Aaron Ramsey

[Meatwad]

It's funny how a few days ago when former Wales and Everton captain Kevin Ratcliffe was making a case for Everton he just ended up making the case for Arsenal.

http://wwwr2.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx? ... oId=723468

And Ratcliffe believes that Ramsey should strongly consider his potential first-team opportunities and the reputation of David Moyes before signing for anybody else.

"I think it's about playing first-team football," Ratcliffe told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"I think he has more of a chance at Everton of gaining that first-team experience and going that next step."

"I would describe him as an Arsenal-type player. A player who receives the ball under pressure, is very, very composed, can pick a pass and score a goal and is not afraid to make a tackle as well. He's got the potential but he's still got a long way to go."

"I'm sure Dave Jones will tell him everything he knows about the football club and David Moyes, as will Paul Wilkinson.

"There's plenty of background for him to get to know about the club from other people down there."

 

[dos1986]

Finding this whole thing incredibly hard to get excited about.

You and me both Pal, you and me both....

Doesnt help, when he is 4 years younger than I am, bit depressing..

 

[asajoseph]

Whilst not as expensive as Theo, the competition we've had to face for his signature should tell you all you need to know about the level of Ramsey's talent.

It's wrong to assume, anyway, that this signing will mean we can't then go and fill the other holes we may have in the squad - if we don't do that, it's a problem, but it won't tarnish the signing we've just made of an extremely talented player.

 

[longrufus]

Very talented young player, and will be superb in the future.

My only concern, does this mean we wont be bringing in another wide man, as Wenger doesnt want to put someone ahead of Ramsey?

 

[asajoseph]

Maybe - but did you really think Wenger was going to bring in another wide man anyway?

 

[AFCFan4Ever]

Great IMO, esp. for the price.

Wonder if he'll go straight into the first team or will be a reserve/Carling Cup specialist, etc.

Hope we get to see him bled right into the first team.

Always good to get one over on ManYoo as well.

 

[KY]

Oh and since Arsenal collects most of its transfers fees in euros (as well as pay them out) it makes our buying power in pounds much stronger, so it doesn't hurt us to get it out of the way now with the Euro performing so well and the money is available. 5m pounds straight cash is 6.27m euros of Arsenal's reserves (last year this time it would have been 7.4m euros). Speaking of that, while Henry's transfer value from Barca is still 24m euros, it's now 19m pounds because Barca will make their first payment (of two) to Arsenal this summer.

how sure are you of this? this sounds really great...to me anyways. Do you have any links? especially the part on how barca is paying the fee in 2 payments with the first payment this summer...
I'm actually more excited reading about this than about ramsey.

 

[Feanor]

Don't know anything about him but if he gives that little bit of grit we're missing then I'm all for it. He might become our Giggs.

 

[kel varnsen]

Very talented young player, and will be superb in the future.

My only concern, does this mean we wont be bringing in another wide man, as Wenger doesnt want to put someone ahead of Ramsey?

he'll bring in someone to replace hleb and that will be it. probably nasri.

which would leave us with rosicky, walcott, nasri, vela, ramsey and eboue for the wings. not a bad set of options tbh. i suspect walcott will be prefered on the right wing when we play 4-5-1, with nasri in central midfield, and nasri (or walcott) on the right side in a 4-4-2 formation, with vela, eboue and maybe ramsey getting games here and there.

 

[longrufus]

Very talented young player, and will be superb in the future.

My only concern, does this mean we wont be bringing in another wide man, as Wenger doesnt want to put someone ahead of Ramsey?

he'll bring in someone to replace hleb and that will be it. probably nasri.

which would leave us with rosicky, walcott, nasri, vela, ramsey and eboue for the wings. not a bad set of options tbh. i suspect walcott will be prefered on the right wing when we play 4-5-1, with nasri in central midfield, and nasri (or walcott) on the right side in a 4-4-2 formation, with vela, eboue and maybe ramsey getting games here and there.

