Aaron Ramsey: BianconAaron

[A_G]

Interesting breakdown of Ramsey's new role in the team in the Times:
part 1

Time for a quiz question. How old is Aaron Ramsey?

Eleven years since he made his debut for Cardiff, into his 11th season with Arsenal, over 300 club appearances and 55 caps for Wales — he’s 27 years old and doesn’t hit 28 until December.

The reason for the focus on his age is that Ramsey is a crucial point in his career. Playing under a new manager in Unai Emery, Ramsey is in the last year of his Arsenal contract and the decision over his future will almost certainly become a talking point this season.

So, following a strong performance in the 2-0 win against Everton, this week’s Game Dissected column analyses Ramsey to see what he offers and why Steven Gerrard once called him “the best attacking midfielder in the Premier League”.

Is Gerrard right?
Gerrard made his comments in 2015 after Ramsey starred in a central role as Arsenal beat Olympiacos 3-0 in the Champions League. Olivier Giroud scored a hat-trick but Ramsey got an assist for the first with a great run and cross into the box.

Talk of the “best” attacking midfielders of recent seasons would certainly include David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Christian Eriksen and, as the graphic below shows, Ramsey ranks well alongside those players when it comes to making goals.

He has ten assists in the league since the start of last season, as many as Dele Alli and Riyad Mahrez and just behind Silva and Eriksen. What is interesting is that, when compared with the four players ahead of him for assists, Ramsey has made far fewer passes in the opposition half, meaning he sees less of the ball which arguably makes his ten assists more impressive.

Also, of the players with ten assists or more Ramsey has the fewest appearances with 30. Eriksen has the most with 43.

I must confess to being slightly surprised at the number of Ramsey’s assists, boosted of course by the two goals he set up against Everton. My perception of the player was that he was a goal threat if, and when, Arsenal’s system (and the quality of their opponents) allowed him to get into the game but if anything was slightly wasteful on the ball. It is interesting that in those 30 games Ramsey has more assists than team-mate Mesut Özil who has eight in 31 games, and also more goals (seven to Özil’s five).

In fact his passing accuracy with those 993 passes in the opposition half is a solid 80.16 per cent, just behind De Bruyne (80.58 per cent) and ahead of Eriksen (79.84 per cent). Özil’s is 84.48 per cent.

Now, a reminder of the need for context when it comes to passing accuracy. Of midfielders to have made more than 1,000 passes in the opposition half since the start of last season those with the best accuracy rating are Fabian Delph (92.47 per cent), who played much of last season at left back, and Mousa Dembele (91.12 per cent) and Ikay Gundogan (89.94 per cent), both very much sitting midfielders who will make passes left and right, what many called possession passes, as well as attacking, forward passes.

Given the forward passes Ramsey tries to play and the fact he is not a holding midfielder, an accuracy of 80 per cent puts him alongside the best (though of course De Bruyne and Eriksen may have a better rating had they not made double the number of passes).

Back to Ramsey’s creativity. The statistic often analysed alongside assists is chances created and this category offers an interesting insight into how Emery is using Ramsey so far this season, as shown in the chart below.

At this stage last season Ramsey had created just three goalscoring chances for his team-mates. The three players mentioned earlier - Silva, De Bruyne and Eriksen - all feature near the top as does Henrikh Mkhitaryan who had a strong start to the season at Manchester United.

This season after six games Ramsey’s chances created is an impressive 11, just outside the top five which again includes Silva and Eriksen (kudos to Ryan Fraser for an impressive start to this campaign) - so why is the Arsenal man creating more?

The answer is the new manager.

 

[A_G]

part 2

The graphic below shows Arsenal’s average position maps from two games towards the end of last season. I picked this time period because it was after a January transfer window which saw the arrival of Mkhitaryan and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang so Arsène Wenger had a similar group of players to those now being used by Emery. I also picked two games where he played a back four and not a back three as he did at various times last season.

In the game against Manchester City Ramsey played with only Granit Xhaka (29) as a traditional central midfielder, as well as Özil (11) and Mkhitaryan (7) as more attacking playmakers. As the map shows both of these players, and forward Danny Welbeck (23), were more advanced than Ramsey, who would likely have been aware of his defensive responsibilities in tracking back to help Xhaka.

