Committed football fans often like to think that they know better than just about anybody else. As a result you get people without any kind of expertise waxing lyrical on the abysmal state of Arsenal’s medical team, you get fans lining up summer moves for their respective clubs and when the starting line-ups are released you get a slew of devotees ready to stick their oar in and tell anybody who will listen how the manager has got it all wrong.
When it comes to Arsenal this usually means a group of fans huffing and puffing about Aaron Ramsey’s inclusion on the team sheet and the lack of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the starting line-up. But do these naysayers really know more than Arsene Wenger? Should the Ox have been given more opportunities this season?
It’s fair to say that the Ox has offered up a good number of cameo appearances this season. Though Wenger always seems loathe to give him any longer than 20 minutes at the end of a game, he usually manages to breathe fresh life into Arsenal’s performance. His direct running, pace and close control are great aspects to have on your side with the clock counting down and the opposition full-back’s legs beginning to tire.
What’s more he’s proven himself capable of picking out a pass and engineering an effective Arsenal attack. So why doesn’t he get more opportunities to start games?
Beyond a jaw-dropping performance against AC Milan in the second-leg of the Champions League he hasn’t had too many opportunities to be a part of the Gunner’s starting line-up. Whilst he was remarkable against Milan, spraying the ball around with ease and causing their defense all kinds of problems, he’s been unable to replicate this kind of form when playing against the likes of Chelsea in a recent Premier League outing.
He can occasionally find himself drifting through games having a limited effect on the flow of games. This may be down to a lack of good positional sense, or great marking from opposition sides, but it’s got to be a matter of concern for a side with a desire for a top four finish. That’s to say: the Ox will be a great player, but in games of great import there’s no use starting a player who sometimes struggles to make his mark.
Arsene Wenger knows Chamberlain better than any of us fans and thus knows his limits better than anybody else. If he’s not selecting him then he’s got a good reason for not doing so.
He’s shown enough this season that it’s clear he’s got a big future ahead of him. For the moment however, it strikes me that he’s best used as a super-sub and that a starting role for the youngster may have to wait another season or so.
What’s your take? Should the Ox be granted a more prominent role?
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You don’t need to possess any slight bit of expertise (or intellect for that matter) to note that Aaron Ramsey has been completely abysmal when given responsibility and chance.
Poor ball control, poor passing, poor and slow decision making, very poor vision of the game, constantly losing the ball to the opposition in crucial areas, causing numerous counter-attacks.
Yes, he is still young and perhaps AW has seen something in him which us “committed football fans” don’t have the ability to see, in TRAINING (hence this blind confidence he has in him), however it is of no argument that the value added by AOC throughout the season has been far superior, in spite of obviously raw and unpolished talent.
I would prefer raw talent over assiduous incompetence any day.
I also think that it is simply unfair on Aaron Ramsey from AW to put him in this position of responsibility at such a young age, because he clearly cant handle it and cannot handle the external criticism from fans – hence his free falling decline.
Cheers
Twitter name @NTRK7
I say you play the Ox just the way Wenger has been. As you pointed out, us fans aren’t privy to what goes on in practice, etc. Besides, the results speak for themselves. Even with the QPR and Wigan games factored in, our results of late have been outstanding. So if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
When it comes to team selection, formations, tactics, etc., fans rarely have enough information or experience to justify second guessing a manger of Wenger’s calibre.
However, when it comes to the teams medical track record, any idiot can compare our rate of first team player injuries versus other big clubs in Europe over the last 7 years. Wenger has spoken about Arsenal’s scientific approach to training, even claiming it helps reduce injury… but something must be wrong with the science because the facts simply don’t support the claims that we have a top notch strength, fitness, and medical staff – we aren’t as bad as many fans think, but we don’t have that good of a track record either.
Wenger’s arrogant and it blinds everything he tries to do, to the point of making himself look a total fool. He has the tactical aptitude of a fish. Who knows why he isn’t playing the Ox, probably something to do with his stupid, illogical pecking order – similar to how he takes players off after 70 minutes no matter how well or badly they’re playing. The reasons players get injured is because Wenger overplays individuals and doesn’t give them enough time to come back from injury. And the Walcott substitution the other day, when he sat just there like a lemon and allowed him back on the pitch to pull his hamstring properly.
He is just 18 . He will give inconsistent performance from time to time . Knowing the mentality of some Arsenal fans they will be at his back after some bad performances .Thats one of the reasons why Aresene Wenger wants to ease him into play . Maybe he does not want the repeat of Theo Walcott when he was deemed as the messiah to save English Football only to be deemed as having no footballing brain !!
Wenger is arrogant? And what are your qualifications James? I think this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
NtTRK7, please tell me your response is a pisstake of the stupid ignorant know it all supporters the first two paragraphs of this blog are referring to.
James: hahahaha, funny, you should go for a career n comedy, pays better than your job in the corner shop selling bin bags.
He should b giving chance ahead of ramsey and gervinho. I c no rson y dat guy shd b kept on the bench in every game.
If ALEX O CHAMBERLAINE was not at his best against Chelsea then WENGER takes most of the blame. This is the reason why.Wenger had for long now been distroying the lads carrier may be unknowingly by consistently benching this superstar who hit form ,playing him sparingly,and if he did in the midfield.If you watch the lad play you will quickly aknowledge the attack ie wings/centre foward is his specialty.Wrong positioning &sparing play deals negatively on footballers expecially if in form.By the time you play such a player again he has lost form.Barcelona FC did not look back on fielding Messi once the saw the superstar attribute in him .This has helped to mould him to become 3 times world best.
He played different positions against chelsea and against milan, he played as a central midfielder against milan and as a left midfielder against chelsea
JACK Wilshere sudden burst into fame was largely aided by continous playing time he enjoyed at Bolton,which he never had prior to this time while in Arsenal
Aron Ramsey is a fantastic player in the making and considering what he has been through he is doing great.
He has had a dry spell scoring, and that has gotten so many short sighted/ memory fans on his back picking out every single mistake or every time he loses possession.
The fans are not helping Ramsey’s confidence, just like they did with many Arsenal players in the past, for example, Walcott….
He came good didn’t he?
Give Ramsey time…. He is a superstar and he’s brave.
Ya surely, Ramilson is forever promising and talented, just give him time, I hope he really can take his time. Afterall he has tons of excuses for not doing well.
Another good news is that Denilson is coming back to join him. I hope they can learn from each other, and form a formidable midfield that would scare the shit out of opponents when they see them both on the team sheets… LOL