’ve seen nothing from Merida to suggest that he will be able to handle Cesc’s role in the team. The fact of the matter is Merida or any prospective midfielders won’t have to play like Cesc to be effective. Cesc is not the blue print to what an Arsenal midfield should look like and neither was Pat, although I prefer the latter. This is why I often refrain from using the Vieira argument to support Diaby when evaluating him because he brings his own attributes to the table. He is not Vieira.

Sure. When I said that I see a bit of Cesc in him I was referring to the attributes signifying Fabregas game though, just as I was referring to the same attributes missing in Merida's game. Merida is, in a lot of ways, an easier character to have an opinion about since he's regularly putting in performances for the reserves. Ramsey is not. I couldn't care less about whether either he or Diaby is similarly built to their predecessors. What I care about is quality, and I see a lot of quality in Ramsey's vision and ability to read the game. And those are indeed important attributes in a central midfielder the way we're playing.

 

[A_Gooner_Matata]

It's a truly sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in, AGoonerMatata. At the end of the day when your starting central midfielder is Denilson, then it is not totally unreasonable to ask if Ramsey is short-changed. It is perverse. Under normal circumstances, a man like Ramsey would be away from attention playing for our reserve team or Wolves.

True. I guess it's logical to say that someone on the fringes of the starting lineup should get the same criticism as anyone else, but he really is just a kid. He'll have to improve dramatically? Well, yeah, he's a teenager for goodness sake. And, to be honest, none of us have really seen enough of him to make a definitive judgement. Most of his peers have been looking so good, chiefly because they spend most of their time in the reserve league. Wenger clearly rates Ramsey more highly than that. But, well, he's just a kid.

 

[nazo]

He's young, therefore he will be inconsistent. He's going to be a big player imo, just give him time.

The type of player i see in him is a Flamini-like player. Not exactly like him (he'll be better in some things and worse in others) but still similar.

 

[True Gooner]

He's barely made 19 apperances this season (most of which were towards the end of games already won).

It is true that he isn't as technically gifted as your average Arsenal player, but he is still extremely talented for an 18 year old and he still has plenty of time to develop.

As Arsène said: A player at 18 is not the same as he will be at 20, who is not the same player at 22

He's going to make it.

 

[General]

YounGun's take on the issue (through PM)

Well done mate. Most Gooners prefer to ignore the flaws of the Welshman. Its almost taboo to talk about them. Most replies would typically point to his age.

Ive been saying this for months. You notice a technically talented player almost the minute they touch the ball. Do they have confidance in their technical ability? Ramsey just looks so sluggish on the pitch and many of his passes are almost last ditch efforts simply because he lacks the ability to make himself space or the awareness to know how to handle the ball around defenders. When he does have space he lacks the technique in his execution to find his team mates usually because the weight of his passes are rarely ever perfect.

I think its pretty damn unfair how quickly the fans got on Randells back and almost jump at every mistake he makes yet players like Ramsey are protected and favoured simply because of their price and hype. Weird thing is the same fans who talk about age where probably the same fans who slated Song at 18 in 2007 and the same fans who criticise Randell for every little mistake he makes.

If your good enough to get games and cameos for the first team then as fans we do have a right to constructively criticise the player. Age shouldnt matter if your deemed good enough to be involved with the first team. After all we are paying our good cash to watch to them.

I'll give him every chance to do well here. I hear he has immense leadership skills so maybe he can develop into a better player. However we do not know what the future holds and judging by the player he is now, he doesnt deserve first team action.

 

[Herbert Chapman]

scored in the champions league at 17.
say's it all really.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

I think its pretty damn unfair how quickly the fans got on Randells back and almost jump at every mistake he makes yet players like Ramsey are protected and favoured simply because of their price and hype. Weird thing is the same fans who talk about age where probably the same fans who slated Song at 18 in 2007 and the same fans who criticise Randell for every little mistake he makes.

Well, I've been very vocal in my support of Randall around here and I've always given Song a fair chance even though I'm disappointed at his recent performances. So much for that theory then. I'd say it's probably more likely that it's the same people who booed Song in his debut who're criticising Ramsey right now (that's not aimed at you General, by the way; I know where you stand in this matter).

 

[outlaw_member]

scored in the champions league at 17.
say's it all really.

Does it?

Do you remember Peter Ofori-Quaye?

 

[AnthonyG]

scored in the champions league at 17.
say's it all really.

With all due respect to yourself and to Mr. Ramsey, all it says, in fact, is that at the age of 17 he played in a Champions League game and scored a goal.

 

[TomasCR]

Look at the comment Wenger made after the Brom game, that´s an answer to your question General, especially then the first two sentences.