In the Swansea game Ramsey had Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny (35) alongside him but that still didn’t help him get forward. As the map shows, forward Alexandre Lacazette (9), Özil (11), Xhaka (29), Alex Iwobi (17) and right back Hector Bellerin (24) were, on average, in more advanced positions than Ramsey.

One of the various criticisms levelled at Wenger was that in later years he couldn’t work out a system that allowed him to get the best out of his players. For all the discussions about Emery’s desire to play the ball out from the back, he seems to have a clear system and where his players fit into it and the average position maps from this season, below, support that claim.

The two matches, home to Everton and away against Cardiff City, are striking in their similarity. Two centre backs, full backs Monreal (18) and Bellerin (2) pushed high with two holding players Xhaka (34) and Torreira (11) or Guendouzi (29) anchoring the midfield.

Then there are four attacking players; Aubameyang (14) out wide on the left, Özil (10) tucked in on the right, Lacazette (9) leading the line and alongside him, in an advanced attacking role is Arsenal’s No 8: Ramsey.

A clear system helps Ramsey shine
So how do these average position maps translate into reality? The accuracy of these maps and their usefulness are shown in the image below from early in the Everton game.

Aubameyang is out on the left with Monreal ready to overlap. Bellerin is pushed high on the right, Özil is lurking on the edge of the box and Ramsey is alongside Lacazette giving Arsenal added attacking presence in the box.

Another example is shown above. This time Monreal has the ball on the left and Aubameyang has drifted inside and is alongside Lacazette. Ramsey is making a similar run in behind and receives Monreal’s pass, pulling the ball back for Lacazette who should do better. It is interesting to note Özil is in almost exactly the same area in both images. In this second image we see Xhaka and Torreira in their holding roles, giving their team-mates the licence and confidence to get forward.

Emery is keen for a balanced system which allows his best players to attack. Lacazette, Aubameyang, Özil and Ramsey are an attacking quartet who, with this licence to get forward and backed up by two holding midfielders, would worry any opposition. In the image below we see them on the attack again with Ramsey’s cross headed down by Aubameyang and nearly winning a penalty for handball by Jonjoe Kenny.

To prove it is not just these two games the image below is from the 2-1 win at Newcastle. Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ramsey are in the box. Xhaka’s cross is dummied by Ramsey, Lacazette’s shot is blocked and Özil (out of shot) sidefoots home to score.

Arsenal’s new manager is using a system which allows Ramsey to get into position where he can affect the game, probably explaining the 11 chances created as discussed, and he created both goals against Everton. The image below shows the start of the move for Arsenal’s opener.

Monreal is on the ball and Lacazette, who has swapped positions with Aubameyang showing that Emery’s system is not too rigid, makes a run down the left wing. Ramsey and Özil are on the edge of the box.

The ball is worked between Monreal, Aubameyang and Lacazette who attempts a pass into Ramsey which is cleared by Tom Davies. In the image above, we see the benefit of those two holding midfielders. With six Arsenal players ahead of the ball, Torreira intercepts Davies’s clearance with a first-time pass back in the direction of Ramsey. Had he missed it Xhaka is in a decent position to get back and cover.

This is where Ramsey shows his skill and ability. Torreira’s ball is not the most accurate and Davies is keen to intercept. But Ramsey gets in front of the the Everton midfielder and allows the ball to run across him before backheeling away from Davies and into space as the image below shows.

Ramsey feeds Lacazette who curls home Arsenal’s opener - a goal which illustrates the positives of Emery’s system and of getting Ramsey in the tight pockets of space in and around the penalty area.

For Arsenal’s second that attacking quartet were all involved, as the image above shows. At the start of the move all four players are pressed high up the pitch and can capitalise when Everton defender Kurt Zouma makes a poor clearance. That is seized upon by Lacazette who finds the onrushing Özil with a first time pass. The German crosses for Ramsey, who despite slipping, again gets out of tough spot with a clever backheel for Aubameyang to tap home (admittedly from an offside position).

Last season Arsenal offered Özil £350,000-a-week to persuade him to stay at the club. If Ramsey continues to shine in his more advanced role under Emery, the club may be spending big to ensure another attacking midfielder doesn’t leave the Emirates.

 

[ThlRama]

Thanks for sharing this, @American_Gooner . It was obvious from the very first game (vs. City) that Emery utilizes Ramsey as a second striker of sorts, which leaves us more exposed in midfield (hence our often poor control there, no?) but allows us to flood the box with ease when we bring the ball forward. Ramsey's movement and decision making in and around the box have always been good when not betrayed by his technique, problem is these days he takes way too many touches when he is involved deeper and is thus virtually useless in a system that relies on incision. Why not play Aubameyang in his role and accommodate Mhkitaryan, for example?

