A guest post by Kelly Woods @kmwoods02
Aaron Ramsey had his worst game in 12 months against Everton. He tried too hard. He forced things. Yes, he scored a goal, but don’t miss the fact that his performance was poor. And speaking of goals, I’m worried that he’s publicly admitted that he set himself a target of 20 goals this season. Whoa, there, son. Remember, it’s not about you. I know you want to start taking games by the scruff of the neck, but remember to just play your game.
These are all things that have come across my Twitter timeline since Saturday’s game. And I follow positive, considered people, who really do support our players. I know they do. And I respect and value all of them and their opinions – at least I do since I cleaned up who I follow. I cannot imagine what the rest of Twitter is saying, and I really don’t want to try. But if you will, let me articulate how I disagree with almost everything in that first paragraph. And to ask that we consider what it is that we really want from players.
First let me get this out of the way – Aaron was not at his effervescent best against Everton. I support, but I’m not blind. The whole team was out of sorts, and most of what he tried didn’t come off. Also true of other players as well. But let me point out a few things, courtesy of the stats-tastic 7amKickoff and his By the Numbers column for Arseblog:
Out of 69 passes attempted (the most for the team), 12 were misplaced. All but 2 of those misplaced were attacking passes, trying to create a chance. 5 of them were in prime areas, where goal conversion rates are high. One of the aforementioned 2 was just horrible – it went straight to an Everton player and almost gave me a heart attack. Only 4 tackles attempted, 2 of which were successful, and no dribbles. And no chances created. Also, there was that goal.
Ok, so what do stats show? Not the whole story, I’m well aware of that. Aaron’s defensive game was a bit weak and his attacking game was ineffectual on the whole. I think that had a lot to do with not having Arteta next to him, and trying to compete with Jack and Alex for space in the middle. But the question remains – what was he supposed to be doing in this game, and did he do it?
I think we should all come to grips with this fact: Aaron is a flair player. He will always try the Hollywood pass. Some seem to think that he’s changed somehow, that he doesn’t do that anymore. And they see yesterday’s performance as a reversion to a previous flawed way of playing. Nonsense. He has always been this player. By all accounts it’s been so since he was 8 years old. Stories of him demanding the ball from older teammates abound. “Let me do it” has always been his way. His off-pitch personality belies this fact, perhaps, as some don’t expect shy, quiet, introverts to behave this way. But it’s been said of him forever that he “expresses himself on the pitch”.
But, Kelly, I hear you say. Arsene said he told him to simplify his game. To go back to basics. True. But Aaron said this in an interview when asked about that:
“It was a difficult period for me where things weren’t happening the way I would like them to, and he called me in and just told me to simplify my game and get my confidence back that way…I did that for a few games, and then obviously you get more confident as every game goes on, and, yeah, I’m thankful for that.” (emphasis added)
That says to me that simplifying his game was not intended to be a permanent change. At least he didn’t interpret it that way. And Arsene had this to say Saturday:
“He has the engine and he gambles on getting in the box a lot and he has that timing to get where you need to be. He got rewarded like these kind of players do.”
“Gambles.” He gambles. He takes risks. He gets rewarded. He has a “can’t win if you don’t enter” mentality. He has said that he wants to improve his ability to take big games by the scruff of the neck and change them. He has goal targets that he has set for himself. But somehow, all that is now being seen as a potential liability, some sort of indication that he is putting himself above the team. Don’t we want a player that is ambitious? That tries to change games? That wants to score? What do we want, if not that? One of the biggest complaints I hear in games like yesterday is “Somebody DO something! Move, or something!” Yet Aaron tries to do just that, and he has a “poor” game, because it doesn’t come off.
I know I am really preaching to the choir here. This is a supporting group of people, many of whom told me yesterday not to worry, that he just had an off day. But here’s the thing. I’m not worried about him. I’m worried about us. This is exactly what I was afraid would happen. His miraculous exploits last season were a joy to watch. But they won’t continue – at least not like that. He is a marked man now. Teams have found out he is good, he will be given much less room to operate. And he is, by his own admission, still trying to improve his game. I’m confident he will continue scoring us goals. But all this means mistakes will happen. Do we really want to start down the road about how badly he’s played, how he’s struggling for form? Why do we do this? “Uh oh, the old Ramsey is rearing his head. Hope this doesn’t mean last season was a fluke.” It’s like we are always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the bad thing to happen to us. Optimism reigns, until it doesn’t.
Here’s my fear. Suppose it doesn’t change? Suppose the next game is the same as Everton – he does a few things brilliantly, but at the same time lots of things don’t come off? What will we say then? Because the haters and naysayers will start in – they’ve already started I would imagine. Despair that we thought we had a “world-class” player, but of course we can’t have nice things, so look, he’s being shit again. I’m steeling myself for that, and I’m ready to defend him. I hope you are, too.
Positively Arsenal 
dont worry george i have supported and still support the club in ways others in here can only dream of…so forgive me for not taking all these lectures on my behaviour too seriously….
and i understand perfectly well what youre trying to do but the day where kittens like gains are going to object what i say has not arrived yet and never will
clowns who can not back up what they say have no fucking credit to tell me anything
how clearer do i have to get ?
so i suggest you tell others to keep their tone down …not me.