"It is difficult when you’re a fan of Arsenal you are always comparing the players with people from five, six or 10 years ago. But you have to accept that a guy who is 19 or 20 years old will get better every three months. He has shown tonight he has the talent to be an Arsenal player and he’s on the right path to mature. I liked his presence, his determined attitude and I thought the way he took people on showed he has improved a lot."

It´s the same with Bendtner, Wilshere and Ramsey. Ramsey has been at the club less than six months and he has done very well. Don´t read into it too much.

 

[truth_hurts]

His vision, composure on the ball, movement and shooting ability are brillaint but for some reason hehasn't really shown much in an Arsenal shirt. Think the hypes justified but he hasn't lived up to his hype. Wales have some talented young players ncluding bale, gunter and Collison but Ramsey is regarded by many as the most talented. He was awful last night when he came on but i'm sure he will come through and turn out to be one of Wengers best deals at 5 million.

 

[General]

Look at the comment Wenger made after the Brom game, that´s an answer to your question General, especially then the first two sentences.

"It is difficult when you’re a fan of Arsenal you are always comparing the players with people from five, six or 10 years ago. But you have to accept that a guy who is 19 or 20 years old will get better every three months. He has shown tonight he has the talent to be an Arsenal player and he’s on the right path to mature. I liked his presence, his determined attitude and I thought the way he took people on showed he has improved a lot."

It´s the same with Bendtner, Wilshere and Ramsey. Ramsey has been at the club less than six months and he has done very well. Don´t read into it too much.

WTF has that got to do with anything I’m saying. I’m not comparing Ramsey to dead presidents am I? I'm measuring him against players at the same stage of his development i.e. Wilshere, Randall, Merida and to some extent Bischoff. The question at hand is his inferior technical ability when compared to his peers. For him to make it to the top, he would need significant polishing of his technical abilities unlike most of our current selection of youngsters. I’m not writing off his career like most people do with our youngsters on this board but telling you about weaknesses not often associated with our young midfielders and a few people seem to agree.

 

[TomasCR]

So you´re measuring a player that has played something around 20 games in all competitions so far (i.e. CC, FA.C., CL, EPL) with a few ****ers that were lucky to get some minutes in the CC? Technical abilities of these players are compared on the basis of what exactly? How many times have you seen the likes of Bischoff, Randall, Wilshere and Merida playing against PL or CL teams?

The point is - Let Ramsey play for the Reserves and he´ll be a king, let these kids you mentioned above play for the first team against stronger opponents, and the others will eat them alive.

Sorry, it makes no sense to me.

 

[A_Gooner_Matata]

So you´re measuring a player that has played something around 20 games in all competitions so far (i.e. CC, FA.C., CL, EPL) with a few ****ers that were lucky to get some minutes in the CC? Technical abilities of these players are compared on the basis of what exactly? How many times have you seen the likes of Bischoof, Randall, Wilshere and Randall playing against PL or CL teams?

The point is - Let Ramsey play for the Reserves and he´ll be a king, let these kids you mentioned above play for the first team against stronger opponents, and the others will eat them alive.

Sorry, it makes no sense to me.

Exactly. If Ramsey played in the Reserves league (like most others his age), he would be imperious.

 

[patrick42uk]

Ramsey is our worst midfielder technically. For me, this is fact. He has work rate, vision and a good physique. He also as mental strenght. His signing is Wenger being pragmatic. You cant have 11 fancy dans in your team. He'll improve technically and become a player for us.

 

[Anonymous]

Aaron Ramsey - overhyped or misunderstood?

how about Aaron Ramsey - too young and new to be having this discussion. We shouldn't even be talking about this player like this yet...if Wenger was doing things right, with blend of experience and youth..it should more like the Anderson @ United situation...absolutely no pressure to perform or live up to any hype or be the next great thing just yet.

 

[TomasCR]

You see? That´s what annoys me. We sometimes talk as if we knew ****ing all and this thread is a good example of it. How the hell can anyone compare players that have been nowhere near the first team action yet with a first team player who has been at least on the bench, so ready to come on if needed, in nearly every of all the games. You haven´t had a possibility to see how all these players would play in the first team and yet, there is a chance of them being better technically than Aaron Ramsey. You´ve just forced me to go sleep.

 

[A_Gooner_Matata]

Ramsey is our worst midfielder technically. For me, this is fact. He has work rate, vision and a good physique. He also as mental strenght. His signing is Wenger being pragmatic. You cant have 11 fancy dans in your team. He'll improve technically and become a player for us.

Well, it isn't. Fact is something else entirely. But anyway, technique isn't just a single "thing". His touch may not be as great as some, but his shooting technique is better than any of Denilson, Song and co. I doubt Steven Gerrard is that great "technically", but he's one of the best midfielders in the world. I fully expect Ramsey to become Gerrardesque in the eventual future.