 

[YeahBee]

Thanks for sharing this, @American_Gooner . It was obvious from the very first game (vs. City) that Emery utilizes Ramsey as a second striker of sorts, which leaves us more exposed in midfield (hence our often poor control there, no?) but allows us to flood the box with ease when we bring the ball forward. Ramsey's movement and decision making in and around the box have always been good when not betrayed by his technique, problem is these days he takes way too many touches when he is involved deeper and is thus virtually useless in a system that relies on incision. Why not play Aubameyang in his role and accommodate Mhkitaryan, for example?

???
Did you even read the piece ?

 

[ThlRama]

???
Did you even read the piece ?

Yeah, I did, what's your point?

 

[Toby]

Thanks for sharing this, @American_Gooner . It was obvious from the very first game (vs. City) that Emery utilizes Ramsey as a second striker of sorts, which leaves us more exposed in midfield (hence our often poor control there, no?) but allows us to flood the box with ease when we bring the ball forward. Ramsey's movement and decision making in and around the box have always been good when not betrayed by his technique, problem is these days he takes way too many touches when he is involved deeper and is thus virtually useless in a system that relies on incision. Why not play Aubameyang in his role and accommodate Mhkitaryan, for example?

We should play an out and out striker in a CM/SS hybrid role instead of an all action CM/AM and then put a winger/AM in the striker's role to balance the team?

 

[ThlRama]

We should play an out and out striker in a CM/SS hybrid role instead of an all action CM/AM and then put a winger/AM in the striker's role to balance the team?

No. I'm mostly trying to imply that the CM/SS hybrid role is flawed by its very nature. You'd need a very specialized player to pull that off and Ramsey has his own shortcomings in those departments.

 

[JimmyTheMac]

We should play an out and out striker in a CM/SS hybrid role instead of an all action CM/AM and then put a winger/AM in the striker's role to balance the team?

Id rather Aubamayang as a SS than out wide where he is now. Plus I wouldn't even call it a hybrid between ss/cm cause Ramsey appears to do almost no midfield work. You could even just put laca in that ss position instead and have auba as the centre forward. And he's saying to put miki out wide left where auba is, not in the strikers role.

 

[YeahBee]

Yeah, I did, what's your point?

It outlines why he is great, what he contributes and that he is on par with others often touted as best in the league and you go Nah?

You are basically like dweebs who see a naked gorgeus woman and say pointy elbows

 

[Jae]

I've noticed that when Ramsey seems to occupy that SS role it typically forces Lacazette deep to collect the ball; Lacazette ends up playing as our number 10 basically.

 

[ThlRama]

It outlines why he is great, what he contributes and that he is on par with others often touted as best in the league and you go Nah?

You are basically like dweebs who see a naked gorgeus woman and say pointy elbows

Well, yes. But it doesn't point out any of the shortcomings of this tactic, including the players that are left on the bench or played out of position, Ramsey's own imperfections in deeper areas, etc. The article is all about what Ramsey brings to the table in this approach because that isn't obvious to everyone, but I don't think it's even trying to claim that this is necessarily the ideal approach for our team currently.

 

[Toby]

And he's saying to put miki out wide left where auba is, not in the strikers role.

Our wide left as it's played by Auba right now clearly is a striker role. Putting Mkhi there means changing this role and thus the system. We've seen it with Iwobi on the left and only Laca or Auba on the pitch, but both strikers on the pitch has clearly been our best system thus far.

Plus I wouldn't even call it a hybrid between ss/cm cause Ramsey appears to do almost no midfield work.

If you can't see the ground covering, slight pressing and covering passing angles that Ramsey does, which is defensive midfield work, you very much don't understand Emery's plans. If anything, one could think about a direct swap Ramsey - > Mkhitaryan, although Mkhi is probably better suited to the role Özil currently plays.

 

[ThlRama]

@Toby Andrl , we don't disagree really mate, my example was a random one. We are just exploring possibilities here. Only thing I have to note though is that a lot of the defensive work you point out in Ramsey's game takes place very, very far forward, usually he presses the CB. Maybe I'm clueless but it seems a very peculiar approach to me, why would you forfeit the midfield like that as a manager that wants control? Özil cutting in isn't nearly enough to make up for it of course. We are basically aiming to play 4-2-4 if you look at it like that, which is the most kamikaze formation imaginable these days.