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gains we were all in fine mode till you started calling us just how your father used to call you…..
we are not your family……
now fuck off and go learn how to back up the things you say.
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Did someone say something?
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ostridge
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And I suggest you listen to what I’m trying to tell you in the nicest possible way Hunter.
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Fins:
“I see us beating Dortmund both home and away.”
Blimey
With respect, Sir. I have to disagree. Four points will do for me.
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I’d take the four points laughing, but I think we can get the six. The key is the first game. If we can get the three points over there we’ll murder them at home when Theo and Giroud are back in the team.
———————————————————————
“I think Chelsea will have a hard time topping this group”
They’re going to top their group
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I think Maribor will be the thorn in their side. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Sporting got a result against them either.
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City I agree have a tougher time. Roma could if the fates are with them cause a problem.
But I have to disagree, again, with you on your nomination for NAM (Next Arsenal Manager). My odds have been on Bouldy for years. Don’t know why. But it’s probably a good thing i didn’t actually place any money there!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It could also be Banfield.
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Heh.
Neil Banfield. He gets no credit in public for the good work he does as it serves no memes I guess. I did consider Banfield but considering Bould took charge when AW was banned Banfield has less odds then Bould for me.
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Fins,you have mail
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Thanks
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I nominate Gains for the ice bucket challenge…..
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I nominate Hunter for the ice bucket challenge…..
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I suggest they both sit in a bath of ice water and watch their todgers shrivel……
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Together, you understand…..maybe we can have a wip round to pay for the travel and subsistence costs for them to do this…..
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i think they both need that ice bucket of water to clear their heads sharpish!
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Gains
I’ve just remembered, Schalke have some kind of tie in with Gazprom, sponsorship or more.
Gazprom-upon-Fulham will beat Gazprom-auf-Rhein to the top spot!
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Really you have to appreciate Ozil for what he is. And he is a very fine attacking midfielder indeed. http://worldsoccertalk.com/2014/07/10/critics-of-arsenal-and-german-midfielder-mesut-ozil-are-dead-wrong/
But I think it’s this stat that really matters. At least for Arsene. http://www.squawka.com/players/mesut-ozil/stats#total-chances-created#arsenal-%28current%29#english-barclays-premier-league#8#season-2013/2014#64#all-matches#1-38#type
As for Ozil and Fabregas, some people here will remember I was in favor of resigning fabregas. But this stats picture offers me some consolation. http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/comparison-arsenals-mesut-ozil-has-better-stats-than-chelsea-bound-cesc-fabregas-graphic/
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Seems like my Ozil post is under moderation. Which doesnt matter. Because I came in here to say Martin Samuel is bent. There are more than one or two oil barrels buried in his garden.
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Apropos, one link per post otherwise it goes automatically to moderation.
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Thanks apropos
Samuel? The hack has no credibility to begin with. He’s been snorting frozen and recycled methane (powdered) and other binging upon other garbage his whole life.
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Pre-season minutes in the u21 game for
Diaby
Coquelin
Bellerin
Campbell
Akpom *coughs, I hope you were watching Vengaar, buddy*
& others
Can’t imagine why they’d need the minutes! Lucky for them they weren’t asked to do so in a knock out cup game played at the highest intensity. Though they’d all have liked to have played, and made the winning assist…
*drops the pin*
You know, when even the Arsecast states that people critiquing players two games into their pre-seasons is a little bit odd, it is fair to say that you are in danger of falling off the verge and into dangerous and murky depths if you choose to follow that path.
When Mertesacker mucked up that tackle against Lukaku I did not think it was a result of his poor attitude. I did think, “well, he was always going to make a couple of mistakes in his first game of pre-season…fortunately they got away with it”…
…
Can’t believe I’ve had to write that sentence here on PA, following on Kelly’s post about Rambo no less.
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Crowley free kick last night
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Crowley = Little Santi.
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So the totts have drawn our mates Beşiktaş in the Europa thingy. Might actually watch those games, they could be interesting.
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For those discussing the eventual succession of Arsene I think there are three main candidates. His first signing Reme Garde, the premier league pretender Martinez or the currant Ajax set up including our very own Dennis.
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Dennis cannot manage Arsenal he fears flying……
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Worth a read
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11065145/Mesut-Ozil-The-Arsenal-and-Germany-fans-believe-in-me.-That-is-what-really-matters.html
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‘allo allo Positivistas…
“Arsenal we love you, oh yes we do!”
Silly season’s almost over.
Anything in the offing from our man AW?
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Thanks for that Pass,
great article….oh and AW added HIS 2 cents:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11064914/Everything-Mesut-Ozil-does-for-Arsenal-is-absolutely-perfect-says-Arsene-Wenger.html
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“He is not getting enough praise. He came back as a World Cup winner. He played all seven games. He played some good games. He is not a tackler.” – AW on MOz11
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As ever, Arsène Wenger has the final word.
