What kind of an effect will Ramsey’s suspension have on Arsenal?by SE
The Welshman getting a one-match ban for his transgression against Besiktas is something of a blow for the North Londoners, who now have a difficult task on their hands if they are to qualify for the Group Stage of Europe’s elite competition. Ideally, you want your important players leading from the front in those potential ‘winner takes all’ games but, on this occasion, Arsenal will have to do it in the absence of Ramsey. As a result, what kind of an effect will Ramsey’s suspension have on Arsenal?
Ramsey, in recent times, has been the go-to-man for Arsenal, and already this season: the Welshman has been subject to Arsenal taking 4 points in the league so far. His injury-time winner against Crystal Palace saw Arsenal pocket all three points; and against Everton, Ramsey, albeit a meager tap in, was at the right place at the right time to instigate an Arsenal turnaround. Pragmatically, hence, Ramsey has been pivotal to Arsenal’s four crucial points to kick start their league campaign.
Purely from a psychologically point of view: In sport, a beleaguered team doesn’t always surrender in the heat of the moment, owing to the absence of its talisman. In Arsenal’s case, you’re probably looking at Wilshere, Flamini and Chambers, as midfielders, to fill in for Ramsey, and harness that added responsibility in the best way possible.
Most recently, in the Premier League: Manchester City lost Vincent Kompany, their talismanic skipper, to a red card offence against Hull City at the KC stadium, en route to winning the Premiership. I wouldn’t want to talk of Silva and Dzeko’s goals, which saw City win that game 2-0; but there was this under-fire midfielder in Javi Garcia, who filled in for his skipper at the heart of Man City’s defence, and played a significant part in his team securing all 3 points, in addition to keeping a clean sheet. More importantly, Kompany getting sent off didn’t disrupt the job the other 10 men had to do – but it galvanized them – and they thrived on it big time.
On Wednesday night against Besiktas, it doesn’t matter who adopts that extra responsibility, but it has to be a midfielder in Arsenal’s ranks who has to step up to the plate, and conceal Ramsey’s absence in the best possible way. And, going by the depth and invigorated hunger that this Arsenal’s squad possesses, it should be academic really, to see someone step up to the plate and fill in for the 23-year old Welshman, with great aplomb.
Who is up to the job?
Suhith