 

[Toby]

Maybe I'm clueless but it seems a very peculiar approach to me, why would you forfeit the midfield like that as a manager that wants control?

I actually think right now Emery doesn't want control in the form of sustained possession and ball circulation. Or at least it's not an absolute mantra to him. We play it out the back rather patiently to keep control of the progression up the pitch, but we go up a gear once the ball has passed through Xhaka - most of the times at least. I think Emery maybe is trying to keep the opposition away from their box a bit with rather slow build up and then get more direct once the ball is close to their box so we don't face parked busses.

We are basically aiming to play 4-2-4 if you look at it like that

I think that's basically it. A 424 or 4222 is at least what we play offensively. A fluid attacking quartet operating on the basis of a solid midfield 2, with width provided by the fullbacks and rotating strikers. It isn't really balanced right now, but the long term idea probably is to win the ball back as quickly as possible through a controlled and incisive press- which basically means Arsenal control the game through a mix of possession and ball winning. It feels like a mix between Klopp and Favre football.

You can see some things rather clearly by now, it's all a bit unbalanced and there's flashes of ideas which feel like when it's all working together it will be a coherent and distinctive system, but as of now it's a bit of this and a bit of that. Clearly a work in progress and probably not fully developed until later this season or early next season. Right now it's all building and forming the gearwheels, making sure they are flawless on their own, while at the same time getting and grinding out results, before longterm putting these wheels together, which is when we'll see proper system. And that will take time. But it's not bad, 'cause that's what it takes - Guardiola, Klopp, Simeone et al didn't develop and make their systems work in the matter of weeks or months, it took them seasons to tweak them to how they want it, which is exactly what we'll see here. If we can keep on winning games we're on the right track.

 

[JimmyTheMac]

I'd rather see Emery implement a style here more similar to what he used at Sevilla. But it's early days and I suppose he has different types of players to what he had at Sevilla

 

[ThlRama]

@Toby Andrl , classic 4-2-2-2, Pellegrini or Watford style, it certainly isn't, that formation is a very obvious one. I actually think in games like Cardiff away it did look more like a lopsided 4-2-3-1 with Özil coming inside to playmake, iirc I have posted about it. But then vs. Everton it looked indeed like 4-2-4 the more I think about it - and it didn't work well enough as our first line of pressing lacked cohesion and intensity. Against City it was more of a 4-2-1-3 maybe. So probably still tinkering with it as you said, don't know about Klopp but it certainly resembles Favre more than it does older Emery teams like Sevilla or PSG. Ramsey is key in all this for now, let's hope it goes well with or without him. I want my team not just to win but also to play well and with a distinct character.

 

[Longy]

The fact of the matter is.........

Özil is better than Ramsey
Mikhi is better than Ramsey
Lacazette is better than Ramsey
Aubemeyang is better than Ramsey
Iwobi is better than Ramsey

Shoe horsing players into position was the magor flaw of Wenger.

Shifting one of the worlds best ball players out wide to accomodate the chaotic runs and fumbling ballwork seems absolute crazy.
We have seen in the last few games when Özil has come inside and gets the ball more we look more dangerous.

Our best players need to be on the ball more. Ramsey isn't one of them.
Move him on and replace with a winger option for a more balanced team with another dimension.
We have enough attacking midfielders.


BELIEVE IN RAMSEY, BELIEVE IN 6TH.

 

[yorch44]

I prefer 10 times the Ramsey CM of 2014 than this . He could be paired with Torreira ala Arteta-Ramsey esque but noooo!!! He lost his mind. I remember him and Özil playing together that way very very well, and arteta protecting both. But that Ramsey actually defended and played easily... with smart runs. Once he started to make goals he lost it. Then the midfield started to unbalance and then Arsène changed to Santi as CM

 

[El Duderino]

Find amusing that this is the second manager that rates Ramsey and, like @American_Gooner posted, is trying his own way to get the best out of him despite contract negotiations being an issue and we having other players who could occupy the wings, am and cm options.

Still we have the same crowd trying to out GDeep one another.

 

[El Duderino]

Mind you, it has been refreshing seeing criticism and praise of the Rambo in a structured way from a few people, so bravo.