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That’s what I tried to tell those who want Ozil to play like Cheik Tiote. Ozil doesn’t track back because he’s responsible for keeping the opposition honest with one of his out of nowhere, lung busting runs. We saw him make those runs for Germany all last summer and he made those same types of runs against Besiktas. This idea that he doesn’t track back because he’s lazy became a doomer talking point ever since he fell asleep at the back post for Seamus Coleman’s goal. If these same idiots were to check his stats they’d learn he is always among the players who cover the most ground in a given game.
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Ozil: “The fans believed I played a good World Cup. The statistics show that as well. I was satisfied with my performance at the World Cup. I know I could have scored more goals and shot more but I was surprised the press was negative.”
And I’m surprised a couple of Arsenal supporters who routinely moan about the negative coverage their team gets ate that turd as if it was the finest Foie Gras.
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Lustfully looking @ Cherchi…….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usujl5C76No
ooh!
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13 goals, 13 assists in 37 games for Torino last season
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If Cherchi’s brought IN, I expect both Ryo & Gnabry will be loaned OUT, no?
(better not be JC28 that’s sent out).
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btw, best of luck to Manuel Almunia.
Hope he lives a long & fruitful life after football.
Thanks for the years served @ the Arse.
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Serge wont be loaned out because of his injury atm.
we seem to be reaching a critical phase on here.
While i totally understand the frustration of someone missing a point you may have well documented, the move to venting that frustration by abuse or taking the bait and retailiating is better left for the lesser thinking blogs or indeed twitter.
george,stew, andy and the other main protaganists have worked hard to create and maintain this blog and each character on here is important.
Should our record signing work harder? well it’s really not the point everyone on here is of a like mind to a certain extent so debates shouldn’t be that wide apart and so to end up getting personal on each others arses is ridiculas.
we dont need another aclf sitution on here and so in the words of woody from toy story PLAY NICE
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hear hear A_or_B,
PLAY NICE Positivistas
There are enough numbskulls out there….pls refrain from infighting!
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and to continue http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/aug/29/mesut-ozil-arsenal-transfer-window-premier-league
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hehe you can bring out all the stats in the world and all the links you want
when i see rosicky 33 years old tackling the centrebacks and defensive midfielders and i see cazorla running left right and centre to close down and cover teammates and when i see sanchez dispossessing defenders in the corner flags and trying to outjump people who are taller than him …then yes ozil will have to do it too and there are no excuses. flamini and per are not arseholes to have given him a few words of “advise”
if any of you can… please explain what ozil did in the world cup…dont use “quotes”..
and just so you know how far ahead ” the nutter from the attic is” …. look :
hunter13 May 13, 2014 at 11:40 am
“Wouldnt mind alessio cerci at arsenal…. 13 goals from the wing..plus 9 assists…born 87….used to be wonderkid in fm 06 i think… strong and quick…how many italians have ever playd for arsenal..is viviano the first?”
and if you want turds : ” jenks and his cafuesque runs/crosses” ……
playing nice means explaining the positions you hold instead of swearing at those who know more than you.
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oh and when you learn to read properly you will note noone calls him a bad player or a useless footballer, ten whatever……i dont see anyone objecting his qualities or his creative abilities. the emphasis is put in his non-combative soul and his reluctance to get involved in situations where the game demand it. Noone asked him to do the gatuso/makellele but ffs do not jog provocatively when 9 others are throwing/flying their bodies around to save the day.
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it is a matter of ethos if you havent realised ……now you can swear all you want…..
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I think we need a new post. It would be good to draw a line under this debate.
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I didnt say i agreed with the article just hanging out there. As for santi he struggled initially with PL workrate and still loses the ball in bad areas. As for using TR7 in your argument thats unfair as no one works as hard as him!
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on the filed youde be angry too if your teammate is sitting there chewing gum while youre getting cramps from running/closing down/tackling/trying to win ball back/press..etc…
was theiry henry not elegant? was he not creative? was he not in attack? well i remember even him …running back to tackle ala vieira….pires too ..he would not leave ashley cole exposed and if the game demanded pires to play a bit harder he would ! he would not shy away or cover his face so as not to be hit by the ball………
this is not bundesliga la liga or a tournament. here we deal with a system that encourages the neanderthal;s and the underdogs to come at you at fullspeed/power and break you ….our only defence is our players desire to not let it happen by either rising above it or in the most simple of terms..fight fire with fire…
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i use tr7 intentionally because he is a ten and i suggest people go see what rosicky would do as a ten in dortmund czech reublic and generally what kind of a ten he was regarded in his youth ….talk about creative players….last of the mohicans.
is he a fool to work hard for the team?
or…do you think rosicky can not provide assists on a plate like the demi-god ? or that he has not got the nous to release players ?
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please dont talk about santi…he is our best player the last two-three years. he is so little and he is everywhere…..off course he will have days off …everyone does..but we are not talking about off days and its not like you need “time to acclimatise” to simply close down an opponent……….
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and when santi loses ball he will run back…he wont sit there chewing gum. ..thats not work ethic..thats ethos.
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work rate*
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What a_or_b said
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