For me though, we have looked short out wide for 2 summers now. I do think Nasri will come in, but as a replacement to Hleb. I dont see either Diaby or Eboue as even options on the wing, as they are about as useful as tits on a bull. With Vela and Ramsey we have 2 very good young players coming through to challenge, but i cant imagine either making an impact at all this season. Walcott could be the wide player we have been crying out for, he has the ability but for me he looks more like a forward and will get games there.

To be honest as much as i think Ramsey is a very good player, and a good addition, i cant help but think someone like Ben Arfa who is available would have solved so many of our needs.

 

[otfgoon]

For me though, we have looked short out wide for 2 summers now. I do think Nasri will come in, but as a replacement to Hleb. I dont see either Diaby or Eboue as even options on the wing, as they are about as useful as tits on a bull. With Vela and Ramsey we have 2 very good young players coming through to challenge, but i cant imagine either making an impact at all this season. Walcott could be the wide player we have been crying out for, he has the ability but for me he looks more like a forward and will get games there.

To be honest as much as i think Ramsey is a very good player, and a good addition, i cant help but think someone like Ben Arfa who is available would have solved so many of our needs.

Its definately a risk I guess we have to hope Tomas has infact been fixed with that surgery. With him, Nasri, Walcott, Vela and Ramsey I would be comfartable with our options out wide. Everyone who has seen this guy play expect him to compete for a first team spot so he must be pretty special.

 

[j'nuh]

Maybe - but did you really think Wenger was going to bring in another wide man anyway?

I always assumed it would be someone like Nasri + a young, cheap winger. Guessed that would be Gouffran or Dimitrivich and Ramsey is a big surprise. Although i never factored in Hleb leaving and dont know what to think there.

I'd be very surprised if he didnt get games in the prem this season - mainly because a) £5m a huge amount for Arsène to spend on an 18 year old - especially up-front. b) This is quite clearly how he persueded Ramsey to come here - and he is a man of his word.

 

[kel varnsen]

Very talented young player, and will be superb in the future.

My only concern, does this mean we wont be bringing in another wide man, as Wenger doesnt want to put someone ahead of Ramsey?

he'll bring in someone to replace hleb and that will be it. probably nasri.

which would leave us with rosicky, walcott, nasri, vela, ramsey and eboue for the wings. not a bad set of options tbh. i suspect walcott will be prefered on the right wing when we play 4-5-1, with nasri in central midfield, and nasri (or walcott) on the right side in a 4-4-2 formation, with vela, eboue and maybe ramsey getting games here and there.

For me though, we have looked short out wide for 2 summers now. I do think Nasri will come in, but as a replacement to Hleb. I dont see either Diaby or Eboue as even options on the wing, as they are about as useful as tits on a bull. With Vela and Ramsey we have 2 very good young players coming through to challenge, but i cant imagine either making an impact at all this season. Walcott could be the wide player we have been crying out for, he has the ability but for me he looks more like a forward and will get games there.

To be honest as much as i think Ramsey is a very good player, and a good addition, i cant help but think someone like Ben Arfa who is available would have solved so many of our needs.

if rosicky can stay fit and healthy for most of next season, ben arfa would be superfluous. not to mention, rosicky, nasri and walcott gives us three good options on the wings. as opposed to this season, when we only had two good options in hleb and rosicky. the latter being injured for most of the season.

walcott only really broke through at the end of the season. so he'll be like a new signing and it would take a lot for rosicky to play less next year than he did this season. ramsey and vela gives us depth and can put in a performance here and there if needed. all in all, we might not see neither eboue nor diaby on the wings next season...

 

[Meatwad]

Oh and since Arsenal collects most of its transfers fees in euros (as well as pay them out) it makes our buying power in pounds much stronger, so it doesn't hurt us to get it out of the way now with the Euro performing so well and the money is available. 5m pounds straight cash is 6.27m euros of Arsenal's reserves (last year this time it would have been 7.4m euros). Speaking of that, while Henry's transfer value from Barca is still 24m euros, it's now 19m pounds because Barca will make their first payment (of two) to Arsenal this summer.

how sure are you of this? this sounds really great...to me anyways. Do you have any links? especially the part on how barca is paying the fee in 2 payments with the first payment this summer...
I'm actually more excited reading about this than about ramsey.

well 98% because it's 3 years and not 2 and apparently the fee was more than 24 million euros because according to AS:

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=408769

Barça will pay €13m in 2008, another €13m a year later and the remainder in 2010, Joan Laporta's final year of his current mandate as president of the club.

so this summer barca will be paying arsenal the equivalent of £10.3m. i think the amount paid in the first 2 years is the base fee and the 3rd year (2010) are about add-ons.

 

[Rohit]

Rosicky's been here 2 full seasons now and he has shown no signs of lasting more than 25 games. If he has another such long spell on the sidelines and if Hleb does leave we will be left with Nasri, Walcott, Vela and Ramsey for the wings. That is not good enough, some great talent there but will struggle next season. We cannot bank on Rosicky staying fit, we need another winger. (I don't want to see either Eboue or Diaby on the wings)

Eboue should not be backup to Sagna and if he isn't happy with it, sell him.

 

[longrufus]

if rosicky can stay fit and healthy for most of next season, ben arfa would be superfluous. not to mention, rosicky, nasri and walcott gives us three good options on the wings. as opposed to this season, when we only had two good options in hleb and rosicky. the latter being injured for most of the season.

walcott only really broke through at the end of the season. so he'll be like a new signing and it would take a lot for rosicky to play less next year than he did this season. ramsey and vela gives us depth and can put in a performance here and there if needed. all in all, we might not see neither eboue nor diaby on the wings next season...

Thats the problem though isnt it? Rosicky's fitness being a massive if. We're then left with just Walcott and Nasri, who are both capable of making massive impacts, but the problem is you just dont know.

I think my biggest annoynace is that players of Ben Arfa's standard dont come available that often, he would certainly improve our squad and there is easily room for him when you consider Walcott will eventually play through the middle, and Nasri will also get games in midfield and up top as a playmaker. I just think long term we're missing out big time.

 

[Rohit]

I don't quite understand the obsession with Ben Arfa though, he'll give us another option and be good for the long term like you say but won't make too big an impact next season. We are on the right path when it comes to long term. I think we need a good experienced player on the wing. Even the Russian left winger would do, but i think we need experience if we are to win anything next season.

 

[kel varnsen]

if rosicky can stay fit and healthy for most of next season, ben arfa would be superfluous. not to mention, rosicky, nasri and walcott gives us three good options on the wings. as opposed to this season, when we only had two good options in hleb and rosicky. the latter being injured for most of the season.

walcott only really broke through at the end of the season. so he'll be like a new signing and it would take a lot for rosicky to play less next year than he did this season. ramsey and vela gives us depth and can put in a performance here and there if needed. all in all, we might not see neither eboue nor diaby on the wings next season...

Thats the problem though isnt it? Rosicky's fitness being a massive if. We're then left with just Walcott and Nasri, who are both capable of making massive impacts, but the problem is you just dont know.

I think my biggest annoynace is that players of Ben Arfa's standard dont come available that often, he would certainly improve our squad and there is easily room for him when you consider Walcott will eventually play through the middle, and Nasri will also get games in midfield and up top as a playmaker. I just think long term we're missing out big time.

yet, can we afford to spend £16 mill on a player that wouldn't improve the first team, if rosicky does stay fit? i say no. especially since we now also have walcott and nasri available, with vela and, presumably, ramsey ready to come in and do a job. i'd rather see us spend money on a mobile, agressive cm and a tall, composed cb.

 

[asajoseph]

Well the bottom line is, as it should have been for some time, that Wenger has to be honest with himself and harsh on Rosicky - he needs to have a long, hard think, and if he doesn't think Tomas is any more likely to play 40 games next season than he was this, then Rosicky just has no place at Arsenal.

It doesn't really matter how good he is - if one of your key players isn't fit enough to play 3 games in a row, he isn't really the right player for us.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

Steve Claridge's scouting report on Ramsey:

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/06 ... ampionship